Healthy Weight Loss Foods for Women
Healthy weight management for women of all ages – young or adult – incorporates the main idea of finding the balance between energy intake and expenditure. To control energy balance means to eat smarter and include more intentional physical activity.
Unfortunately, the goal to maintain a healthy female weight may turn out to be a difficult task, because busy women tend to limit some of the very foods they need the most. Here are some healthy weight loss foods for women, to get the energy from the vital nutrients that the body needs, and to cut back on unnecessary extra calories simultaneously:
Carbohydrates and Weight Loss
The idea of low-carb diets is to decrease your daily calorie intake, but the problem is that such eating plans may restrict your body’s preferred energy source. If your carbohydrate calorie intake needs to be reduced, it’s better to focus on reducing the consumption of sugary foods and liquids like candy, sugar, and soft drinks.
A balanced diet should contain moderate amounts of carbohydrates, while a healthy diet needs them, to be supplied, from nutrient-rich sources. To maximize your energy levels, enjoy the great taste of whole and fortified grains, of which at least 50% are fiber-rich sources. Also, instead of candies and chips, eat varied fruits and vegetables every day.
Good Protein Foods for Weight Loss
Women sometimes stay away from protein foods, because some meat products may contain a large percentage of fat. However, including lean protein in your meals, is one of the most satisfying ways to eat and manage your weight. Animal meat is also a source of essential amino acids.
If you want to include good lean protein sources in your diet plan, try low-fat dairy products, eggs, lean meats, raw nuts, and beans (a total of about 6 ounces per day is recommended). Protein may be especially helpful and needed by the body, right after you wake up in the morning. By adding some protein, along with complex carbohydrates, to your breakfast, you’ll probably be satiated until lunchtime and could be less tempted by those high-fat, sugary snacks before your lunch.
Iron Intake
Insufficient intake of iron can lead to serious problems like iron deficiency anemia – one of the most common nutrient deficiencies for women and children. A minimum of 15 milligrams of iron per day is recommended to help prevent anemia and fatigue. Great sources of iron are lean red meat and iron-fortified cereals, as well as poultry, fish, beans, and green leafy vegetables.
Calcium Requirements
Calcium is well-known to promote healthy bones and teeth, but this vital nutrient is essential for the body in various others ways. A sufficient amount of calcium is helpful for a strong heart and muscles and may also help to prevent high blood pressure and colon cancer too.
A good way to enjoy calcium-rich foods in your everyday eating plan is to include more low-fat dairy products, like milk, yogurt and cheese, tofu, green leafy vegetables, and calcium-fortified fruit juices. Recommendations are at least of 1,000 milligrams per day – more for people younger than 18 or older than 50.
Folic Acid
For women of childbearing age, is recommended an intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid per day, in order to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects by about 75 percent. Folic acid is also beneficial for the immune system function, by producing disease-fighting white blood cells and can decrease the risk of heart disease. For tasty and nutritious folic acid food sources, turn to enriched grain products; whole grains; green leafy vegetables; beans; raw nuts; oranges, and berries.
