When you look at the essentials of a healthy diet, you will soon see that they are very similar for both women and men. You need to make sure that you choose vegetables, fruits, wholegrains or even dairy sources that are low in saturated fat, and you also need to avoid trans-fat as well. While recommendations like this apply to everyone, it’s important to know that the detailed nutrition and even exercise recommendations do vary depending on your gender.
Vitamins and Minerals
Women might need less calories when compared to men, but in so many cases, they have much higher nutritional and vitamin needs. They also need to have a high intake of iron, folic acid and calcium too. This is because of the hormonal changes which are associated with breastfeeding, child-bearing and menstruation. This alone makes women much more prone to osteoporosis, which is why women tend to need more calcium when compared to men. Women who are aged between 51 and 70 need to be getting around 1000mg when compared to 800mg for a man of the same age. Women are also at much higher risk of having an iron deficiency because of the blood loss they experience through menstruation. The average pre-menopausal woman needs to have around 18mg of iron every single day when compared to 8mg for a man. If you know you aren’t getting enough vitamins then look up vitamins for women.
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Calories
Men tend to have a much bigger body when compared to women. They are taller and have more mass as a general rule of thumb. This means that they have more caloric needs when compared to women. The average-sized female will need around 2000 calories per day, but the male counterpart will need 2,800 calories per day. This is even the case if they are the same height and the same weight. On top of this, men burn around 400 calories more when compared to women. Although the breakdown of fat, protein and carbohydrates are the same, men just need more calories.
Weight Control
Even though men have extra calories, they do suffer from obesity at a way higher rate when compared to women. 70% of people in the US are overweight. Three out of every four men over the age of 20 are overweight, and only two out of three women are. When you look at older adults, you will see that a small percentage of them are overweight, but this is more the case with older women. You can only speculate as to why men are the heavier sex, but either way, it’s interesting to say the least.
Vitamins and Minerals Conclusion
So at the end of the day, it’s important to know that both men and women need to make sure that they are getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals. If they aren’t then it’s possible to experience side effects. This can include being more tired in the day or even feeling depressed. If you are not quite sure if you are getting enough vitamins, then it is always a good idea for you to take multivitamin. When you do, you will soon find that you can reap the benefits.