The Most Beneficial Foods For Women: Are You Eating Them?

By Alana Brager, Life2PointOh.com

There's a constant push and pull between eating what's delicious (mmm…mac and cheese!) and eating what's good for you (broccoli with no cheese-blah!). Sometimes the two do overlap, but eating healthy 24/7/365 is no easy feat. Choosing the best foods for your body can be difficult if you don't know enough info about what you're actually consuming. After all, we are what we eat, right? Here, we bring you the best foods for women. Let's all make these more consistent fixtures in our diets!

Salmon (Eat 2-3/week)
Containing Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can help reduce your risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. Salmon is also high in protein, low in cholesterol and contains zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium. And if you're preggers, studies have found that the oils in salmon can knock out the post-partum blues.

Apples (Eat 1-2/day)
An apple a day…well, you know how it goes! But did you know you might want to consider eating 2 apples a day? Loaded with antioxidants, apples will strengthen your immune system to fend of those pesky winter colds…keeping the doctor away! And a little secret: If you get a bad hair cut, you'll be relieved to know apples can benefit hair growth (phew!).

Tomatoes (Eat daily)
Tomatoes contain lycopene, which protects against breast, cervical and pancreatic cancers. The numerous antioxidants in tomatoes are an essential aid in clearing up skin ailments, while the vitamins and minerals are also shown to protect the heart from cardiovascular disease and help your vision.

Spinach (Eat 4-5 times/week)
Spinach is incredibly high in vitamin K and contains calcium, magnesium and folate, which is a B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects. Nearly flavorless, spinach can be added to smoothies, sauteed as a side dish or eaten raw, as in salads. It's vitamin A-heavy, which promotes healthy skin to keep it moisturized and fight off psoriasis, acne and wrinkles.

Flax Seeds (1-2 tbs/day, ground flaxseed)
Flax seeds are a natural source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, magnesium and manganese. It's low in carbohydrates and is a combination of healthy fats and fiber, which makes it a "super food." Ground flaxseeds are more easily consumed, so your body is able to absorb all of its powerful qualities, like how it can help weight loss. Health-wise, they can cut your risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Get the rest of this list of healthy food here!

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Life2PointOhis a 20-something blog with the focus on conquering the Quarter Life with tips and tricks in entertaining, relationships, career, style and more.

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