Women’s nutrition is important for staying healthy. Healthy eating improves your overall health and helps prevent disease. It means choosing a variety of choices from all the food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and proteins). Healthy eating also means not consuming a lot of foods with added sugar, sodium and saturated and trans fats.
What you eat and drink is often influenced by lifestyle, geographic location, budget, and personal preferences. Sometimes, our busy lifestyles can make healthy choices more difficult. You can start by making small changes in your daily life to eat healthier.
Healthy choices for women include foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron and vitamin C. Try adding the following foods to your diet for optimal women’s nutrition:
- Oatmeal – One of the easiest ways to significantly lower your cholesterol is to eat whole-grain oatmeal daily. The protein and fiber in one bowl of oatmeal can keep you feeling full right up until lunchtime.
- Coffee – Nutritional experts recently agreed that drinking 1-2 eight-ounce cups of coffee a day may lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and colon and liver cancers.
- Pistachios – New research suggests that pistachios may reduce the risk of diabetes by decreasing the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. They also help raise your HDL “good” levels of cholesterol.
- Dark Chocolate – Indulging in a small amount of flavonoid-filled dark chocolate may prevent clogged arteries and reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Eating up to 3.6 ounces daily can also lower blood pressure. Best of all? Chocolate releases the feel-good brain chemical, serotonin.
- Tart Cherries – A study on animals concluded that eating a powdered version of tart cherries can lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as decrease the body’s ability to store fat in the liver.
- Brussels Sprouts – These mini-cabbages are rich in many valuable nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. They are packed with dietary fiber and immune-boosting vitamins A and C.
- Lean Beef – Lean beef is a great source of protein, iron, and heart-healthy B vitamins. Lean ground beef is a good source of coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that protects your cells from harmful free radicals.
- Curry – The antioxidants in curry may help break up plaque in the brain that causes Alzheimer’s disease. The key ingredient, turmeric, also been shown to halt tumor growth and destroy cancer cells in lab tests.
- Shrimp – Shrimp contains just 90 calories per three-ounce serving, has virtually no fat, and is packed with protein. Plus, shrimp is also rich in cancer-fighting selenium and bone-building vitamin D.
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