Women's Bodies Have Different Needs

Healthy eating is important for everyone, but certain foods are especially good for issues that affect women -- like brittle bones, pregnancy, and breast cancer, to name a few. These "super foods" are rich with nutrients (often more than one!) that will help to protect your body and keep it working well, even as you age.

Beans

They have lots of protein, without the fat (and often the expense) that comes with meat, and they're high in fiber. They can lower your blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate -- all things that can lead to heart disease, the No. 1 silent killer.

Grapefruit

It's all about about the "flavonoids," which help lower the likelihood of certain kinds of strokes in women and may also help your heart. (Oranges work, too, but grapefruit has less sugar.) Grapefruit may not be a good combo with your medication, so check with your doctor before you put in on the menu.

Papaya [ pawPaw]

Its red-orange color comes from beta carotene (the stuff in carrots) and lycopene (also in tomatoes and watermelon). Lycopene lowers your chance of getting cervical and breast cancers. It's an antioxidant, too, and keeps cholesterol and blood pressure at healthy levels to help ward off heart disease.

Plain, Low-Fat Yogurt

You need more calcium when you're over 50. Yogurt has loads of it -- just 8 ounces will give you more than a third of your calcium for the day. Look for the kind enriched with vitamin D, to help your body use the mineral better.

Sardines

These little guys are swimming with healthy fatty acids, vitamin D, and calcium. Their omega-3 fats can improve the quality of breast milk, and sardines are good for babies whose mothers ate them while they were pregnant. They also have less mercury than most other fish.


Avocado

Yes, they're full of fat, but it's the good fat. In fact, studies show avocado-rich diets can help get rid of belly fat and protect your eyes and skin. They may even help lower "bad" cholesterol levels and boost the "good" cholesterol.

Sweet Potato
Copper, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, iron … sweet potatoes are the total package. Best of all, they're chock-full of beta carotene, an A+ source of vitamin A. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it makes sure your babe's little lungs are healthy and strong.

Beef Liver
It may not be at the top of the list of foods you crave, but beef liver is an excellent source of folate and folic acid, beating out top vegetarian contenders like spinach and black-eyed peas by a big margin.

Lean Beef
Speaking of beef, red meat packs a punch when it comes to iron. And after age 18, you need lots of it -- more than men do! Beef is iron-rich, and it also gives you a zinc and vitamin B boost. But don't go overboard. There's a chance that eating lots of red meat might lead to uterine fibroids.

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These foods are easily sourced in our local environment.

Happy reading.