Some people believe that the softer the food, the better it is for the elderly, but this is not entirely true. Experts suggest that the elderly should have a balanced diet that includes both soft and hard foods.
Experts explain that while soft and mushy foods are easy to chew and digest, it is not good to only have a diet consisting of soft foods. This is because there is a secret pathway between the jaw muscles and the brain called meridians. When we chew, the sensory organs in our mouth send signals through these meridians to the brain, significantly increasing the transmission of information among brain cells and improving brain function. Therefore, consuming too many soft foods and not chewing enough can lead to a decline in cognitive function and increase the risk of dementia. Moreover, chewing food stimulates the secretion of saliva, which contains digestive enzymes necessary for digestion. If the elderly only consume pureed foods, their digestion and absorption may be affected.
Whether the elderly should have a soft or hard diet depends on their individual circumstances.
If one has poor teeth or only a few remaining teeth, it is advisable to consume more soft foods. When suffering from gastritis, gastric bleeding, or feeling discomfort in the stomach, soft foods should also be preferred. If one has good teeth, it is recommended to follow the principle of "soft in the morning and evening, and hard at noon." In the morning, the digestion system of the body is slower, and the elderly often have a poor appetite, so it is best to consume soft and easily digestible foods such as mashed vegetables, porridge, or fruit juice. After dinner, due to reduced physical activity, it is also recommended to have some easily digestible soft foods. During lunchtime or between meals, it is encouraged to consume harder foods to exercise the chewing ability of the teeth, such as nuts, fresh and tender vegetable stems, fruits, pan-fried peanuts, boiled soybeans, stir-fried dried vegetables, or small dried fish that can be chewed up along with the bones. However, the so-called hard foods should not be too hard. They should be chewed with some effort to be considered appropriate. Hard staple foods like pancakes, which are not crispy enough, are not recommended for excessive consumption.
In addition, when wearing dentures, there is a gradual adaptation and adjustment process, and it is also recommended to consume foods that require chewing. However, it is important to note that in the first one or two days after getting dentures, it is advisable to consume soft and mushy foods, and afterwards, one can gradually start chewing harder and crispier foods.
