1) Figs
Figs
are a great health food, containing many vital minerals and vitamins as well as
contributing to your daily portions of fruit and veg. Two minerals found in
figs that are particularly beneficial to women's health are iron, which is
often deficient in menstruating women, and calcium, which is important for
post-menopausal women, who are more prone to osteoporosis
2) Flax
Flax seeds are a good source of Omega-3
fatty acids and have been linked to reduced risk of breast cancer and heart
disease. The seeds' anti-inflammatory properties are also good for preventing
arthritis, while their digestive benefits can help irritable bowel syndrome;
two painful conditions which are more prevalent in women than men
3) Milk
Milk
is a great source of calcium, which is extremely beneficial to women's health,
particularly when combined with vitamin D (found in some varieties of milk and
many fortified milk products). Consumption of the combined nutrients is not
only good for warding off osteoporosis, but a study has suggested that a diet
rich in calcium and vitamin D could ease, or even prevent, symptoms of PMS.
4) Oats
Oats
are literally packed with health-boosting nutrients, many of which have great
impacts on female health. Oats are not only great for heart health, digestion
and blood pressure levels (with hypertension affecting many women over 50), but
they contain vitamin B6, which can help prevent PMS and mood swings, and folic acid,
which is important for women to consume before and during pregnancy to prevent
birth defects in babies.
5) Salmon
Salmon has a multitude of positive health
benefits for women. Not only is it rich in iron — which is integral to the
diets of premenopausal women — but it is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, known
for their mood-enhancing effects. Studies have suggested that omega-3 can help
beat depression (something that affects twice as many women as men) and prevent
mood swings, while salmon can also boost babies' intelligence when eaten during
pregnancy.
6) Spinach
Spinach
is rich in many different vitamins and minerals, but one thing that makes it
great for women is its high content of magnesium. Research has shown that
magnesium may be beneficial in reducing many of the physical symptoms of PMS which
plague women, including reduction of swelling, breast tenderness, bloating and
weight gain.
7) Tomatoes
Another
vibrant carotenoid beneficial for women's health is lycopene, a pigment found
in tomatoes. Studies have suggested that lycopene may be effective in
preventing breast cancer. Furthermore, there has been considerable evidence to
suggest that the powerful antioxidant can help reduce risk of heart disease —
the leading cause of death in women in the US, Australia, England and Wales.
8) Walnuts
While
all nuts are great for our health, walnuts have many great individual benefits
for women. A study has recently found that walnuts, which are packed with
omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols, may help to reduce women's
risk of developing breast cancer, while their high omega-3 content may also
help bone health, arthritis pain and depression. Walnuts also contain many
nutrients essential for female health, such as calcium, magnesium and folic
acid.
9) Butternut squash
Like many other yellow/orange fruit and
vegetables — is packed with carotenoids such as alpha-carotene and
beta-carotene. While carotenes should be included in everybody's diet for
optimum health, they may prove essential to women's health as a high-carotenoid
diet has been linked to lowered risks of both breast and ovarian cancer.
10) Cranberries
Various
studies have suggested strong links between consuming cranberries and reduced
risks of breast cancer and heart disease. However, the most notorious benefit
of cranberries is their ability to prevent and cure urinary tract infections
such as cystitis, which is eight times more likely to occur in women than men.
One study suggests that drinking two glasses of cranberry juice a day can
prevent the symptoms of common UTIs in women.
Celebrate Womenhood
*highlighted in green are extremely essentials
