Printer-friendly version
Return to article list

Top 9 Nutrients Women Need in Their 40s
Published on August 15, 2008
 

Top 9 Nutrients Women Need in Their 40s

Date updated: May 02, 2008
Content provided by Revolution Health Group

What you eat -- and don't eat -- in your 40s can have a real impact on your health today as well as farther down the road. As your body transitions into midlife and eventually into menopause, a well-balanced diet can help you feel better and live longer by keeping both your weight and chronic disease risk in check. To help you figure out the very best foods to incorporate in your 40s diet, we turned to renowned women's health expert Vivian M. Dickerson, M.D., executive medical director of women's health at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., and the past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Nutrient

Why it's important

Sources of this nutrient

How much you need daily

How much of this nutrient is in a typical serving size?

Calcium

Keeps bones strong. Prevents osteoporosis-related fractures. Key in the 40s, when women lose bone mass, especially once menopause kicks in and the body absorbs less calcium from the diet.

Low-fat cheeses, calcium-fortified orange juice, Chinese cabbage, kale, broccoli, collard greens, sardines, calcium-fortified foods (juices, tofu, cereals)

* **1,000 milligrams (mg.) (Ask your doctor about calcium supplements if you're at risk of osteoporosis.)

  • 8 ounces (oz.) nonfat milk -- 302 mg.
  • 8 oz. plain low-fat yogurt -- 415 mg.
  • 1/2 cup firm tofu made with calcium sulfate -- 204 mg.
  • 1/2 cup boiled turnip greens -- 99 mg.

Vitamin D

Helps body absorb calcium to keep bones healthy from the 40s on up.

Oysters, fish, egg yolks, liver, sunlight

* **5 micrograms (μg, or mcg.) or 200 international units (IU) (The National Osteoporosis Foundation suggests 400-800 IU)

  • 3 oz. canned tuna in oil -- 200 IU
  • 1 cup (c.) vitamin-D-fortified nonfat milk -- 98 IU
  • 1 tablespoon (tbsp.) vitamin-D-fortified margarine -- 60 IU
  • 3/4 to 1 c. 10% vitamin-D-fortified breakfast cereal -- 40 IU

Vitamin C (an antioxidant)

Helps fight harmful effects of chemicals, pollutants and molecules called free radicals that may contribute to aging and certain diseases (like heart disease, cancer and arthritis). Helps create and fix body's tissue. Makes collagen (which can help lessen appearance of wrinkles and fine lines). Heals wounds. Fixes and maintains health of bones, cartilage and teeth. Aids in iron absorption to prevent anemia.

Fruits: citrus, papaya, cantaloupe, mango, watermelon, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries
Vegetables: green peppers, red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, leafy greens, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, sweet and white potatoes

*75 mg.

  • 1 medium orange or 1 medium kiwi -- 70 mg.
  • 1/2 cup (c.) strawberries -- 49 mg.
  • 1/2 c. cauliflower -- 28 mg.
  • 1/2 c. brussels sprouts -- 48 mg.
  • 1/2 c. pineapple -- 28 mg.

Omega-3 fatty acids: polyunsaturated fats -- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

A major contributor to heart health. Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Partially lowers blood pressure.

* DHA and EPA: fish and shellfish (salmon, anchovies, lake trout, herring, pollack, catfish, canned light tuna)
ALA: nuts (English walnuts), certain oils (canola, flaxseed, soybean, olive)

* **1.1 grams (g.) (Note: Some researchers and doctors say that's not enough. Talk to your doctor about increasing your omega-3 intake through diet and supplements if you have a personal or family history of cholesterol or heart problems.)

  • 11/2-21/2 oz. Atlantic farmed salmon
  • 2 oz. Atlantic herring, or 4 oz. canned tuna -- 1 g.
  • The American Heart Association suggests at least two servings of fish (preferably fatty) per week.

Folate (aka folic acid, vitamin B9)

May reduce risk of heart disease. Lowers risk of neural tube birth defects when taken during pregnancy at any age.

Folic-acid-enriched foods (cereals, bread, pasta, rice), spinach, asparagus, beans, peas, lentils, oranges

*400 micrograms (μg, or mcg.)

  • 3/4 cup (c.) 100% folic-acid-fortified breakfast cereal -- 400 mcg.
  • 1/2 c. boiled frozen spinach -- 100 mcg.
  • 1/2 c. boiled Great Northern beans -- 90 mcg.
  • 4 spears boiled asparagus -- 85 mcg.
  • 1 c. canned vegetarian baked beans -- 60 mcg.
  • 1/2 cup boiled frozen green peas -- 50 mcg.
  • 1 medium banana -- 20 mcg.

Iron

Helps fend off iron-deficiency anemia, which occurs in many women in their 40s and can cause weakness, fatigue, poor work performance and reduced immunity that increases susceptibility to infections.

Lean red meats, poultry, fish, lentils, beans, iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods

*18 mg. (Note: If iron pills are recommended, take with vitamin C to aid absorption and diminish constipation. Take between meals to prevent problems with zinc absorption.)

  • 3/4 cup (c.) of 100% iron-fortified breakfast cereal -- 18 mg.
  • 3 1/2 oz. cooked chicken liver -- 12.8 mg.
  • 3 oz. roasted beef tenderloin -- 3 mg.
  • 3 1/2 oz. roasted dark meat turkey -- 2.3 mg.

Fiber

May reduce cholesterol and help prevent diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Makes you feel fuller (which can help you manage your weight, especially around menopause).

Whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, oat bran, oatmeal, rice bran, barley, nuts, seeds, fruits (strawberries, citrus fruits, pears, apples), vegetables (beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes)

25 grams (g)

  • 1/2 cup (c.) black beans -- 7.5 g.
  • 1 medium sweet potato -- 4.8 g.
  • 1/2 c. green peas -- 4.4 g.
  • 1 small pear -- 4.4 g.
  • 1/2 c. blackberries -- 3.8 g.

Magnesium

Serves hundreds of vital roles in middle age, like maintaining immune system health, regulating blood pressure and blood sugar, keeping heart rhythm steady and helping bones stay strong.

Green vegetables (like spinach), peas, beans, whole grains, halibut

*320 mg.

  • 3 oz. cooked halibut -- 90 mg.
  • 1 oz. dry roasted almonds -- 80 mg.
  • 1/2 cup (c.) mature cooked soybeans -- 75 mg.
  • 1/2 c. cooked frozen spinach -- 75 mg.

Zinc

Helps keep immune system healthy. Heals wounds. Keeps taste and smell in check.

Oysters, lean red meat, poultry, nuts, beans, whole grains, dairy products

*8 mg.

  • 3 oz. lean beef tenderloin -- 4.8 mg.
  • 3/4 cup (c.) 25%-fortified breakfast cereal -- 3.8 mg.

Notes:
*The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for these nutrients are different for women who are pregnant and/or breast-feeding.
**The government suggests adequate intakes (AIs) for nutrients that are lacking enough scientific research to create an RDA.
***Although supplements can provide some of the nutrients you need, it's wise to go with wholesome food sources first and talk to your doctor about which additional supplements you may require based on your personal disease risk and whether you're pregnant, breast-feeding or going through menopause.

Reviewed by: James O. Hill, Ph.D.
Date reviewed: March 2008

Sources:

•1.                   Vivian M. Dickerson, M.D., executive medical director of women's health at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Calif.; past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

•2.                   Theresa Fung, Sc.D., R.D., Department of Nutrition, Simmons College and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.

•3.                   Rebecca S. Kightlinger, D.O., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Virginia; director of Women's Health Services for Remote Area Medical (RAM) Volunteer Corps.

•4.                   National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet: Calcium." Available at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp. Accessed March 10, 2008.

•5.                   National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate." Available at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/folate.asp#h2. Accessed March 9, 2008.

•6.                   National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Magnesium." Available at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp. Accessed March 10, 2008.

•7.                   National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Zinc." Available at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/zinc.html. Accessed March 10, 2008.

•8.                   National Women's Health Resource Center website. "Nutrition, Multivitamins and You." Available at http://www.healthywomen.org/wellness/nutritionmultivitaminsandyou#. Accessed February 29, 2008.

•9.                   National Women's Health Resource Center website. "Top 10 Vitamins, Minerals and Nutrients Women Should Know." Available at http://www.healthywomen.org/wellness/nutritionmultivitaminsandyou/vitamincheatsheet#. Accessed February 29, 2008.

•10.               Medline Plus website (a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health). "Antioxidants." Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•11.               American Dietetic Association website. "Antioxidants: An Answer to Aging." Available at http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/SID-5303FFEA-845A50FB/ada/hs.xsl/home_4634_ENU_HTML.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•12.               American Dietetic Association website. "What Are Antioxidants?" Available at http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_9660_ENU_HTML.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•13.               American Dietetic Association website. "The Benefits of Folate." Available at http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_4353_ENU_HTML.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•14.               FamilyDoctor.org (American Academy of Family Physicians) website. "Homocysteine." Available at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/249.html. Accessed March 10, 2008.

•15.               International Food Information Council website. "Functional Foods Fact Sheet: Antioxidants." Available at http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/antioxidantfs.cfm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•16.               National Cancer Institute website. "Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet." Available at http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/antioxidants. Accessed March 10, 2008.

•17.               National Osteoporosis Foundation website. "National Osteoporosis Foundation's Updated Recommendations for Calcium and Vitamin D Intake." Available at http://www.nof.org/prevention/calcium_and_VitaminD.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•18.               Medline Plus website. "Vitamin D." Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002405.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•19.               United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website. "USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20: Magnesium" Available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR20/nutrlist/sr20w304.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•20.               National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. "Food Exchange List." Available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/fd_exch.htm. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•21.               American Cancer Society website. "Benefits of Good Nutrition." Available at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_6_2X_Benefits_of_nutrition_during_treatment.asp?sitearea=MH. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•22.               American Heart Association website. "Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids." Available at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•23.               American Heart Association website. "Fish, Levels of Mercury and Omega-3 Fatty Acids." Available at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3013797. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•24.               Medline Plus website. "Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid." Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-fishoil.html. Accessed March 12, 2008.

•25.               National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Iron." Available at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp. Accessed March 25, 2008.

•26.               National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website. "Vitamin D." Available at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp. Accessed March 25, 2008.

•27.               Medline Plus website. "Vitamin C." Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002404.htm. Accessed March 24, 2008.

•28.               American Heart Association website. "Fiber." Available at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4574. Accessed March 24, 2008.

•29.               Harvard School of Public Health website. "Fiber." Available at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fiber.html. Accessed March 24, 2008.

•30.               American Academy of Family Physicians website. "Fiber: How to Increase the Amount in Your Diet." Available at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/general-nutrition/099.printerview.html. Accessed March 24, 2008.

•31.               American Family Physician (from the American Academy of Family Physicians). "Omega-3 Fatty Acids." July 1, 2004. Available at http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040701/133.html. Accessed March 24, 2008.

•32.               American Academy of Family Physicians website. "Vitamins and Minerals: How to Get What You Need." Available at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/general-nutrition/914.html. Accessed March 24, 2008.