Top 10 nutrients and vitamins women need
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Kat Tancock
Photography by: Kevin Hewitt
Find out which nutrients your diet may be lacking and get great recipes to deliver a healthy boost to your body.
With trends in vitamin and mineral supplements changing in time with the hippest hem lengths, it's easy to be overwhelmed by -- not to mention skeptical of -- the nutritional advice you hear on the evening news. And since
recent studies have shown that taking certain vitamin supplements might even be bad for you, it's best to play it safe.
Instead of depending on a pill for your nutritional needs, focus on good food sources.
"For ultimate health, you need food, glorious food," says Liz Pearson, a registered dietitian and coauthor of
Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health (Whitecap Books, 2007). "The complex, disease-protective power of nutrient-rich, fibre-rich, omega-3-rich, antioxidant-rich and plant-compound rich foods like vegetables, fruit, beans, fish, flax, nuts and whole grains just can't be beat.
1. Iron
"Most women," says Pearson, "especially pre-menopausal women, don't get enough iron." Red meat is a great source of this essential mineral; however, she recommends limiting your intake to two to three servings per week, since high red meat intake is linked to a higher risk of colon cancer and possibly breast cancer.
Limit your portion sizes, suggests Pearson, opt for leaner cuts and choose fresh meat over processed. Other good sources of iron include fortified cereals, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. And by combining these foods with ingredients that are high in vitamin C, your body will best be able to absorb the iron.
Recipe to try:
Beef and Mushroom Patties with Fried Tomato Halves (pictured here)
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