Newspaper Article

Keeping kosher as we age

Stern, Lisë

2013

Overview

We all have our traditional kosher favorites - and for many this means Ashkenazic fare, like slow-roasted brisket, matzo ball soup, lockshen kugel, and perhaps choient and blintzes. Unfortunately, such kosher classics aren't the best choices for us as we get older. Toby Smithson, RD, CDE, is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of DiabetesEveryDay.com. She says, \"Age 50 appears to be the time when some of our nutritional needs change.\" Our metabolisms begin to slow down, so we need fewer calories - yet at the same time, we still need food that is high in nutrients. Café meals are all kosher, as are the delivered meals, and meet federal guidelines in terms of nutrition. \"Seniors try to stay away from salt and use salt alternatives,\" [Neal Drobnis] observes. \"Everything is low sodium. In general, they stay away from sugar as well. We try to have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. For carbs - grains, pasta, bread - we try to use whole grains when we can. It can be very difficult with the budgetary limits to have brown rice or whole wheat pasta.\" If you don't spend much time in the sun, you may need vitamin D supplements; check with a health care provider for the best balance. Kashrut can be an issue for some vitamin D supplements. Smithson notes that there are two kinds, D2 and D3, and \"D3 is derived from ultraviolet irradiation of a substance derived from sheep's wool.\"

• Publisher: Washington Jewish Week
• Subject: Jewish cooking / Kosher food / Meals / Nutrition / Older people / Personal health / Sodium