Wednesday, August 27, 2008

100 Best Foods for Women

I found an article that referenced this list and I thought I'd pass it along.

100 Best Foods for Women
By Alisa Miller

Women’s health needs range from extra iron during childbearing years to calcium and vitamin D for bone health. The following list provides 100 foods that will help every woman ensure that she is getting the very best nutrition for her body. From delicious avocados to tasty snack treats like pistachios to healthy desserts that are actually good for you, you will find plenty of foods sure to please both your body and your taste buds.

Overall Health

The following foods are just so good for you that they should be a part of your diet to help you stay healthy.

1. Flax seed. This little seed is a great supplement for a woman’s diet. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 EFAs and lignans, an important type of fiber for women.
2. Kale. This much-overlooked green is full of the B vitamin, folate, as well as calcium, and vitamins A and C.
3. Pumpkin. Not just for pies, the beta-carotene in pumpkin reduces the risk of breast cancer and helps your body repair its skin.
4. Butternut squash. Cook this baked, stuffed, or mashed or throw in a soup for a delicious vegetable high in beta-carotene.
5. Sweet potatoes. Don’t just eat these jewels at Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins A and C as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron.
6. Dark meat. Lean red meat and dark meat from poultry are high in iron, which is a necessity for women of childbearing age.
7. Broccoli. Your mama always said to eat your broccoli. It’s high in calcium, potassium, and B vitamins.
8. Salmon. This super food is high in omega-3 EFAs and protein, low in cholesterol and contains quite a few B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.
9. Mangos. Mangos are high in vitamin A and C and help guard against cervical cancer.
10. Figs. Discover the flavor and benefits of figs, which are high in fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium, and calcium.
11. Kiwi. These tasty little fruits pack a punch with more vitamin C than an orange.

Skin Health

From high concentrations of vitamins E and A to anti-inflammatory properties, these foods are all great for keeping your skin healthy and young-looking.

12. Avocados. Delicious and nutritious, avocados have lots of B-complex vitamins and are an anti-inflammatory, which is great for the skin.
13. Green tea. Technically a drink, green tea has polyphenols which are an anti-inflammatory.
14. Carrots. Carrots are full of vitamin A, which helps your skin repair itself.
15. Spinach. This vegetable is absolutely loaded with vitamins and minerals with especially high concentrations of vitamins K and A and manganese and folate. It also helps prevent against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and arthritis.
16. Cantaloupe. This great fruit has plenty of vitamins A and C–two vitamins your skin needs to keep healthy.
17. Citrus fruit. Oranges and grapefruit are full of vitamin C, which helps keep wrinkles at bay.
18. Bananas. Bananas have the B vitamin biotin, which builds healthy skin, hair and nails and helps prevent skin irritations such as dermatitis.
19. Tomatoes. Like bananas, tomatoes have biotin and also lycopene, which helps prevent cancer.
20. Sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds have lots of vitamin E, which is well-known for its healthy skin properties. Taken both topically and eaten, the benefits of vitamin E for your skin are enormous.

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