Healthy eating for women

The foods and drinks you choose on a daily basis affect your health now and later in your life. Choosing healthy foods and drinks more often can help prevent or control many health problems that affect women. And studies show that when a woman eats healthy, everyone in the household is more likely to eat healthily.

What is healthy eating?

Healthy eating is a way of eating that improves your health and helps prevent disease. It means choosing different types of healthy foods from all food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and protein), most of the time, in the right amounts for you. Healthy eating also means not eating many foods with added sugar, sodium (salt), and saturated and trans fats.

Healthy eating also means receiving nutrients primarily from food rather than vitamins or other supplements. Some women may need vitamins, minerals, or other supplements at certain times in their lives, such as before or during pregnancy. However, most women should receive essential nutrients from food and drinks most of the time.

What you eat and drink is influenced by where you live, the types of food available in your community and in your budget, your culture and origins, and your personal preferences. Healthy eating is generally affected by factors you don't have direct control over, such as how close the grocery store is to your home or work. Focusing on the alternatives you'll control will assist you to make small changes in your lifestyle to eat healthier.

How many calories do I need?

The amount of calories you need is based on your level of physical activity, age, height, weight, and other unique health considerations, such as whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What is a healthy diet like?

 Consider filling your plate with foods from all five food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy products) at each meal. Snacks can be a good way to incorporate fruits and whole grains that you haven't added to meals. Most folks don't need complicated calorie counting programs or special recipes for healthy eating.

Some simple tips to improve your eating habits are to eat more vegetables, fruit snacks more often, or cook more at home every week.

• Fruits and vegetables: All people need to eat fruits and vegetables daily. Try to fill about half of your plate with fruits or vegetables at meals. Most women don't get enough fruits and vegetables.3 Eat whole fruits (not juice) and try different types of vegetables during the week.

• Protein.  Eat different types of protein foods, such as shellfish, lean meats, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), nuts, seeds, and soy products. Most women do not eat enough shellfish to meet weekly recommendations of 8 to 10 ounces (or about two servings a week).

• Grain. Make at least half of the grains whole, like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, or whole wheat bread. Most women don't eat enough whole grains.

• Dairy products. Women should drink 3 cups of dairy products a day, but most women only incorporate half of that amount.6 If you can't drink milk, try eating plain yogurt or cheese. Dairy products are among the best dietary sources of the mineral calcium, but some vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, also contain calcium, as do some fortified foods, such as fortified soy milk, fortified cereals, and many juices. of fruits. Most girls ages 9 to 18 and women over 50 need more calcium for good bone health.

• Oils. When cooking, try using plant oils instead of solid fats like butter, margarine, or coconut oil. Check out this list of oils and fats to learn how healthy each type of cooking oil and solid fat is. Most women incorporate too much solid fat through packaged foods, such as potato chips or salad dressings, and not enough healthy fats, such as olive oil or other types of fat in seafood.

Healthy eating means not eating a lot of foods with added sugars, saturated or trans fats, and sodium (salt). Healthy eating means eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy types of protein and dairy products, and not incorporating too many calories for your body type.

Does healthy eating include a selected diet or sort of food?

No. There is no special ingredient or vitamin that will make you healthy and cure diseases. One of the keys to healthy eating is your overall eating pattern.

You don't have to spend a lot of money, follow a very strict diet, or eat only certain types of food to have a healthy diet. Healthy eating is not about skipping meals or certain nutrients. Healthy eating is not limited to certain types of food, such as organic, gluten-free, or refined foods. It is not limited to certain eating patterns, such as a large amount of protein.

You also don't have to stop eating all your favorite foods. You can eat a wide variety of foods, even the least healthy, as long as you don't eat them all the time and the amounts are small.

Researchers have shown that some diets prevent disease and help people reach and maintain a healthy weight. Start with one of these:

• Healthy US-style diet

• Mediterranean style diet

• Vegetarian diet

• The DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension)

Why is healthy eating important for everyone?

Healthy eating allows:

• Your body and brain get the energy to think and be physically active

• Your body gets the necessary vitamins and minerals to stay alive and healthy. For example, your body needs iron to release oxygen to all muscles and organs. Vitamin C helps your body create new skin cells and collagen. Vitamin A helps you see better at night.

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight.

• Lower your risks of diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

The old saying "you are what you eat" is true. What you eat and drink is the building block for all the cells in your body. Over time, your food and beverage choices make a difference in your health.

What unique nutritional needs do women have?

Women have some unique nutritional needs; for example, they need more of certain vitamins and minerals during pregnancy or after menopause.

• Calories: Most of the time, women need fewer calories. This is because women naturally have less muscle, less body fat, and are usually smaller. On average, adult women need 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day. Women who are more active need more calories. Find out how many calories you need per day, based on your age, height, weight, and activity level.

• Vitamins and minerals: Calcium, iron, and folic acid are very important to women

• Reproductive health: Women have different nutritional needs during different stages of their lives, such as during pregnancy and breastfeeding or after menopause.

• Health problems: Women are more likely to have some nutrition-related health problems, such as celiac disease and lactose intolerance, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as iron deficiency anemia.

• Metabolism: Women process some substances differently and burn fewer calories than men when resting or doing physical activity.
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How do my nutritional needs change in life?

Women's nutritional needs change as our bodies change at different stages of our lives.

• In adolescence: Girls ages 9 to 18 need more calcium and vitamin D to build stronger bones and help prevent osteoporosis later in life. Girls need 1,300 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily.8,9 In addition, girls ages 14 to 18 need more iron than boys (15 mg vs. 11 mg).

• Young adults: Teen girls and young women often need more calories than when they are younger to help their bodies grow and develop. After age 25, a resting woman's metabolism (the amount of calories her body needs to sustain her during rest) decreases. To maintain a healthy weight after age 25, women need to gradually reduce calorie intake and increase physical activity.

• Before and during pregnancy: You need more of certain nutrients to control your baby's health and development. These nutrients include protein, calcium, iron, and folic acid. Many doctors recommend prenatal vitamins or a folic acid supplement at this stage. Also, many health insurance plans cover folic acid supplements prescribed by your doctor during pregnancy. You should also avoid certain foods, such as some types of fish. 

• During breastfeeding: Continue to eat healthy foods while breastfeeding. You should also drink more water. Nursing mothers may need to drink about 13 glasses of water a day. Try to drink a glass of water every time you breastfeed and with every meal. Read more about healthy eating during breastfeeding in our Breastfeeding section.

• After menopause: Lower estrogen levels after menopause increase your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis, a condition that causes your bones to weaken and break easily. What you eat also affects these chronic diseases. Talk to your doctor about healthy diets and if you need more calcium and vitamin D to protect your bones. Read more about how low estrogen levels affect your health in our Menopause section. Most women also need fewer calories as they age, since they have less muscle and do less physical activity. Use the MyPlate Plan tool to find out how many calories you need based on your activity level.

How Much Fiber Should I Incorporate?

Fiber is an important part of an overall healthy diet. Good sources of fiber include fortified cereals, many whole-grain slices of bread, peas, fruits (especially berries), dark green leafy vegetables, all kinds of pumpkin, and nuts. Look at the Nutrition Facts label to see the fiber content in processed foods like cereals and bread. Use the search tool on this USDA page to find the amount of fiber in whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Most women do not incorporate enough fiber.

• Women ages 19-30 need 28 grams of fiber daily.

• Women ages 31 to 50 need 25 grams of fiber a day.

• Women over the age of 51 need 22 grams of fiber daily.

Why is fiber good for women's health?

Not incorporating enough fiber can lead to constipation and increase your risk of other health problems. Part of healthy eating is choosing fiber-rich foods such as bread, berries, and dark green leafy vegetables daily. Fiber helps lower the risk of diseases that affect many women, such as heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer. Fiber also helps you feel full, so it can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Why is seafood good for women's health?

In addition to other nutrients, shellfish contain two important omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly called EPA and DHA. These fatty acids can affect:

• The risk of heart disease

• The risk of premature delivery

• The growth and development of unborn babies and breastfed babies

How can I get enough omega-3 fatty acids?

Here are some ways to get omega-3 fatty acids:

• Eat seafood: Salmon, tuna, trout, anchovies, and sardines have high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. One way to add more seafood is to make it your main source of protein a few days a week.

• Eat nuts, seeds, and oils with omega-3 fatty acids: Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, soybean, and canola oils.

• Eat foods with added omega-3 fatty acids: Some foods may have added omega-3 fatty acids (listed as "fortified" on the label), such as some types of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, and soy drinks.

• Take a supplement with fish oil: Incorporating enough omega-3 fatty acids from foods is difficult, so your doctor or nurse may recommend a supplement (over-the-counter pill). Vegetarian women who don't eat seafood can benefit from vegetarian omega-3 supplements.

Are low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets safe for women?

Yes, low-fat and low-carb diets can be safe, but you should talk to your doctor or nurse before limiting the amount of any specific nutrient, such as fat or carbohydrates. Fats and carbohydrates are essential, which means your body needs them to function properly and for good health.

• Low carbohydrate diets can help you lose weight, but they can also limit the amount of fiber you incorporate daily. Most women do not incorporate enough fiber. Low carbohydrate diets can be difficult to follow in the long term. Carbohydrates are a type of essential nutrient, which means that your body needs carbohydrates to function properly.

• Low-fat diets can also help you lose weight. However, you tend to lose little weight. You can lose weight and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by following a healthy eating pattern, which includes more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and peas that are high in fiber, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and fish, as well as avoiding trans fat and saturated fat.

To lose weight, it is important to eat healthy carbohydrates and unsaturated fats and limit the number of calories you eat. It helps you control yourself and eat fewer foods that don't have the essential vitamins, minerals, or nutrients. Make sure to carefully read the nutrition facts label.