NUTRITION FOR

WOMEN
Hailey F. Bivens
Purdue University Global
HW499: Bachelor’s Capstone in Health
and Wellness
Kristin Henningsen
1/31/23
Nutrition for Women 2

Introduction

AGENDA Sex-specific nutrition

Vitamins and supplements

Diet and cravings

Healthy snack

Summary
Nutrition for Women 3

INTRODUCTION
Hailey Bivens
Senior at Purdue Global University
Bachelors of Science in Health and Wellness
Nutrition for Women 4

THE PHASES OF THE

MENSTRUAL CYCLE
Nutrition for Women 5

NUTRITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR
ADULTS
Fruits Calories
Vegetables Sugars
Proteins Fats
Whole grains Salt
Dairy
Nutrition for Women 6

MYPLATE
Nutrition for Women 7

SEX-SPECIFIC
NUTRITION
Physiological sex differences
Carbohydrates
Fats
Protein
Protein supplementation
Supplements
Probiotics
Vitamins and minerals
Nutrition for Women 8

CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, AND

PROTEINS

CARBOHYDRATES FATS PROTEINS

Baseline: 45-65% of Baseline: 20-35% of Women: 1.6g/kg/day
total calories calories • Luteal phase
Luteal phase vs follicular
More if active
phase
Time of
Men: 1.2 g/kg/day
consumption
Nutrition for Women 9

VITAMINS &
MINERALS
• Folate
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Iron
• Riboflavin
Nutrition for Women 10

FOLATE
(VITAMIN B9/FOLIC ACID)
• Pregnant women
• 400-800 mcg
• Food sources:
• Green leafy vegetables, beans, oranges,
lean beef, whole grains, and cereals with
folic acid (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 2021)
• Supplement: prenatal vitamins
• Benefits
• Development
• Reduce birth complications
 11
Nutrition for Women

VITAMIN B12
• Pregnant
• Vegetarian
• Over 50
• Food sources:
Milk, eggs, nutritional yeast,
poultry, sardines, and foods
with added B12
Supplements
• Benefits:
Red blood cell development
Neuron functioning (U.S.
Department of Health and
Human Services, 2021)
 Nutrition for Women 12

VITAMIN D
• Individuals without much sun
exposure year-round
• African-Americans, Hispanics, and
Asian-Americans
• Postmenopausal women
• Obese women
• Women with certain diseases, like
IBS
• Food sources:
• Fish and fortified foods
• Bone and immune health benefits
Nutrition for Women 13

CALCIUM
• Age 9-18: 1300 mg
• Adult women: 1000 mg
• Postmenopausal women: 1200 mg

• Food sources:
• Dairy products, green leafy vegetables,
foods with added calcium

• Bone and nervous system benefits

 Nutrition for Women 14

IRON
• Women with menstrual periods
• “Ages 19-50: 18 mg
• During pregnancy: 27 mg
• Ages 51 and older: 8 mg” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2021)

• Food sources
• Lean red meat, spinach,
seafood, dark chocolate,
and chicken
• Hormone, blood, and
connective tissue benefits
 RIBOFLAVIN
Nutrition for Women 15

(VITAMIN B2)
• Women: 1.1 mg/1000 calories
• If pregnant: 1.4 mg/1000 calories
• If lactating or exercising: 1.6 mg
per 1000 calories
• Food sources
• Dairy, fish, poultry, lean beef
• Energy, growth, and antioxidant
benefits
Nutrition for Women 16

SUPPLEMENTS
• Beta-alanine, caffeine,
calcium, creatine
monohydrate
• Omega-3
• Probiotics
• Protein supplementation
• Whey protein
Nutrition for Women
 Nutrition for Women 18

DIET AND CRAVINGS

Mid-luteal phase
Zinc
Protein
Cravings are higher in the luteal phase (Gorczyca et al., 2015)

Role of estrogen and progesterone

Nutrition for Women 19

INDULGING IN CRAVINGS

• Sugar? Try fruit, yogurt, fruit with nut

butter, dates
• Ice cream? Homemade banana or
mango ice cream
• Salty? Olives, edamame, miso soup,
hummus with veggies,
• Sweet and salty? Trail mix
Nutrition for Women 20

HEALTHY SNACK
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup blueberries, rinsed
- ½ cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced
- ½ cup jarred cherries
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup granola

Layer ½ cup of yogurt in the bottom of the

glass. Top with ¼ cup blueberries,
strawberries, and cherries. Add 1 teaspoon of
honey and 1/8 cup of granola. Repeat these
steps once more to fill the parfait cup.

(Cleveland Clinic, 2022)

Nutrition for Women 21

HEALTHY PIZZA HANDOUT

Nutrition for Women 22

SUMMARY
Sex-specific nutrition
Vitamins and minerals
Supplementation
Cravings
Healthy snack options
Nutrition for Women 23

REFERENCES
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, October 5). How to make (and order) a healthier pizza. Cleveland Clinic.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-make-healthy-pizza/
Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Menstrual cycle (normal menstruation): Overview & phases. Cleveland Clinic.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10132-menstrual-cycle
Cleveland Clinic. (2020, November 3). Recipe: Fruit and yogurt parfaits. Cleveland Clinic.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/recipe-fruit-and-yogurt-parfaits-infographic/
Gorczyca, A. M., Sjaarda, L. A., Mitchell, E. M., Perkins, N. J., Schliep, K. C., Wactawski-Wende, J., &
Mumford, S. L. (2015). Changes in macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes
throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy, premenopausal women. European Journal of Nutrition,
55(3), 1181–1188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0931-0
Harvard College. (2020, August 11). Riboflavin – vitamin B2. The Nutrition Source.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/riboflavin-vitamin-b2/
USDA. (2020). Current dietary guidelines. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials
 Nutrition for Women 24

REFERENCES
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). Vitamins and minerals for women. Office on
Women’s Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-eating/how-eat-health/vitamins-and-
minerals-women
West, H. (2017, March 13). 18 Healthy foods to eat when cravings strike. Healthline.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-healthy-foods-cravings#TOC_TITLE_HDR_16
Wohlgemuth, K. J., Arieta, L. R., Brewer, G. J., Hoselton, A. L., Gould, L. M., & Smith-Ryan, A. E.
(2021). Sex differences and considerations for female specific nutritional strategies: A narrative
review. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://eds-p-ebscohost-
com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=efe6c16d-5553-4715-96f3-
7619e7670871%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=edsdoj.f616a22a3c8485892
b2ef06aeb79771&db=edsdoj
World Health Organization. (2020, April 29). Healthy diet. World Health Organization.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet