10 FOODS ALL WOMEN SHOULD EAT
Posted on
Oct 11, 2012
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While there are some
foods we should all be eating more of, men and women also have their own set of
dietary requirements as well as their own unique health concerns. Here are ten
foods all women should eat.
Female-friendly food
1: Tomatoes
Another vibrant
carotenoid beneficial for women's health is lycopene, a pigment found in
tomatoes. Studies have suggested that lycopene may be effective in preventing
breast cancer. Furthermore, there has been considerable evidence to suggest
that the powerful antioxidant can help reduce risk of heart disease — the
leading cause of death in women in the US, Australia, England and Wales.
Female-friendly food
2: Butternut squash
Butternut squash —
like many other yellow/orange fruit and vegetables — is packed with carotenoids
such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. While carotenes should be included in
everybody's diet for optimum health, they may prove essential to women's health
as a high-carotenoid diet has been linked to lowered risks of both breast and
ovarian cancer.
Female-friendly food
3: Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are a good
source of Omega-3 fatty acids and have been linked to reduced risk of breast
cancer and heart disease. The seeds' anti-inflammatory properties are also good
for preventing arthritis, while their digestive benefits can help irritable
bowel syndrome; two painful conditions which are more prevalent in women than
men.
Female-friendly food
4: Salmon
Salmon has a multitude
of positive health benefits for women. Not only is it rich in iron — which is
integral to the diets of premenopausal women — but it is packed with omega-3
fatty acids, known for their mood-enhancing effects. Studies have suggested
that omega-3 can help beat depression (something that affects twice as many
women as men) and prevent mood swings, while salmon can also boost babies'
intelligence when eaten during pregnancy.
Female-friendly food
5: Cranberries
Various studies have
suggested strong links between consuming cranberries and reduced risks of
breast cancer and heart disease. However, the most notorious benefit of
cranberries is their ability to prevent and cure urinary tract infections such
as cystitis, which is eight times more likely to occur in women than men. One
study suggests that drinking two glasses of cranberry juice a day can prevent
the symptoms of common UTIs in women.
Female-friendly food
6: Spinach
Spinach is rich in
many different vitamins and minerals, but one thing that makes it great for
women is its high content of magnesium. Research has shown that magnesium may
be beneficial in reducing many of the physical symptoms of PMS which plague
women, including reduction of swelling, breast tenderness, bloating and weight
gain.
Female-friendly food
7: Figs
Figs are a great
health food, containing many vital minerals and vitamins as well as
contributing to your daily portions of fruit and veg. Two minerals found in
figs that are particularly beneficial to women's health are iron, which is
often deficient in menstruating women, and calcium, which is important for
post-menopausal women, who are more prone to osteoporosis.
Female-friendly food
8: Milk
Milk is a great source
of calcium, which is extremely beneficial to women's health, particularly when
combined with vitamin D (found in some varieties of milk and many fortified
milk products). Consumption of the combined nutrients is not only good for warding
off osteoporosis, but a study has suggested that a diet rich in calcium and
vitamin D could ease, or even prevent, symptoms of PMS.
Female-friendly food
9: Oats
Oats are literally
packed with health-boosting nutrients, many of which have great impacts on
female health. Oats are not only great for heart health, digestion and blood
pressure levels (with hypertension affecting many women over 50), but they
contain vitamin B6, which can help prevent PMS and mood swings, and folic acid,
which is important for women to consume before and during pregnancy to prevent
birth defects in babies.
Female-friendly food
10: Walnuts
While all nuts are
great for our health, walnuts have many great individual benefits for women. A
study has recently found that walnuts, which are packed with omega-3 fatty
acids, antioxidants and phytosterols, may help to reduce women's risk of
developing breast cancer, while their high omega-3 content may also help bone
health, arthritis pain and depression. Walnuts also contain many nutrients
essential for female health, such as calcium, magnesium and folic acid.
