Women's Nutrition

Nutrition has a big influence on our body – whether male or female. A healthy diet is the foundation for strength, efficiency and physical and mental well-being. Fundamentally, there are some small differences between the nutritional requirements of men and women. The gap between the metabolic processes of both sexes is in fact greater than was long suspected. For example, the flavonoids in green tea can lower cholesterol levels in men, but do not have this effect in women (instead the tannins in the tea can actually impair iron absorption in women). In addition, there are some life phases and unique features of the female body that require a change of diet or at least a slight adjustment of eating habits. Thus, nutrition for women is indeed a topic in its own right.

Modern beauty ideals, which are conveyed through the media but also in our social environments, have an influence on the eating behaviours of women – in particular young women. It is often suggested that women should simply skip meals in order to lose weight. This behaviour not only provides a breeding ground for the development of eating disorders but It also creates a lack of nutrients and often leads to the yo-yo effect.

Food also influences fertility and the menstrual cycle, the development and health of the foetus during pregnancy and the symptoms you experience during your period. Being either underweight or overweight has a negative influence on fertility because oestrogen levels are disturbed. It is important that you have a sufficient supply of all required nutrients. In stressful everyday family-life, your diet can often fall short. In our Family Guide to Healthy Eating you will find everything you need to know about how to organize a healthy diet for the whole family.

As a woman, you should consider the following in connection with your diet:

The risk of developing osteoporosis is higher in women than in men. For this reason, it is important that you strengthen your bones with sufficient calcium and that you get enough exercise.

Women are more prone to mental exhaustion than men. This is partly due to the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for empathy and usually occurs in higher levels in women than in men. Potassium can prevent anxiety by relaxing the nervous system.

Inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis affect three times more women than men. Vitamin E can counteract this by inhibiting inflammation.

Folic acid is important, especially during pregnancy. It belongs to the group of B vitamins. During pregnancy, you should take in enough folic acid to prevent disabilities in your unborn child. Would you like to know more? Then read our article about nutrition before, during and after pregnancy.

Women very often suffer from iron deficiency. The reason for this usually lies in their diet, but the deficiency is exacerbated by blood loss during their monthly period. You can read more about this in our article about finding the right diet to suit your menstrual cycle.

You can read about what to pay attention to during different stages of life in our articles on nutrition during pregnancy, your period, the menopause, when on the contraceptive pill or for a bloated belly.

A few days before menstruation the female body experiences hormonal fluctuations. The symptoms that then occur are called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The symptoms may include:

• Headaches
• Food cravings
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Increased appetite
• Water retention
• Sensitive breasts
• A craving for sweet foods

Women who are struggling with premenstrual syndrome can help to alleviate their symptoms through the right diet.

• Get enough vitamins
• Abstain from caffeine, alcohol and sugar
• Draining foods such as asparagus and nettle tea can counteract water retention
• Omega-3 fatty acids, iron and magnesium can alleviate menstrual pain, as they have an influence on the pain messengers that are released during menstruation

Some dietary myths persist regardless of generation or gender. They can have a negative influence on your eating habits, so you should find out whether such statements are true. These include the following myths:

The principle is quite simple: If you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight, if you are in a calorie surplus you will gain weight. It is irrelevant when you consume these calories, it is the daily or weekly balance that is decisive. How many calories you should consume per day can be calculated with our free calorie calculator.

Slimming success has nothing to do with the amount of carbohydrates you consume. So you can lose weight with both a high and low carbohydrate diet. What is crucial, however, is to pay attention to the difference between short-chain and long-chain carbohydrates. Short-chain carbohydrates are found more often in sweets, white flour products, sugary drinks and convenience foods. You should avoid these in order to avoid peaks in your blood sugar levels, which are followed by crashes and sudden hunger. You can read more about this topic in our detailed article on long- and short-chain carbohydrates.

The key here is that fats are not all equal. Healthy fats are a necessary part of a balanced diet. Healthy fatty acids include the polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body cannot produce on its own. Therefore, it is vital to get them in your diet. The unhealthy fats on the other hand are trans fats. Trans fats are artificially hardened fats that the body cannot process. They increase the harmful LDL cholesterol and lower the healthy HDL cholesterol and are produced when oils are industrially hardened, but also when unsaturated fatty acids are heated and fried.

It has been scientifically proven that being severely underweight is just as harmful as being severely overweight. Despite being thin, you may still have nutritional deficiencies – for example, due to an unhealthy diet. The so-called “skinny fat” body type also carries risks. This is where you are slim, but still have a high body fat percentage. Carrying organ fat around your abdomen is particularly harmful to your health, regardless of your dress size, and is usually caused by alcohol, stress, unhealthy nutrition and a lack of exercise. In order to avoid this, make sure you eat a balanced and healthy diet, have an appropriate lifestyle and get enough sleep, regardless of whether you want to lose weight or not.

Soya contains phytoestrogens (secondary plant substances). These act similarly to the female sex hormone, oestrogen, and can actually relieve women’s menopausal symptoms. However, unlike oestrogen, phytoestrogens have no effect on female development (e.g. breast growth).