A woman’s health is intrinsically tied to what she eats on a daily basis. Eating meat in moderation has huge benefits and a direct impact on a woman’s health, helping achieve significant balances that will help you handle every day like a superwoman!
Why meat for women?
We function best eating both plants and animals but there are a number of lesser-known nutrients found only in meat that cannot be derived from plants and are essential for women:
- Creatine forms an energy reserve in the muscles and brain and is found only in animal foods. Creatine helps generate and preserve muscle, and facilitates fat burning and better bone mass in women.
- Carnosine functions as an anti-oxidant and provides protection against many degenerative processes. Carnosine helps slow down aging and is beneficial for women as they grow older.
- DHA and EPA are the active forms of omega-3 in the human body and found primarily in animal foods. The body is inefficient at converting ALA (the plant form of omega-3) to the active forms. Women of child bearing age require more DHA when carrying their child to term during pregnancy. Brain performance both in mother and child is governed by healthy EPA and DHA levels.
Meat Protein helps battle:
Ageing
As women age, they lose muscle mass. Muscle happens to be the only age reversal organ in the human body which means that as you grow older you can eat and exercise to have your muscle grow younger. Women who do not exercise lose muscle. Eating the right protein enables better preservation of muscle, decreased fat reserves and muscle loss due to lack of protein in the diet or lack of exercise which stimulates muscle generation.
Bone loss
Another issue with women is bone loss and protein is important for bone health. Studies show that consumption of protein is associated with increased bone density in old age and a lower risk of fractures. As women age, estrogen drops and estrogen is responsible for better bone health. Latest studies show that weight training or resistance training coupled with a good protein diet helps enable better bone mass.
Depression
A study done by the Deakin University in Australia states that eating less than the recommended amount of red meat is related to depression and anxiety in women. So, if you want to improve your mood, around 3-4 pieces of red meat during the week will help battle depression.
Iron deficiency
Women in their reproductive years have fluctuating levels of haemoglobin (oxygen carrying iron protein molecule). Haeme is the iron element and globulin is the protein element. A diet deficient in iron and protein results in lower haemoglobin levels which are associated with fatigue and low energy levels. Red meat has been shown to improve heamoglobin levels the quickest and maintain them.
Ladies, eating meat helps you meet your daily nutritional requirements and go about with a bounce of energy. Remember, when life’s battles are bringing you down, eat your way to a healthier and energetic life. Change your eating habits for the better so they become the cape to the superwoman that you already are.