Nutrition has a crucial role in bone health for the elderly

Nutritional needs change with age. Appetite and energy need often decrease. However, the need for nutrients does not. In fact, it might even increase. Deficiencies in nutrition can lead to accelerated aging, such as weak muscles and bones.

Extra attention should be paid to adequate intake of protein, as it helps maintain muscle mass and bone health. The diet of elderly persons must be varied to support well-being and functionality—in other words, to enhance their quality of life.

Milk contains minerals that are essential building blocks of bone tissue

As we age, we start to lose bone mass and density. Mineral intake is an essential part to sustain bone health, with calcium being a crucial building block of bone tissue.

Calcium naturally found in milk ingredients helps to reduce the loss of bone mineral in post-menopausal women 50 years and older, with a daily dietary intake of at least 1 200 mg of calcium. Low bone mineral density is a risk factor for osteoporotic bone fractures. The recommended daily intake of calcium for seniors is 600-1200 mg/day, depending on local dietary guidelines.

Milk also contains phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc, which all aid in the upkeep of normal bones.

High quality proteins help maintain good bone health for older adults As we get older our bodies need special attention to stay active and strong. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass and normal bones. You can improve the composition of your products with high-quality dairy proteins and other nutrients essential for maintaining strength and activity.

The protein in milk is of a high quality and has excellent nutritional value. Natural dairy ingredients can also help you make products that will taste good and have a pleasant texture to support the appetite of the elderly. This also has a significant and important impact on the enjoyment of food, which is good for the intake of nutrients.

Valio has the ingredients for healthy and tasty products for aging adults

Valio’s clean and pure ingredients help you create products that meet the specific needs of the elderly – whether it means digestive comfort without lactose, providing minerals to maintain bone health or protein to support their muscles.

Valio’s functional dairy ingredients, such as Valio Eila™ NUTRI F+ lactose free formulated milk protein powder, add highest quality protein and valuable minerals and vitamins in your products which help maintain normal bone mass and density. Valio has developed a range of value-added powders to help food manufacturers respond to the growing demand of aging adults.

Valio Eila™ NUTRI F+ lactose free formulated milk protein powder fulfils the key needs of older adults. The product’s protein, vitamins and milk minerals help in keeping bones healthy. In addition to containing essential nutrients, it also features a full taste and texture, helping Valio’s customers to better formulate their products.

Valio Eila™ NUTRI F+ works in several applications, such as dried milk powders, special nutritional supplement drinks, dairy RTD formats, as well as nutritious food and dietary products.

Valio is here to help you with product development

The Valio Food Solutions team is ready to help you with product development! We have a Nobel prize winning innovation and we know milk: our R&D team of 100 experts, including our nutrition experts, are ready to help you in very different cases. We can help in product development, with optimizing processes, and of course with any nutritional features that our customers want to improve in their products.

We offer our industry-proven and market-tested solutions for a wide range of applications for the aging population, such as in dairy, beverages, confectionery, and ready meals.