Healthy Foods Different for Women and Men?

By Vicky Lynum

The nutritional needs of women and men are different. It is important that each knows what type of food is better for her or his body.

For women, linseed is a good “weapon” against breast cancer because of its large amounts of lignans, chemical compounds similar to estrogen, that also act as antioxidants. Women who have suffered from breast cancer and added linseed to their diet have slowed the cancer spreading process, according to recent U.S. studies.

Soy is also more efficient for women because it lowers the level of cholesterol, and maintains bone health, according to a study of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Department of Kinesiology of the University of Illinois. Women have a higher risk to suffer from anemia than men because of the menstruation. A low level of iron in the blood may lead to severe forms of fatigue. Lean beef is useful in these cases because it has considerable amounts of iron and gives a lot of energy.

Cabbage may have a benefic effect on women because it maintains bone health. This way, cabbage protects the body from developing osteoporosis. Beside calcium and vitamin C, cabbage also contains large amounts of vitamin K. Women can decrease by thirty percent the risk of suffering a hip fracture if they eat at least 109 micrograms of vitamin K per day, researchers found. For instance, half a cup of cabbage contains 375 micrograms of vitamin K.

Papaya is a tropical fruit that contains twice as much vitamin C than an orange and protects from vesicle diseases. Women with a lower lever of vitamin C present a higher risk to suffer from vesicle diseases, according to researchers.

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