Senior Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition Guide

Choosing the right foods is an important part of maintaining health for everyone, but it can become essential as you age. In the United States, 85.6% of people aged 65 and over have at least one chronic health condition, and a healthy diet can often help you feel better, manage symptoms and even stop some conditions from getting worse. This is why you may be considering a switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet.

According to a 2018 poll, 2% of seniors follow a vegetarian diet, a number that has remained steady over the years. However, the number of people eating less meat is growing, with 26% of seniors cutting their meat consumption in 2019. Simply dropping meat is no guarantee of healthy eating though, especially for seniors because nutritional needs change as you get older. This guide to senior vegetarian and vegan diets explains what each type of diet is, the potential benefits, how to craft a healthy diet and where you can find senior vegetarian meals. 

There are many words for meat-free diets, but they don’t all mean the same thing. Understanding the definition of all these diets and their limitations and challenges can help you decide which plan is right for you.

First, it’s important to define the word “diet” as it’s being used in this guide. The word usually has negative connotations because it’s associated with eating restrictively to lose weight. More broadly, a diet just refers to the kinds of foods a person eats. Although plant-based diets stop you from eating meat, there’s no need for them to feel restrictive.

It’s important to note that there aren’t any scientific studies that focus on health benefits purely for seniors. Rather these health benefits are seen in people of all ages, and we can see the advantages to seniors based on health conditions often found in older adults. 

Also, it’s almost impossible to run double-blind nutritional studies because participants know what they’re eating. This is part of the reason why you often find conflicting nutritional advice. It’s difficult to separate out which part of the diet is helpful. People eating plant-based diets tend to be more health-conscious than those consuming standard diets, and it’s possible that’s why there are positive health outcomes for these people. By this reasoning, a well-balanced omnivore diet may be just as nutritious. Likewise, it’s possible to eat nothing but french fries and microwave popcorn and call it a vegan diet. That doesn’t mean it will offer health benefits. 

For many people, a balanced, plant-based diet makes it easier to decrease calories and saturated fat, increase fiber and get a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. But these are potential health benefits. Everyone’s body is different, so you may not get the same results as other people, and these benefits rely on making healthy food choices.

There are also financial benefits to choosing a plant-based diet. As with any diet, it’s possible for a vegan or vegetarian to choose organic, high-end products that add to a grocery bill. However, meat is often an expensive addition to your meal plans. An Oxford University study of high-income countries, including the United States, found that a vegan diet can reduce food bills by up to one third. Lowering meat consumption by adopting flexitarianism reduced costs by 14%. Buying in bulk can add savings, as can choosing filling, inexpensive legumes such as canned beans or lentils. For seniors on a fixed income, choosing to eat less meat can have a positive effect on the budget. 

There are challenges for people choosing a vegan or vegetarian diet. Some of these are felt by all people who cut out meat, and others can have a greater impact on seniors. However, it is possible to overcome these challenges if you’re dedicated to this way of eating. 

It can be harder to find meat-free options for preprepared food, and any products you find may be more expensive. This makes it more likely that you have to cook for yourself. As you get older, you may find it difficult to prepare your own meals, whether due to mobility issues, lack of strength or other health issues. 

It’s possible to choose easy-to-prepare vegetarian meals built around canned beans, grains and frozen vegetables. You can also cook large batches of meals on days you have energy — or ask family to help you once a week — and eat those meals during the rest of the week. 

People looking for vegetarian or vegan recipes are often faced with an array of unfamiliar ingredients such as tempeh, quinoa and aquafaba. You may think that you won’t find what you need at your local grocery store. 

However, as these diets become more popular around the country, unusual ingredients are appearing on grocery shelves. You may be surprised what’s hidden in the health food aisle of your nearest shop. You should also remember that these unusual ingredients aren’t necessary. It’s possible to have a healthy, meat-free diet with familiar ingredients like rice, potatoes, kidney beans and chickpeas.

It can take some planning to ensure that your plant-based diet includes all the nutrients you need, which may be one of the most challenging aspects for seniors. Understanding which nutrients may be lacking, how that impacts seniors and how to ensure you get the right amount can help you maintain and improve your health on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Most people get their protein from animal sources, and you may wonder how you’ll get enough without meat on your plate. This is a particular concern for seniors, as humans start losing muscle mass from the age of 30, and there’s a higher rate of decline after you turn 60. Eating enough protein can help you keep that muscle mass, which helps your strength, mobility and balance. That’s why it’s recommended that seniors have 0.45-0.55 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day, around 50% more than the recommendation for younger people. 

There’s also a concern about eating complete proteins. This is referring to amino acids; meats are the only protein source that have all the amino acids your body requires in one serving. However, eating a variety of plant-based foods will ensure you get all the amino acids you need. In the past, nutritionists thought you had to combine plant-based proteins in each meal to get complete proteins, but that myth has since been debunked. If you eat a variety of grains, vegetables and legumes each day, you’ll get all the amino acids you need. 

Vegetarian and vegan foods that are high in protein include:

• Eggs and dairy foods for vegetarians
• Seitan
• Soy products, including tofu, tempeh and soy milk
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nutritional yeast
• Oats and oatmeal
• Nuts

Iron is another nutrient that most people get from red meat. People who don’t get enough iron can develop anemia, which can cause fatigue and weakness. Studies have found that 8%-44% of older adults have anemia, depending on their age and gender, and that it’s also more common among vegetarians. If you’re concerned about your iron levels, you can check them with a blood test. It’s possible to take iron supplements, but there are also vegetarian foods that are high in iron including:

• Soybeans
• Lentils
• Seeds, including pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds
• Cashews, pine nuts and other nuts
• Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and collard
• Tomato paste
• Potatoes with skins on
• Mushrooms

Vitamin B12 is an essential part of any diet, as it keeps blood cells healthy, protects the nervous system and gives you energy. However, it’s not found in plant-based foods. Vegetarians can get their B12 requirements from eggs and milks, but vegans must ensure they know where their B12 is coming from. Some vegans choose to take a supplement, but B12 can also be found in:

• Fortified foods, such as nut milks and breakfast cereals that have added B12
• Nutritional yeast, which can be added to sauces and curries
• Nori, a seaweed used in sushi
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Yeast spreads such as Marmite or Vegemite

The potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include lower blood pressure, reduced chance of heart attack and stroke and improved bone strength. They’re also essential for brain health, with studies finding positive impacts on cognitive function and a decrease in the incidence of dementia in people who took omega-3 supplements. Pescetarians can still get omega-3 from fish, with salmon, trout and tuna among the best sources. The best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Chia seeds
• Brussels sprouts
• Algal oil
• Hemp seeds
• Walnuts
• Flax seeds

The CDC states that around 10.2 million people in the United States have osteoporosis and a further 43.3 million have low bone mass. This can lead to weak grip strength, brittle fingernails, a stooped posture and bone fractures. Calcium can help protect your bones, so it’s important to ensure you get enough. Vegetarians can get calcium from milk, cheese and other dairy products. Vegans may want to take a calcium supplement but can also add the following foods to their diets:

• Fortified foods, such as nut milks and breakfast cereals with added calcium
• Soy foods
• Legumes
• Nuts, especially almonds and brazil nuts
• Seeds, especially sesame seeds
• Seaweed
• Leafy greens, including spinach, bok choy and collard
• Vegetables, including okra, kale and cabbage

It can be difficult to get started on a new eating plan. Thankfully, there is plenty of advice for new vegetarians and vegans. Tips for starting on this journey include:

• Speak to your doctor to ensure the diet is right for you
• Seek advice from a registered dietician
• Research meal plans and recipes
• Make changes at your own pace
• Use meat substitutes
• Seek support from online or local groups
• Plan your meals
• Keep vegetarian snacks in the pantry, such as pumpkin seeds and nuts

Many health conditions can be impacted by diet. If you’re one of the 85% of seniors with a chronic health condition, you should consult your doctor or specialist before starting a new eating plan. There are particular things to consider if you have one of the following conditions or limitations. 

If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), it’s essential that you talk to your physician before embarking on a dietary change. This is because nutrition requirements differ depending on your level of kidney function and any comorbidities you have, such as hypertension. Although studies have found that a vegetarian diet may hamper the progression of kidney damage, those undergoing dialysis may have trouble consuming enough protein and maintaining potassium and phosphorus levels on a vegan diet. 

Although there aren’t enough studies to give a clear picture of the impact vegetarian and vegan diets have on cancer prognosis, it’s clear that an unhealthy diet can worsen outcomes. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables will help you get phytochemicals and antioxidants that can prevent cancer. Some antioxidants, such as free radicals, may also help fight cancer. Experts recommend you don’t make any major changes to your diet when you start chemotherapy, so if you’re not already vegetarian you may want to wait until after your treatment is finished. If you are already vegetarian or vegan, focus on getting enough protein and staying hydrated. To combat nausea, you should also choose foods that taste good. 

As these diets become more popular, senior living communities are adding vegetarian and vegan options to their menus. If you’re considering senior care, it is possible to find one that can accommodate your plant-based lifestyle. 

The senior living operators below offer either plant-based or customizable meals, so you can continue following a vegetarian diet. This makes them a good place to start your search for a vegetarian-friendly senior community. However, it’s important to remember that each community is different. Make sure you ask each facility you’re interested in if they offer a plant-based menu and what their vegetarian meal plan is like. 

Seniors have access to a range of government and nonprofit resources that help them access healthy food. This assistance may include home-delivered meals, congregate meals in senior centers and vouchers to purchase groceries. This document lists the resources available in every state to help you get the nutrition you need to stay healthy.