Do Foods Taste Different As You Get Older?

Sensory perception often decreases with age. Not only the taste buds on the tongue are affected: visual perception and the sense of smell also have a major impact on the sense of taste. If they become weaker, seniors perceive the taste of food as significantly less intense or even bland. So the joy of eating is easily lost. The risk of malnutrition increases.

When seniors complain that things used to taste better to them, meals should be prepared differently. In order for older people to be able to perceive the different tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, and bitter with the same intensity as younger people, the food must be seasoned much more strongly. When preparing it, we recommend using more fresh herbs. However, caution applies to salt: the recommended amount of a maximum of six grams per day should not be exceeded.

In order not only to stimulate the taste buds but also to appeal to the visual senses, the dishes should be prepared with ingredients that are as colorful as possible. Arranging the food in an attractive way on the plate can also help to ensure that the joy of eating is maintained in old age – or is awakened again.

Be inspired by our recipes for nutrition in old age and find out more about nutrition in old age!