Boost your health and lower your risk of certain age-related health conditions with female-friendly superfoods.
The Portobello mushroom is one of the best sources of vitamin D
The Portobello mushroom is one of the best sources of vitamin D
Eating healthily post-50 can be a challenge. Women's dietary needs change later on in life, whether as a result of menopause-related hormonal changes or a slower metabolism, and many older women require fewer calories, yet additional nutrients to support their health and wellbeing.
While there's no need to have a major overhaul of your diet, just a few nutrition-savvy tweaks should boost your general health, and help lower your risk of certain age-related conditions, such as heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis. Make a start by upping your intake of the following superfoods for women.
The best and worst foods for hot flushes
A soy-rich diet can also lower your cholesterol by around 6% according to Heart UK and reduce your risk of heart disease, the second leading cause of death for women in the UK. On top of that, soy is one of the best sources of riboflavin (vitamin B2), which many older women lack in their diets.
The pros and cons of soy
How to add tofu to your diet
Tofu: how to add this superfood to your diet .
A diet rich in milk may also help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia, the leading causes of death for women aged 80-plus.
A 2015 study from the University of Kansas reported that regular milk-drinkers have higher levels of the brain-boosting antioxidant glutathione, and a lower Alzheimer's and dementia risk.
Learn more about how calcium benefits health
Turmeric in fresh root form is best, but if you can't get hold of it, the powdered spice is almost as potent. Try it in curries, marinades, rice dishes and soups, or add some of the root or powder to a virtuous fruit or veggie smoothie.
10 healthy reasons to eat more spices
If you suspect you may be anaemic, make an appointment to see your GP. Otherwise, a diet rich in iron can help prevent iron-deficiency anaemia. Believe it or not, pumpkin seeds are the best dietary source of the mineral, weight for weight. Other rich sources include liver, shellfish, nuts, red meat, pulses and beans.
Seeds of goodness – which seeds to add to your diet
How much iron do we need?
Upping your intake of dietary vitamin D should help as well. The Portobello mushroom is one of the best sources, as are oily fish, eggs and fortified cereals. Mushrooms also contain folate (vitamin B12), an essential nutrient that becomes more difficult to absorb as we age.
Mushrooms – the new superfood?
Vitamin d – getting the balance right
Try our delicious mushroom recipes
Flavonoids are found in many fruits and vegetables, but tea is one of the richest sources of these disease-fighting antioxidants. Black tea consumption may also help lower the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, not to mention reduce and regulate cholesterol levels. Time for a cuppa?
Tea and coffee health benefits
Other research indicates that people who eat carrots are less likely to develop lung cancer. On another note, the beta-carotene in carrots converts to vitamin A in the body, which helps protect the eyes from degenerative damage.
Is veg healthier cooked or raw?
New research published in the British Journal of Community Nursing suggests older people increase their protein intake and eat several portions throughout the day to mitigate age-related muscle loss.
Sources of omega 3 for people who hate salmon
10 healthy reasons to eat more fish
Protein alternatives to meat
Walnuts in particular have been shown to reduce breast cancer risk, boost cardiovascular health, support the brain and help prevent diabetes type-2. And they're rich in essential iron to boot. Try them sprinkled over your breakfast cereal, in salads, smoothies or rice pilafs.
10 healthy reasons to eat more nuts
Try this walnut and black bean wrap recipe
The sweet red-coloured berries also contain cancer-fighting flavonoids and are high in fibre to help prevent constipation, which is particularly common in older adults, and affects twice as many women as men.
Eat the rainbow – why colourful food helps your health
While there's no need to have a major overhaul of your diet, just a few nutrition-savvy tweaks should boost your general health, and help lower your risk of certain age-related conditions, such as heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis. Make a start by upping your intake of the following superfoods for women.
The best and worst foods for hot flushes
Superfoods for women over 50
1. Soy
Fond of soy milk, tofu and edamame beans? You're in luck. Several studies indicate that soy isoflavones, plant oestrogens that mimic the structure of the female hormone, help regulate oestrogen levels and lower the risk of breast cancer when eaten during and post menopause, as well as calm the hot flushes.A soy-rich diet can also lower your cholesterol by around 6% according to Heart UK and reduce your risk of heart disease, the second leading cause of death for women in the UK. On top of that, soy is one of the best sources of riboflavin (vitamin B2), which many older women lack in their diets.
The pros and cons of soy
How to add tofu to your diet
Tofu: how to add this superfood to your diet .
Find out how to add this low fat, high protein super food to your diet.
Tofu is virtually no-fat protein – it’s hard to think of a more diet and health-friendly form of food and yet many people don’t eat it. But just think of how different your figure or waistline might look if you could replace some of the high-fat high-calorie foods you eat with this simple foodstuff.
Tofu, or bean curd, is made from soya milk. In fact, it’s rather like cheese made from non-dairy milk – salts or acids are added to the soya milk to help it curdle and then the water is removed leaving a block of tofu.
Fermented tofu has more flavour because of the process it goes through (usually the addition of rice wine and salt, spices) but it’s also higher in salt and may contain added oil, too.
Phytoestrogens have also been found to be useful in preventing osteoporosis.
Research published in medical journal Food Research International found that soya bean peptides, found in tofu as well as other soya products, helped slow the growth of cancer tumours. But the main way tofu is healthy for you is in how you can use it to replace other higher-calorie or higher-fat foods.
Half a cup of tofu (about 100g) contains only around 100 calories but provides almost half your calcium needs for the day, for example. So by replacing cheese with tofu, for example, you’ll ingest fewer calories without going hungry.
The good news is, though, that tofu can take any flavouring you care to add, at any intensity. Add a hint of turmeric to make tasty scrambled tofu, mix with basil pesto and add to pasta to give your meal a protein boost, or even go sweet – you can add honey to it for a delicious treat a bit like panacotta.
What exactly is tofu?
The first time you see uncooked, unprepared tofu, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was some kind of clay rather than something to eat. Its off-white colour doesn’t exactly make your mouth water.Tofu, or bean curd, is made from soya milk. In fact, it’s rather like cheese made from non-dairy milk – salts or acids are added to the soya milk to help it curdle and then the water is removed leaving a block of tofu.
Fermented tofu has more flavour because of the process it goes through (usually the addition of rice wine and salt, spices) but it’s also higher in salt and may contain added oil, too.
Non-fermented tofu, however, doesn’t have anything added and is even milder in flavour as a result.
Is tofu healthy?
Tofu contains all eight essential amino acids – our muscles, cells and tissues are made up of amino acids and they’re necessary for healing and organ function, too. It also contains useful amounts of iron, calcium and magnesium. It’s a useful food to add to your diet during and after menopause, too, as, like soya beans, it contains phytoestrogens which act like a weak form of oestrogen.Phytoestrogens have also been found to be useful in preventing osteoporosis.
Research published in medical journal Food Research International found that soya bean peptides, found in tofu as well as other soya products, helped slow the growth of cancer tumours. But the main way tofu is healthy for you is in how you can use it to replace other higher-calorie or higher-fat foods.
Half a cup of tofu (about 100g) contains only around 100 calories but provides almost half your calcium needs for the day, for example. So by replacing cheese with tofu, for example, you’ll ingest fewer calories without going hungry.
How to flavour tofu
The biggest mistake you can make with tofu is to expect it to stand up on its own. Unless you’re someone who just loves plain rice or pasta, then plain tofu will leave you feeling equally disappointed.The good news is, though, that tofu can take any flavouring you care to add, at any intensity. Add a hint of turmeric to make tasty scrambled tofu, mix with basil pesto and add to pasta to give your meal a protein boost, or even go sweet – you can add honey to it for a delicious treat a bit like panacotta.
When to choose firm, soft or silken tofu
- If you’re after something to replace meat in a dish, for example, then go for firm tofu which will hold its shape better during the cooking process.
- Soft tofu is ideal for scrambled dishes or where you’re looking for soft textures.
- Smoother silken tofu is better for those dishes where the tofu is to be mixed in.
Tofu as a meat replacement
When you remove meat from a dish you remove a lot of flavour, sometimes all the flavour, so if you’re replacing with tofu it’s important to take that into account. Marinading it can really help. Prick it many times with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate and try flavours such as soya sauce, ginger, garlic, for example. Frying or baking tofu helps make it firmer and crisper and so gives it a more meaty texture.Add tofu to...
You can use tofu as a straightforward replacement for meat, as outlined above, or to salads to make them more satisfying. Use soft tofu to boost the protein content of soups or smoothies. And if you want to give yourself a treat, you can even use it to make very-nearly healthy puddings and desserts.2. Milk
Women are more at risk of developing osteoporosis than men. To help lower the risk, the National Osteoporosis Society recommends a minimum of 1,200mg of calcium a day for 50-plus women – a glass of milk contains 10% of the recommended daily intake (RDI).A diet rich in milk may also help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia, the leading causes of death for women aged 80-plus.
A 2015 study from the University of Kansas reported that regular milk-drinkers have higher levels of the brain-boosting antioxidant glutathione, and a lower Alzheimer's and dementia risk.
Learn more about how calcium benefits health
3. Turmeric
A 2009 study found that eating turmeric foods at least twice a week may help prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Curcumin, the active ingredient in the yellow-hued spice is thought to heal brain cells and help stave off the mental decline associated with age.Turmeric in fresh root form is best, but if you can't get hold of it, the powdered spice is almost as potent. Try it in curries, marinades, rice dishes and soups, or add some of the root or powder to a virtuous fruit or veggie smoothie.
10 healthy reasons to eat more spices
4. Pumpkin seeds
Although pre-menopausal women who experience heavy periods are at a significant risk of developing anaemia, a large cohort study conducted in 2010 found that the risk of anaemia actually increases with age.If you suspect you may be anaemic, make an appointment to see your GP. Otherwise, a diet rich in iron can help prevent iron-deficiency anaemia. Believe it or not, pumpkin seeds are the best dietary source of the mineral, weight for weight. Other rich sources include liver, shellfish, nuts, red meat, pulses and beans.
Seeds of goodness – which seeds to add to your diet
How much iron do we need?
5. Portobello mushrooms
Older women, especially women over 65 are at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. “It's recommended that over-65s take a supplement of vitamin D of 10 micrograms per day,” says British Dietetic Association spokesperson Priya Tew. “Try to get out in the sun for 10-15 minutes a day without sunscreen, too.”Upping your intake of dietary vitamin D should help as well. The Portobello mushroom is one of the best sources, as are oily fish, eggs and fortified cereals. Mushrooms also contain folate (vitamin B12), an essential nutrient that becomes more difficult to absorb as we age.
Mushrooms – the new superfood?
Vitamin d – getting the balance right
Try our delicious mushroom recipes
6. Tea
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged between 50 -79, and while smoking is of course the main risk factor, diet can play a part too in upping or lowering your risk. Cancer Research UK suggests a diet rich in flavonoids may help minimise the chances of developing lung cancer.Flavonoids are found in many fruits and vegetables, but tea is one of the richest sources of these disease-fighting antioxidants. Black tea consumption may also help lower the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, not to mention reduce and regulate cholesterol levels. Time for a cuppa?
Tea and coffee health benefits
7. Carrots
Carrots are rich in powerful antioxidants called carotenoids, which have potential cancer-protective properties. Cancer Research UK quotes a summary of published studies which shows that women with higher levels of carotenoids in the blood may have a lower breast cancer risk.Other research indicates that people who eat carrots are less likely to develop lung cancer. On another note, the beta-carotene in carrots converts to vitamin A in the body, which helps protect the eyes from degenerative damage.
Is veg healthier cooked or raw?
8. Mackerel
There's a good reason we're constantly being told to increase our dietary intake of oily fish such as mackerel to at least two portions a week – they are bursting with health-enhancing omega-3 fatty acids, which offer all sorts of benefits, from lowering the risk of breast cancer, to providing decent levels of vitamin D, heart-healthy fats and high quality protein.New research published in the British Journal of Community Nursing suggests older people increase their protein intake and eat several portions throughout the day to mitigate age-related muscle loss.
Sources of omega 3 for people who hate salmon
10 healthy reasons to eat more fish
Protein alternatives to meat
9. Walnuts
Chowing down on nuts is a great way to reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body. In fact, a handful of nuts a day has the potential to lower cholesterol by an average of 5%, according to Heart UK.Walnuts in particular have been shown to reduce breast cancer risk, boost cardiovascular health, support the brain and help prevent diabetes type-2. And they're rich in essential iron to boot. Try them sprinkled over your breakfast cereal, in salads, smoothies or rice pilafs.
10 healthy reasons to eat more nuts
Try this walnut and black bean wrap recipe
10. Strawberries
The world's most popular berry is packed with a myriad of key nutrients that support older women's health. Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C – many women post-50 don't get enough of this crucial vitamin in their diets – as well as folate (vitamin B12).The sweet red-coloured berries also contain cancer-fighting flavonoids and are high in fibre to help prevent constipation, which is particularly common in older adults, and affects twice as many women as men.
Eat the rainbow – why colourful food helps your health
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