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The Best Foods for Women in Their 20s

Good nutrition is always important, but during your 20s, it is even more vital. According to registered dietitian Karen Ansel, writing for Fitness Magazine, these are the busiest days of your life, when you're working long hours, partying hard or trying to start a family. Keeping your energy levels up is vital, and a healthy diet is a good way to do this. So what should you be making the most of?

  1. Iron

    • Green leafy vegetables help the body to get more iron.

      Throughout your 20s you will be menstruating and heavy periods are one of the key reasons for women suffering from tiredness. Increasing the amount of iron in your diet will help prevent anemia and produce stronger blood. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend 18 milligrams of iron each day but this is easy to achieve. Iron can be found in lean red meat, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, and pulses such as lentils.

    Calcium

    • A glass of milk a day will help to strengthen your bones and teeth.

      Women are more prone to osteoporosis as they get older, but your 20s is the ideal time to start strengthening your bones. Weight-bearing exercise such as jogging can help, but increasing the amount of calcium in your diet is also beneficial. This can also help to strengthen your muscles and teeth, according to health writer and editor Melinda Smith, who writes for HelpGuide.org. The NIH recommends getting 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. This can be from a number of sources, including dairy products, like milk and yogurt, oatmeal, tofu, cabbage and green beans.

    Healthy Fats

    • Healthy fats, like those in avocados, can help improve brain function.

      Not all fats are bad for you. In fact, monounsaturates and polyunsaturates, found in olive oil, fish and seafood and avocados, can actually benefit you. They are dense in calories, which help you to feel full up for longer and reduces the amount of snacking, but there are other benefits too. They help to strengthen your fingernails and mean glowing skin and shiny hair, as well as good brain function. Healthy fats can also help women to have healthy pregnancies.

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