5 Essential Nutrients for Women’s Health 

Happy National Women’s Health Week! It’s true that when it comes to health, every woman has her own approach. Women’s health week serves as a friendly reminder to all women to make their own health and wellness journey a priority. To inspire you to do exactly that, here are five essential nutrients to focus on daily. 

1. Iron

Iron deficiency anemia is a very common type of anemia, especially in women. Without an adequate iron intake, weakness and fatigue may occur. To keep your energy levels up, it’s important to eat iron-rich foods. Spinach, red meat, legumes, broccoli, and dark chocolate are tasty and nutritious foods that contain iron. Iron is necessary for physical growth and hormone production. That being said, don’t be afraid to add any of these foods to a dish or two. 

• Try This Today: 8 Healthier Ways to Satisfy Chocolate Cravings that actually contain chocolate. Did you know dark chocolate contains more iron compared to milk chocolate? 

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and it’s found everywhere! It’s present in your bones and muscles—it’s even responsible for hundreds of reactions in the body. Since magnesium is so widely needed, it’s important to include magnesium-rich foods in the diet. Good dietary sources include nuts, seeds, oatmeal, brown rice, banana, and leafy greens such as spinach and swiss chard. 

• Start With This: Begin your day with one of these 3 Protein-Packed Overnight Oats. Nothing is tastier and more satisfying than magnesium-rich oats topped with your favorite fruits and/or nuts. Pro tip: Add sliced banana for an extra source of magnesium. 

3. Calcium

In my opinion, calcium is one mineral that gets a lot of publicity—and rightly so. Calcium is an important component for strong and healthy bones. Without an adequate source of calcium, osteoporosis may occur, resulting in weak and brittle bones—since about 99% of calcium is stored in our bones. Foods that contain calcium include cow’s milk, fortified dairy alternatives, cheese, yogurt, tofu, edamame, canned fish with bones such as sardines, and leafy green vegetables like turnip, collard, and mustard greens. 

• Check This Out: Smoothies are a refreshing snack option that you can grab on the go. Try this Go-To Green Smoothie with Banana and Cherries that contains spinach, greek yogurt, and milk—three calcium-rich foods to boost your intake. 

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is another vitamin that is essential for health—bone health and immune system function, specifically. As a matter of fact, your body can make vitamin D when the cholesterol found in your skin is exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. If you have a little more melanin, it’s important for you to pay attention to your vitamin D status since melanin protects your skin from sun damage and may diminish the amount of vitamin D you can actually make. Fatty fish such as salmon, herring, trout, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and halibut all contain vitamin D. Other foods such as beef liver and egg yolks contain vitamin D as well. 

• Fun Fact: Wild caught salmon tends to contain a higher level of vitamin D compared to farm raised salmon. 

5. Folic Acid

Folic acid is a water-soluble B-vitamin that your body cannot make. It’s is important for red blood cell production and is an especially important vitamin for women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant since it can prevent neural tube defects. Dietary sources of folic acid include enriched whole grains, fortified cereals, beans, peanuts, and dark green leafy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, romaine lettuce, and spinach. 

• Try This: Beans are a versatile pulse. Learn more about the different kinds of beans here. 

The Bottom Line

To keep your energy levels up, bones strong and healthy, and your immune system functioning at optimal strength, try incorporating foods that contain the aforementioned vitamins and minerals into your diet. Feel free to utilize any of the recipe links to get inspiration for a tasty meal or treat. Let us know in the comments section what recipe you plan on trying or which vitamin or mineral stands out to you the most. 

And remember, always take care of the women nearest and dearest to you—especially if it’s one you see one in the mirror every day.