Nutritional milk powder for the elderly

Nutritional milk powder for the elderly is neither a "miraculous medicine" that can cure all diseases, nor is it an all-IQ tax scam. It is essentially a prepared milk powder with the nutritional ratio adjusted according to the physiological characteristics of the elderly. Whether to buy it and how to choose it all depends on the daily diet structure and physical condition of the elderly. There is no unified standard answer.

Last week, my aunt spent more than 300 to bring back two cans of goat milk powder for my grandma, which is said to be "added with probiotics, nourish the stomach and lower blood pressure." Grandma got upset after drinking it for three days. She took it to a friend who is a nutritionist and found out that inulin was listed fourth in the ingredient list.

To be honest, for the elderly who have insufficient dietary intake, milk powder for the elderly is really cost-effective. Grandpa Zhang, who lives downstairs, lost most of his teeth in the past two years. He couldn't stew meat well and choked when eating eggs. He drank porridge with pickles at every meal. For half a year, his albumin was so low that the doctor urged him to take supplements. Later, he followed the doctor's advice and followed the doctor's advice to take a cup of high-calcium and high-protein elderly milk powder every morning and evening, along with some steamed eggs and soft noodles. After three months, he went for a blood test, and all the indicators returned to the normal range. Now when he goes out for a walk, he can play croquet with his old friends for half an hour.

But then again, it is not unreasonable to complain that milk powder for the elderly is an IQ tax. A while ago, when I was helping a relative choose milk powder, I looked through the ingredient lists of more than 20 products. For many brands, as long as they add some DHA and calcium, and then print the words "for the elderly", the price can be more than double that of ordinary whole milk powder of the same specification. Even more outrageous are the additions. The so-called "Cordyceps extract" and "ginsenoside" can cost 500 to 600 yuan per jar. When I turned to the end of the ingredient list, I saw that the added amount of these ingredients was less than 0.1%. If I really want to supplement these nutrients, it would be better to go to the drugstore and buy cordyceps lozenges worth dozens of yuan.

The academic community has no unified conclusion on the necessity of milk powder for the elderly. I read an article in the Journal of Nutrition before, and a team conducted a follow-up survey, saying that as long as the elderly eat a balanced diet, drink 300ml of pure milk, eat one egg, two ounces of lean meat, and have vitamin and calcium intakes that are fully up to standard, there is no need to buy additional milk powder for the elderly. The absorption rate of ordinary pure milk is higher. ； However, there is another study saying that more than 60% of the elderly living alone are trying to save time when cooking and often make do with meals. Their protein and calcium intake does not even reach 60% of the recommended amount. Making two cups of milk powder for the elderly every day can replenish the nutrients they lack in ten minutes. The cost-effectiveness is much higher than making nutritious meals every day. Both statements are actually correct. In the final analysis, it still depends on the living habits of the elderly in your family.

Don't believe the sales claims about "lowering the three highs" and "curing joint pain". According to national regulations, ordinary food cannot promote therapeutic effects at all. Anyone who dares to say such things is either a liar or is illegally promoting. If you really have to choose, don’t look at the fancy selling points. Look at the first three ingredients in the ingredient list. They must be raw milk and whole milk powder. If the first ones are maltodextrin and white sugar, don’t buy them no matter how cheap they are. ； Then choose according to the physical condition of the elderly. Those with osteoporosis should choose those with calcium content ≥1000mg/100g and added vitamin D. Those with diabetes or high blood sugar should choose those without added sugar or fructose. Those who are prone to bloating and diarrhea should avoid those with large amounts of inulin and fructooligosaccharides. Those with lactose intolerance should choose low-lactose formulas. You really don’t need to buy the most expensive ones, the ones that are suitable are the most useful.

What I later chose for my grandma was an ordinary high-calcium lactose-free milk powder in her early 100s. She now moves a small stool to bask in the sun on the balcony every afternoon, and makes a cup of milk powder with a soda cracker. After drinking it for almost half a year, her bone density increased by 0.02 units during the last physical examination compared to last year. Everyone she meets says this is much better than the one my aunt bought for more than 300 yuan. To put it bluntly, any "special" or "high-end" ones are empty. It can make the elderly drink comfortably and really supplement their nutrition, which is better than anything else.