According to the old nursery rhyme, little boys and little girls are made of very different things. While you can fault the rhyme for not being factually accurate, it does highlight an interesting point. In some respects, men and women have different nutritional needs, largely due to differences in male and female hormones.

But we don’t start out all that differently, nutritionally speaking.

“If you look at the current federal dietary guidelines for kids, there is no difference in nutritional needs for males and females until age 9,” says Elaine Turner, PhD, RD, associate professor in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Once we hit puberty, however, she added, everything changes. And women’s unique role as the bearers of children tends to drive their special nutritional needs.

Women Need Fewer Calories

“A woman and man of the exact weight and percentage of fat would burn the same amount of calories for the same amount of exercise,” says Sharon B. Spalding, MEd, CSCS, professor of physical education and health at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va. “However men are usually larger with a higher lean weight and will burn more calories.”

Body composition comes into the picture, she says, because we know that muscle takes more calories to maintain  even when you’re not exercising  than fat.

So women need fewer calories than men in part because they tend to be smaller and have higher fat percentages than men. That means women have to be choosier about what they eat. If you need fewer calories, the calories you take in need to pack a lot of nutritional punch.

In general, women need around 1,200 calories every day and men need a few hundred calories more. If you exercise you’ll need much more depending on how active you are.

“Remember that to determine caloric expenditure one must take into consideration the intensity and duration of the activity, as well as the body weight of the person exercising,” said Spalding.

More Iron, Please

For women of childbearing age, blood loss through menstruation can lead to iron deficiency. The Institute for Medicine of the National Academies recommends a daily allowance of 18 milligrams of iron for women aged 19 to 50. During pregnancy a woman’s requirements are even greater. Men in that same age range need just 8 milligrams daily.

“Iron is one of the few things women need way more of than men,” Spalding says.

Most men get all the iron that they need from the food they eat. For many women, it’s often not so easy, because they have lower calorie needs.

“Women need to eat a diet rich in meat, fish, and poultry,” says Spalding. “For vegetarian women it may be harder to get iron from dietary sources because the iron from plant foods is not absorbed as well.”

According to the American Dietetic Association, most grain foods we eat, such as cereals, pasta, and bread, are now fortified with iron. Some foods that are naturally high in iron include spinach, chard, beans (pinto, kidney, black), lentils, and split peas.

Increase the amount of iron you absorb from food by eating vitamin C-rich foods  orange juice, broccoli, tomatoes along with foods high in iron.

And remember, Turner notes, “women can be iron deficient and not be anemic. Being iron deficient can keep women from performing optimally.”


Calcium and Folate

Another area to watch is calcium.

“Women build bone into their mid-20s, and they need to eat calcium-rich foods to promote bone density,” says Spalding. “More calcium may be needed for women in menopause since with estrogen declines, calcium may ‘leak’ from the bones.”

The daily calcium recommendations are 1,000 milligrams a day for women under 50, and 1,500 milligrams a day for women 51 and older. Oddly enough, these are the same requirements for men, who are much less prone to osteoporosis than women. But the recommendation takes into account the fact that women are smaller than men. Thus the amount of daily calcium is greater for women on a proportional basis.

Both women and men need folate, or folic acid. At proper levels, it has been linked to better heart health and possible protection from colon cancer.

But for women in their childbearing years, getting enough of this B vitamin can greatly reduce the chances of neurological birth defects. The Institute of Medicine recommends 400 milligrams daily for people over age 14. Pregnant women need 600 milligrams daily, and women who are breastfeeding need 500 milligrams daily.

“It’s difficult to overstate the need for women to get sufficient folate before and during pregnancy,” says Turner. “It’s important for overall good health, but for the developing fetus, it can make all the difference in the world.”

By John Casey
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Scientists know that eating carbohydrates can improve memory. But Canadian researchers wondered other nutrients produced similar improvements in mental functioning. They studied the effects of protein-, carbohydrate-, and fat-containing drinks in a group of healthy people in their 60s and 70s.

Researchers administered tests of cognitive performance (a paragraph recall test and a trail-making test) 15 and 60 minutes after the subjects had their drinks. They found that all three of the drinks improved paragraph recall – more so at 60 minutes than at 15 minutes. They also found:

* The carbohydrate drink improved both tests the most.
* The fat-containing drink improved attention after 60 minutes.
* The protein drink reduced forgetting on the paragraph recall test at the 15-minute mark.

As expected, blood glucose levels increased after drinking the carbohydrate. Whereas earlier studies had suggested that improvements following intake of carbohydrate may be related to increased blood glucose levels, this study documented improvements after ingesting protein and fat, which did not increase blood glucose levels in this test.

source:
Kaplan RJ, Greenwood CE, Winocur G, et al. Dietary protein, carbohydrate, and fat enhance memory performance in the healthy elderly. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2001;74(5):687-693. (Abs.)

Does the adage, “you are what you eat” still hold true? Indeed, what you eat plays an important role on how you feel both emotionally and physically. The importance of good nutrition cannot be understated. Your diet directly influences not only the healthiness of your body, but also your mental and emotional wellbeing.

The Importance of Good Nutrition: Energy

Energy is one of the factors in the importance of good nutrition. Your body needs energy to keep working all day – food equals fuel. One importance of good nutrition is making sure that your body has enough fuel to your activities without feeling worn out and exhausted.

Overall, your body can digest carbohydrates the easiest, and these carbohydrates are the body’s favorite source of energy. However, you also have to monitor a moderate intake, as the body will store the excess carbohydrates as fat. In a pinch, your body can use fat and protein for energy – which is the key for many weight loss programs like the Atkins Diet; however, you need to take into the consideration the importance of well-rounded nutrition when you are looking at your long term lifestyle.

The Importance of Good Nutrition: Building blocks

Amino acids, the building blocks of the body, are another factor in the importance of good nutrition. Amino acids are responsible for building and repairing the cells throughout your body. Found in proteins, they are essential for rebuilding muscles, organs, and improving the function of your hormones, immune and nervous systems.

Calcium is also part of the importance of good nutrition. It is famously known for keeping teeth and bones strong and for fighting diseases like osteoporosis. Recently, research has shown that calcium can even help with fat loss, especially in the abdomen area.

Another part of the importance of good nutrition is fats. While too many fats are bad, too few do not bode well for your health. “Good” fat, such as the famous Omega 3s, are needed throughout the body for important functions, especially in the brain, as well as to signal hormones.

The Importance of Good Nutrition: Vitamins and minerals

Besides the above ingredients in food, vitamins and minerals also play a part of the importance of good nutrition. You do not need them in as great a number as you do the carbohydrates, fats, and protein, but they are an important part of the chemical reactions in the body. For instance, you need carbohydrates for energy, but you also need the B vitamins to make the process more efficient. Vitamin C can help keep your body strong and healthy, vitamin A can help improve your vision, and zinc aids your metabolism. The importance of good nutrition is that it provides these extra nutrients to help keep the systems of your body in balance, functioning at their best.

The Importance of Good Nutrition: Getting Beyond the Basics

While the above items discuss the importance of good nutrition, what you eat goes above and beyond these basics. Every day, researchers are discovering new substances in the foods that you eat that are responsible for improving your health.

For example, phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables show the importance of good nutrition on your health. The quercetin found in red apples can work as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-histamine. In grape skins, there is a powerful antioxidant known as resveratrol, which has been shown to fight free radicals and reduce cancer risk. Nearly all fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, and phytochemicals contain antioxidants. Antioxidants can help protect your body against the damaging effects of day-to-day living.

Another thing to remember is that food is more complex than just its ingredients. You do not eat simply a protein or a carb; you eat a steak and fries. Everything you eat contains varying amounts of the ingredients that are part of the importance of good nutrition.

Overall, there is no such thing as a “bad” carbohydrate – the problem comes from eating too many carbohydrates, and/or eating them out of balance with other nutrients. For example, a chocolate donut will have plenty of fat and carbohydrates, but not many vitamins. A slice of multi-grain bread may have similar amounts of carbohydrates, but will likely contain more vitamins and fewer fats. While this isn’t to say that you can’t enjoy the occasional chocolate donut, it is important to remember the importance of good nutrition and only enjoy them in moderation.

The main importance of good nutrition is having good health. By eating a balanced diet, you will stay healthier, look better, and reduce your risks of certain diseases. Indeed, there is a certain truth to the saying “you are what you eat!”

Reference

Women’s nutritional needs change during menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. A woman’s reproductive life means that her nutritional needs differ greatly from those of a man.

With the popularity of crash dieting in Australia, nutritional deficiencies are common, especially among young women. Good nutrition means eating a wide variety of foods every day, which isn’t possible on a restrictive diet.

Food and premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
The interplay of hormones throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle affects her body and state of mind. Energy intakes are generally higher in the premenstrual phase and some women also have food cravings as their period approaches. Eating high protein foods every few hours can often temper or stop the cravings. This should not be done at the expense of other food groups, especially carbohydrates, which should form the basis of the diet.

Fluid retention is common in the days leading up to a woman’s period because certain hormones encourage the body to hold salt (sodium). The more sodium the body holds, the more fluid is retained in the tissues.

Other common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) include moodiness, tiredness and constipation. It is thought that taking B-group vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, may help but more research is needed to confirm this. Light to moderate exercise, such as a 30-minute brisk walk each day, has also been shown to noticeably reduce symptoms of PMS.

Iron and anaemia
Iron is a mineral that works with other substances to create haemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen in the blood. Women and men metabolise iron from food at roughly the same rate. However, while men need around 8mg of iron in their daily diet, women need up to 18mg (or 27mg if pregnant). This is to make up for the amount of iron they lose in their menstrual period, which averages around 1mg or so lost for every day of bleeding.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in women. Insufficient iron can lead to anaemia. Common symptoms include tiredness and breathlessness. Iron deficiency in pregnant women increases the risk of having a premature or low birth weight baby, which can have a negative impact on the short and long-term health of the baby.

Good sources of iron include:

Red meat, chicken and fish
Fortified cereals
Egg yolks
Legumes and nuts
Leafy green vegetables.
Iron absorption can be impaired by very high fibre diets, alcohol, the tannic acid in tea and concentrated sources of calcium (for example, calcium supplements).

Vitamins, minerals and pregnancy
Eating healthily during pregnancy is important to meet the nutritional needs of the developing baby and for the mother’s own wellbeing. However, this doesn’t mean ‘eating for two’ – it is the quality of the diet that is important, not the quantity of food eaten.

Eating a variety of foods from each of the key food groups is generally enough to meet both mother and baby’s requirements. Special attention should be given to several nutrients:
Calcium – although a developing baby needs a lot of calcium, physiological changes during pregnancy help to protect the mother’s bones, so there is no need for additional dietary calcium during pregnancy. However, it is important to include at least two serves of dairy products or equivalent high calcium foods every day. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yoghurt and fish with edible bones (for example, salmon and sardines).
Folic acid (folate) – extra folic acid is needed for the development and growth of new cells. Research suggests that insufficient folic acid at the time of conception and in the first trimester of pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects in the unborn baby. Good sources of folic acid include leafy green vegetables, nuts, yeast extracts such as Vegemite, legumes and fortified foods such as bread and breakfast cereals.
Iron – iron requirements increase significantly during pregnancy as maternal blood volume increases and the baby’s blood system is developing. Anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency during pregnancy. The best source of iron is red meat, with smaller amounts in chicken and fish. Iron is also present in plant foods such as legumes, nuts, wholegrain breads and cereals and green leafy vegetables, but it is not absorbed as well from these foods. Eating foods rich in Vitamin C at the same time can improve iron absorption. Iron supplements are frequently prescribed for pregnant women if they are unable to meet their requirements through food alone.
Zinc – this nutrient is needed to maintain the health of cells. Taking iron supplements may interfere with the absorption of zinc so women taking iron supplements should continue to eat iron-rich foods, which are also a good source of zinc.
Iodine – iodine is needed for normal mental development of the baby but it can be difficult to get enough from food. Ways of increasing iodine intake include using iodised salt, eating fish and seafood weekly (see your health professional for advice about safe types and amounts of fish) or using a multivitamin supplement that contains iodine and is safe for pregnancy.
Vitamin C – vitamin C is important for normal gum, tooth, bone and body tissue formation. The best source of Vitamin C is an orange, but it is also found in other citrus fruits and a variety of vegetables.
Nutrition during breastfeeding
A healthy diet is important during breastfeeding as the mother must provide for her own nutrient requirements as well for the production of breast milk. Particular attention needs to be paid to protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and fluids. The best advice is to eat a variety of foods from each of the key food groups each day. The amount of extra food will vary according appetite needs and weight loss – aim to lose weight gradually until you have reached your pre-pregnant weight.

Women who were anaemic during pregnancy should pay special attention to iron-rich foods as they will need to replete their iron stores. It may be necessary to continue taking iron supplements – be advised by your doctor.

Calcium and osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disorder characterised by a thinning of the bones until they are weak and easily fracture or break. Women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men, particularly after menopause, because oestrogen levels are reduced. There are many factors involved, for example:
Low calcium intake during the growing years – this increases the susceptibility to osteoporosis later in life. Bone strength in later life depends on the development of bones earlier in life. Adequate calcium intake during youth is essential to achieve peak bone mass.
Diet – salt, caffeine and alcohol may interfere with the balance of calcium in the body by affecting the absorption of calcium and increasing the amount lost in the urine. Moderate alcohol intake (1–2 standard drinks per day) and moderate tea, coffee and caffeine-containing drinks (no more than six cups per day) are recommended. Avoid adding salt at the table and in cooking.
Exercise – or the lack of it, can also affect the development of osteoporosis.
Low body weight – maintaining a low body weight (body mass index less than 18) has been associated with the development of osteoporosis.
Vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D increases calcium absorption and is required for normal bone metabolism. The main source of vitamin D for most people is sunshine. Women who have very low levels of sunlight exposure or have naturally very dark skin are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Those affected may include women who cover most of their body when outdoors, shift workers, those who are unable to regularly get out of their house or women in residential care. Women who have certain medical conditions or are on some medications may also be affected.

It is important to balance the need to maintain adequate vitamin D levels with the risk of skin cancer from too much sun exposure. A sensible balance of sun protection and exposure can ensure that women are not at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Good dietary sources of vitamin D are margarine, eggs and oily fish (such as mackerel and sardines).

Good sources of calcium include dairy foods, calcium-fortified soymilk and sesame seeds. For women who can’t eat these foods, calcium supplements may be desirable.

Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens have been linked to a range of health benefits, especially for women. They are natural substances found in certain plant foods including:
Whole grains, including cracked wheat and barley
Flaxseed (linseed)
Sesame seeds
Nuts, including almonds
Legumes, especially soy and chickpeas
Alfalfa sprouts
Herb teas, especially sage and aniseed
Extra virgin olive oil.
Oestrogen and phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are natural oestrogen-like substances. Oestrogen is a hormone that is necessary for optimal health. There is a link between oestrogen levels and the development of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. At present there is no evidence that increasing the intake of phytoestrogen will prevent heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

Where to get help
Your doctor
An Accredited Practising Dietitian

Things to remember
Low intakes of dietary iron and calcium are common in women.
Menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause are times of increased nutritional demand.
Good nutrition means eating a wide variety of foods every day.
Vitamin B6 can help ease the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Large quantities of foods like tea, alcohol, caffeine and salt can interfere with the absorption and excretion of important minerals.

Reference