The Best Nutrition Drinks and Shakes For Seniors to Keep Them Healthy

The following are eight of the best drinks and shakes currently on the market. Most of these come in several flavors, with chocolate and vanilla being the most popular.

How To Correctly Use Nutrition Drinks

Nutrition drinks can provide significant benefits, but only when you use them correctly. The first thing you should do is look at the label to determine the proper use of a given drink.

Some nutrition drinks are meal replacements and are meant to provide total nutrition for one meal. Other drinks are supplements and are intended to be taken alongside other foods.

You shouldn't consume more than one nutrition drink per-day unless directed to by a doctor or the label suggests taking multiple times a day. Or unless the drink is meant to be the only thing you consume each day as a meal replacement. But keep in mind not all nutrition drinks are meal replacements.

Kinds Of Nutrition Drinks

There are several common types of nutrition and meal replacement shakes that can supplement your health. These nutritional shakes include the following:

Protein Nutrition Drinks 

Protein shakes are designed to provide nutrients and are especially helpful if you live an active lifestyle and want to build or maintain muscle. If you're seeking to keep a low-calorie diet, protein nurtitrion drinks are typically a good option. 

Protein

There is a lot to learn when it comes to protein. So generally speaking, what is protein and what constitutes high-quality protein? Protein is made up of amino acid chains. Amino acids can be understood as the building blocks for protein. 

There are two types of proteins found in milk: whey and casein. Today we're going to take a better look at whey protein. Whey is a by-product of the transformation process of cow's milk into cheese.

It is known as the ultimate protein source because it has a strong source of branched chain amino acids. Amino acids are particularly helpful in repairing torn muscle tissue and building new muscle tissues.

You can find whey protein in protein powder. This does not mean you should only get your necessary protein from supplements and protein powders. Getting the majoirty of your daily protein from meats and fish is the most effective because you still consume essentail viatmins and nutrients. 

When to Drink Protein Drinks

It is best to drink nutritional shakes or protein drinks after you exercise. This is because your body will naturally begin to heal muscle immediately following a workout or physical exercise. 

Energy Drinks 

Energy drinks are meant to help you feel awake and energetic throughout the day. Remember to pace yourself - even if you feel great, you shouldn't try to act beyond your abilities. Furthermore, energy drinks often contain a large amount of artificial sweetners. Artificial sweeteners in energy drinks include things like sucralose (splenda), stevia, saccharin, and aspartame. 

Diabetic Drinks

Diabetic drinks focus on helping you regulate diabetes. They can't cure it, but they can lessen its effects.

Weight Loss

As the name suggests, these drinks are focused around helping you lose weight. Few drinks can accomplish this all by themselves. Instead, they're meant to be used as part of a balanced diet and exercise plan. If used incorrectly, it is possible that you might slow your metabolism which results in weight gain. With that said, make sure you follow the directions and use weight loss drinks in conjunction with exercise and proper dieting.

Elderly Nutrition Requirements

Seniors often have special nutrition requirements. Aside from needing fewer calories than younger people, you may have medical conditions that impact your diet and the overall functioning of your body.

Most nutrition drinks provide a dense source of multiple nutrients, making them an ideal way to get the nutrients your body needs in as few calories as possible.

How Nutrition Drinks Help

Nutrition drinks help by providing an easy way to get the nutrition that might otherwise be spread out in many different foods. Also, the liquid form of the drinks is often easier for seniors to consume than solid foods. 

Nutritional drinks can either be taken as a side with a meal or as a replacement for the meal itself. When they do replace meals, they can reduce the burden of needing to prepare food. With this in mind, it is not a good idea to use nutritional drinks to replace every meal.