Nutrition is important no matter your age or gender, but it’s even more important for women. Menstruation and pregnancy dramatically increases our nutritional needs. Eat a diet that’s low on these high demands and you put yourself at risk of anemia, osteoporosis, fatigue, and on, and on. Put your health on the forefront by making sure you’re getting these important nutrients.
Iron
Our red blood cells are assigned with the important task of transporting oxygen throughout our body. Oxygen that not only offers proper circulation and functional muscles, but also provides us with higher energy levels. We need hemoglobin in order to create red blood cells, and hemoglobin can’t be made without iron. Healthy blood cells take iron, so it’s worth putting some effort into meeting your daily needs.
This blood-boosting nutrient is important for all genders and ages, but it’s especially important for women. Menstruation has us losing this precious mineral each and every month, so a low-iron diet with heavy flow days can have a big impact on our bodies. Because of this, women ages 19-50 are told to hit 18mg of iron each day. Supplements make this easy, but you can meet your daily needs with high-iron foods outside of liver (just remember to include non-meat iron with a little Vitamin C).
- Pumpkin Seeds: Just half a cup of these high-protein beauties comes with 10mg of Iron and a heavy helping of magnesium.
- Peas: Add these to that spinach salad to boost blood another 2.5mg per cup..
- Cashews: Earn yourself 4mg of iron with half a cup of this creamy snack.
- Potatoes: Eat a medium potato and you’ll up your iron levels about 2mg.
- Blackstrap Molasses: Add a tablespoon to a smoothie and you’ll get as much as 25% of your daily iron along with a serving of calcium.
Magnesium
Surprised to see this one on the list? We’ve all seen magnesium on nutrition labels and some of us have even heard about the beautifying benefits of Epsom salts, but this mineral has always been out shadowed by nutrients like protein and calcium. It may not get much attention in the media, but magnesium is definitely a dietary must.
This mineral is known to play an important role with calcium, but bones just scratch the surface. This nutrient is used for over three hundred cellular processes. On top of that, magnesium may relieve PMS symptoms. Whether it’s having a functional body or avoiding those monthly cramps and mood swings, this single vitamin can do it all. These high-magnesium foods are worth stocking in the kitchen.
- Brazil Nuts: Half a cup provides 250mg of magnesium plus bone-building calcium.
- Peanut Butter: Get 25mg plus 15mcg of folate with every tablespoon of this nutty protein.
- Dark Chocolate: A 29g square of this PMS-friendly treat offers an impressive 95mg. Yum!
- Greens: A cup of cooked spinach or swiss chard will get you over 150mg.
- Bananas: Blend up a smoothie with a medium banana for 32mg of tasty magnesium.
Calcium
Yes, we all know that healthy bones take calcium. There’s a reason that we’re getting hit with all these bone ads though. While we store nearly all of this mineral within our bones and teeth, it’s constantly circulating through our bloodstream. Our bodies use calcium to regulate alkalinity, heart rate, and blood clotting, so we need a bare minimum flowing through us at all times. Functioning without this mineral isn’t an option. Fortunately, our bodies do have a backup plan. Our bones…
When we don’t eat the calcium we need, it’s time to make a withdrawal from the bone bank. Pull off enough years of hit-and-miss nutrition and you’ll have porous bones low on density. Women have twice the risk of bone disease thanks to the higher nutritional demands of pregnancy, so we need to be eating today with the future in mind.
It’s suggested that average woman get 1,000mg of calcium per day. Dairy products are well-known for their calcium content, so things like yogurt parfaits, ricotta-packed lasagna, and homemade herbed mac and cheese can always be turned to for a quick mineral fix. There are some other great alternatives for your calcium needs though. Add a little creativity to that nutritional plan with these calcium-packed foods.
- White Beans: Eat one cup for 161mg of calcium, plus a blast of iron and magnesium.
- Curly Kale: Chop up a cup of this leafy green for 138mg of green bone power.
- Sesame Seeds: Just a quarter cup provides 350mg of calcium paired with good iron and magnesium.
- Okra: One cup of this green veggie offers 124mg that pairs well with white beans.
- Almonds: This high-protein snack comes with 367mg of calcium per cup and a side of magnesium.
Folate
Whether you call it folate, folic acid, or vitamin B-9, it has the same important role in spinal development. The early weeks of pregnancy come with high demands of this B-vitamin. Building a spine and closing the spinal tube requires folate. Fail to meet the minimum requirements and problems like Spina Bifida and Ancephaly arise.
Even if your chances of getting pregnant are a million to one, this vitamin is worth special consideration. Many women don’t find out they’re pregnant until they’re already 4 weeks in — maybe even more. Because the spine is finished around week 8 of pregnancy, many women have little time to make up for lost folate. There’s no going back once this window of development closes, so Vitamin B-9 needs our attention. Eat these folate-rich foods and you can help ensure you get your daily 400mcg whether you’re pregnant or not.
- Lentils: Half a cup provides 180mcg of folate with a hearty helping of iron and protein.
- Broccoli: This healthy veggie gets you 50mcg of folate with every half cup.
- Spinach: One cup of this leafy green comes with 100mcg plus a dose of iron.
There are all sorts of vitamins and minerals worth our attention, but these three are especially essential for women. Luckily, a little cooking and awareness is all it takes to function at your best.
How do you make sure you’re meeting your daily nutritional needs? Share your ideas and recipes in the comments below!