“Diet is more important than women realize. It has as much of an effect on health as cigarettes do.” –Marion Nestle, PH.D., Professor and Chair of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University in New York City.
Too many women obsess about calories but pay little attention to the nutritional quality of what they eat, often avoiding certain foods or entire food groups. For example, “Many women believe that all fat is bad,” says William B. Grant, a researcher in Newport News, Virginia. “But foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil contain monounsaturated fats, which should be part of a healthy diet.”
What should you eat? A good daily foundation is at least five servings of fruits and veggies, about six servings of whole grains and three smell servings of lean protein. And try making more meals yourself. “Many women feel they don’t have time to prepare meals from scratch,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., coauthor of The Healthy kitchen (Knopf). “But you can cook fast, easy dishes at home.” Need ideas? Search for low-fat recipes at epicurious.com
What your diet ma be missing at …
20 Calcim. To stay slim, twentysomethings tend to cut out calcium-rich dairy products, and omission that sets you up for osteoporosis later. Aim for 1,000 mg of calcium daily—a cup of low-fat yogurt contains about 450 mg
30 Folic acid. Many women start trying to get pregnant at this age, and folic acid is a key nutrient that protects babies from certain birth defects. You need 400 meg daily from foods like beans, spinach and strawberries.
40 Fiber. Getting 25 g of fiber a day (from whole grains, apples, pears) can help lower your cholesterol, which may be edging higher at this age. –Sunny Sea Gold
Source: “ Women’s Health Handbook ” Mary Duenwald
Health Aspect 