5 essential nutrients women must include in their daily diet

IRON-RICH FOODS

  During menstrual cycles and parturition, women lose blood and thus their iron stores. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in women across the world. To replenish the blood loss, women need to strictly include iron-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, liver, dark chocolate, tofu, whole grains, chicken, etc., in their diet regularly. Inadequate iron content in the body will lead to medical conditions like anaemia among women. Pregnant women must take special care to ensure intake of iron-rich foods on a daily basis.
Other good dietary iron sources are red meat, fish, fortified cereals, legumes and nuts.

VITAMIN B-GROUP RICH FOODS

(Source: Thinkstock Images) In the days before menstrual cycle starts, the body tends to retain fluids. Excessive water in the body causes certain hormones causes the body to hold salt or sodium within. More the sodium content in the body, more fluid is retained. In such cases, it is ideal to increase the intake of Vitamin B-group rich foods, especially foods like pistachio nuts, liver, fish etc., rich in vitamin B6.

CALCIUM- AND ZINC-RICH FOODS

  An increasing number of women suffer from PCOD (Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome), a sedentary lifestyle disease that affects the menstrual cycles and the fertility of the women. To combat the disease, it is important for women to include calcium and zinc-rich foods like yogurt, kale, almonds, broccoli, garlic, chickpeas, etc.

IODINE-RICH FOODS

() Deficiency of this important mineral has serious effects on a woman’s body ranging from depression, poor perception levels, abnormal weight gain to decreased fertility and even chances of weight gain in expectant and lactating mothers. Intake of foods like strawberries, organic cheese, legumes, etc., will help in such conditions.

PHYTOESTROGENS

Phytoestrogens are known to be highly beneficial for women. These plant derived nutrients are found in foods like sesame seeds, almonds, flaxseeds, wholegrains, including cracked wheat and barley.

© The Indian Express Online Media Pvt Ltd
http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/essential-nutrients-women-must-include-in-their-daily-diet-4367623/