Nutrition

Diet For Today’s Super Women

WOMEN- the backbone of every family

Women’s nutritional needs are different and specific to women, as they have to undergo a lot of physiological changes- premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and menopause throughout their life cycle, all of which necessitate appropriate changes in their diets.

The nutritional needs of working women are more important as they have to juggle between home and office.

What do the nutrients do in our body?

Provides energy
Helps in growth and maintenance of body cells and tissues
Regulation of body processes
Protection against illness (Immunity)

ENERGY GIVING FOODS : Carbohydrate foods

Cereals like rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, corn, oats, rice flakes.
Starchy foods like potatoes, sweet potato, yam.
Fats and oils
Sugar, sweets

BODY BUILDING FOODS: Protein foods

Milk and milk products.
Pulses like dals, legumes etc.
Nuts like almonds, peanuts etc.
Flesh foods.

PROTECTIVE FOODS: Vitamins and Minerals

Fruits
Vegetables

Golden rules for a Superwoman

Eat a healthy breakfast

Breakfast should supply ¼ th of the caloric and protein requirement.
It is important to include calcium-rich food like milk or milk products, ragi at breakfast time.
When you eat a good amount of proteins along with carbohydrates you get a feeling of satiety. So, including an egg or pulse preparation along with milk is good enough to keep your stomach full for long.
If you do not have time to cook your breakfast, muesli with milk or ragi flakes with milk and fruit is good to keep you going.

Eat a balanced lunch

Your lunch should include:

Carbohydrates in the form of rice or chapatti or brown bread.
Proteins foods such as dal, usal, OR chicken, fish or egg OR a cup of curds.
A salad OR a cooked vegetable OR a fruit.

For a packed lunch you can carry chicken sandwich or khichdi or Frankie with sprouts and make sure u carry one seasonal fruit

Besides that……

Stock your table drawer with dry fruits, roasted channa, and groundnuts, puffed rice, popcorns instead of snacking on samosas, batatawadas, etc.
Make sure your midmorning snack includes a seasonal fruit.
Avoid excessive consumption of tea, coffee or soft drinks as they can lead to acidity.
Make sure you carry a bottle of water or fill your bottle ( at least 1 litre) in your office and you consume it during your work hours.
Learn to balance your calories by not overeating at one particular time. For e.g, after a good lunch do not immediately eat fruit and then a dessert. In this way, you don’t overload your body at one time.

Dinner

Eat a light dinner if you eat later than 8 pm. You can afford to have a heavy dinner if you plan to eat it as soon as you come back or anything by 7 30 pm.