When it comes to eating well, women and men definitely have different needs. Pound for pound and inch for inch, men have more, leaner muscle mass, which means they burn calories more easily. Women also have special nutritional demands. Not only should they eat less than comparably sized men, but they also need to eat more selectively. Menstruation and childbearing bring special considerations, as well.
What's a woman to do?
Eat more whole grains and other high-fiber foods. The advice isn't new, but it has special relevance for women. High-fiber foods are more filling but less calorie dense, so they can help you feel more satisfied. They also help prevent constipation, a condition women report two or three times as frequently as men. You should strive for 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day and can get it in:
Check your calcium intake. An estimated 8 million women in the United States have osteoporosis, and another 22 million have low bone density. Although most of this deterioration comes after menopause, osteoporosis can occur at any age, and women with insufficient bone density before age 30 are more likely to be at risk later. Up to age 24 and after menopause, women should be getting 1,200 mg of calcium a day—120 percent of the combined daily value listed on labels of the foods you eat—and 1,000 mg from age 25 until menopause. To help you get the calcium you need, work some of these foods into your diet:
Get strong with iron. Because of menstruation, women lose more iron from their blood than men do. To stay ahead of the game, menstruating women should have 18 mg of iron a day. Vitamin C helps absorb iron, so fruits and vegetables also are important. Women with vegetarian diets should look for foods fortified with iron, such as breakfast cereals and pastas, to help meet their needs. Iron-rich foods include:
Don't forget folic acid. Folic acid, also known as vitamin B, is crucial for women during pregnancy. Folic acid has been proven to greatly reduce the risk of birth defects. Because levels of folic acid in the first month of conception and the time just before are key to fetal development, women should make sure they get enough throughout their childbearing years. Taking a daily vitamin or eating foods fortified with folic acid, such as some cereals, can help.
