Purely nourishing

Purely nourishing

It’s no secret that what we eat plays a central role in maintaining our health and overall sense of wellbeing. What’s less well known, though, is that our nutritional needs change markedly as we age - and many older Kiwis are no longer giving their bodies what they need to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.

The Pure Food Co’s Sarah Hanrahan, a dietitian and former CEO of the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, says as people age, they undergo various physiological changes that can impact their nutritional needs. “As we age, our metabolism changes, we have less muscle, and we tend to move around less than when we were younger,” Sarah says. “This means protein is particularly important.” The main role of protein in the body is growth and repair. “The best way to think about protein is as the human body’s building blocks. As we age, we process protein less efficiently and can need up to 50 percent more protein than when we were younger if we want to preserve our muscle mass and strength.”

But research shows most older adults are only getting around 60 per cent of the protein they need. This is why The Pure Food Co has spent years developing a range of texture modified meals, snacks and smoothies that are not only delicious, but are fortified with extra protein.

Metlifecare’s Food Development and Compliance Manager Ana Estrada says they’ve been partnering with The Pure Food Co for around three years, and their meals are available to care home residents with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) at a number of Metlifecare villages around New Zealand. “We know that our residents haven’t moved into a Metlifecare village to slow down or retreat from the world - just the opposite,” Ana says. “They’re here to connect with a community and live full, vibrant lives. Good nutrition is just so crucial to be able to do that, regardless of where we are on our ageing journey.”

Ana says that’s especially the case if a resident needs extra support in the village’s care homes. “Saying someone needs more protein and other nutrients is easy, but for some people there can be real barriers to doing that, no matter how much they want to. “They might have swallowing challenges, or difficulties with dentures, so making sure we’re tapping into the most innovative approaches to food and nutrition is just so important.”

It’s a challenge that The Pure Food Co’s co-founder and co-CEO Sam Bridgewater first encountered the hard way. When Sam’s stepfather, Mark, experienced a serious illness in 2012, they couldn’t find meals he wanted to eat, slowing his recovery. “He wanted good food, and he needed good nutrition, and he wasn’t getting either.”

Sam founded The Pure Food Co the following year and has been working closely with operators like Metlifecare ever since. “Metlifecare really gets the role that nutrition plays in a person’s health and happiness as they age, so it’s been a really rich and rewarding partnership,” Sam says. “And the biggest beneficiaries have been their residents, which is really what drives both of us to keep collaborating and innovating.”