Four Super Healthy Foods for Women

Diet plays an important role in your health. The foods you consume have both immediate and long-term effects on your well-being.

When you adopt a healthy diet regimen, you’re making an effort to prevent illness and maintain your health. There’s a wide range of healthy foods including fruits, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats to choose from.

As a woman, you may be juggling a career, and/or a household with kids (or just living the single life with a pile of laundry needing your immediate attention!), social engagements or school. A demanding lifestyle requires that you eat healthy to maintain your energy, wellbeing and stamina.

Here are some examples of various foods that are great choices for women on the go!

1. Low-fat Yogurt

Yogurt is great for women as it contains healthy probiotics. These probiotics boost the immune system and solve digestive problems. Regular intake of yoghurt decreases the risk of breast cancer, infections, stomach ulcers and improves symptoms associated with the inflammatory digestive tract and irritable bowel syndrome.

Dietary Guidelines recommends 3-5 servings a week which you can have at breakfast or lunch – on its own in a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit, nuts, flax and other seeds or in various ethnic cuisines like Greek and Indian.  Yogurt is also rich in bone-healthy calcium –  even more than milk!

Having yogurt for breakfast will give you a boost of energy and keep you satisfied until lunch.

2. Omegas

Flax and fatty fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which enhances the health of cell membranes and protect women from various health threats such as joint pain, depression, hypertension, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as flaxseed, mackerel and salmon is also a good source of antioxidants that fight inflammation and reduce the risks of heart diseases.

Including Omega-3 fatty acids into your daily diet will not only benefit your health but also your skin and hair. Try to include Omega-3’s into your diet on a regular basis.

Omega-3 plays a crucial role in brain health. About 3.2 million women currently live with Alzheimer’s disease in the US.  If you consume 2 to 3 servings a week of an Omega-3 rich food, you are reducing your risk of future brain diseases.

Flaxseed also has anti-ageing properties, can protect your skin from sun damage and can maintain your skin’s texture and beauty. Flax is a seed or oil format is a fantastic choice for women in their wellness regimen.

3. Beans

Beans are low in fat and a rich source of fibre and protein which has protective effects against heart diseases. Beans are loaded with a nutrient known as isoflavone which helps to regulate hormones and aid with perimenopause or menopause symptoms.

Beans are 1 of 4 ingredients that lead the way for nutritious options for women.

Beans lower cholesterol and help protect against breast cancer.  If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, beans contain ample folic acid which helps prevent birth defects. About 3 servings a week can supply your folic acid need.

4. Berries

Strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries have a high level of antioxidants. The antioxidants in berries protect your skin against ageing and help you look younger. It can also reduce the risk of heart attack by more than 30%.

Berries are loaded with anthocyanins and anti-cancer compounds that are active against gastrointestinal and breast cancers.

Berries are also rich in nutrients such as vitamin C for an immune boost, folic acid for brain development and lutein that protects vision. If you are prone to urinary tract infections, about 3 to 4 servings per week of cranberries can reduce the risk and reoccurrence of getting them. If you don’t like the flavour of cranberries, try buying them in supplement form for the same health benefits.

Non-nutritious foods can make you weak and leave your body open to infections and diseases. As a woman, your body needs essential minerals, vitamins, and energy to function optimally and the food discussed above are a fantastic starting point. 

Treat your body well and give it the specific foods it needs as a woman!