Women’s nutritional needs change significantly throughout their lives. Women are at higher risk of osteoporosis as they get older, and the risk of heart disease rises after menopause. Alongside all of this, there is a long history of women being told to eat for body size rather than for health, which can make figuring out what genuinely supports your body harder than it should be.
This page focuses on the foods and nutrients that really matter for women’s health. The principles are simple, and the same foods come up again and again, whatever stage of life you are at. Real food, not restriction.
Iron
Did you know that women need almost twice as much iron as men? The National Adult Nutrition Survey found that 14% of women in Ireland do not meet iron intake targets. Women lose iron through their periods and need more during pregnancy. Low iron can lead to poor energy levels, fatigue and frustrating brain fog. It is much more common in women than is generally appreciated.
Where to find iron
- Red meat, such as beef and lamb
- Chicken and turkey leg meat, also known as brown meat
- Eggs
- Shellfish, particularly mussels
- Offal, such as liver and kidney
- Beans and lentils
- Nuts and seeds
- Iron-fortified breakfast cereals
- Wholemeal and wholegrain bread
- Dark leafy greens, such as spinach and kale
- Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
- Dried fruit, such as raisins and apricots
You need two to three iron-rich foods every day. It is a good habit to include some iron at every meal. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from plant sources, so pairing foods such as lentils, spinach or fortified cereal with citrus fruit, peppers, kiwi or strawberries makes a real difference. Coffee and tea, on the other hand, can reduce iron absorption. Try to leave 30 to 60 minutes between an iron-rich meal and a cup of tea or coffee.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth, and women are particularly vulnerable to osteoporosis, or thinning bones, as they get older. The work of supporting bone health starts decades before menopause. Bones reach peak density by around age 30, after which the focus shifts to maintaining what you have built.
Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, are the most concentrated sources. Calcium-fortified plant-based milks are also good options. Always check the labels, as not all soya or oat milks have calcium added. Green vegetables contain calcium too, but absorption varies significantly. Calcium from kale is well absorbed, while calcium from spinach is less easily absorbed. You would need to eat around 120 bags of spinach a day to hit your calcium target, and we are not recommending that!
Women need 700 to 950 mg of calcium per day. Some experts recommend more around perimenopause and menopause. The easiest way to hit your target is to have three calcium-rich servings a day: milk over breakfast cereal, a yoghurt with lunch and some cheese grated over pasta at dinner.
Are you getting enough calcium?
Here is a quick reference guide:
| Food, average serving | Calcium |
|---|---|
| Glass of milk, 250 ml | 300 mg |
| Glass of calcium-fortified soya milk | 300 mg |
| Glass of unfortified soya milk | 32 mg |
| Pot of yoghurt, 125 g | 250 mg |
| Cheddar cheese, 30 g | 222 mg |
| Broccoli, average serving | 29 mg |
| Kale, average serving | 231 mg |
| Small tin of sardines, with bones | 425 mg |
| Almonds, 1 tablespoon or approximately 15 almonds | 39 mg |
| Sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon | 74 mg |
| Glass of kefir | 330 mg |
Fibre
A healthy gut needs plenty of fibre. Sluggish digestion can lead to bloating and constipation, which many women experience, particularly during hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and around perimenopause. You need around 25 g of fibre per day. The average Irish adult gets just 18 g.
Increasing your fibre intake is one of the most beneficial nutritional changes you can make. The bonus is that fibre-rich foods almost always bring other nutrients along with them. Fruit and vegetables also provide vitamin C; wholegrains also provide iron; and beans and lentils are great sources of protein.
How to add more fibre
- Choose wholegrains: swap to wholegrain or wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta where you can. Anything with 6 g of fibre per 100 g is classed as “high fibre” and is a great choice.
- Add seeds: a dessertspoon of pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or chia seeds provides around 3 g of fibre. Sprinkle them on porridge, yoghurt or salads. This is a simple way to increase your fibre intake.
- Get your five, or more, a day: aim to have two to three pieces of fruit every day and add vegetables or salad to lunch and dinner. A piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables will provide around 2 to 3 g of fibre.
- Add beans and lentils: these are very rich in fibre. A tin of baked beans has 14 g of fibre, while a small tin of chickpeas has around 10 g. Add beans to soups or lentils to stews, soups and casseroles. You could also try vegetarian dishes based on lentils.
- Snack on nuts and dried fruit: raisins, apricots and dates are all great sources of fibre, and they make handy snacks. Eat them on their own or mix them with walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds for some extra fibre.
- Eat potatoes with the skins on: most of the fibre in a potato is found in its skin. Try potatoes baked, boiled in their jackets or cut into wedges and baked in the oven with a little olive oil and some herbs. Baby potatoes are also a great source of fibre. Just remember to eat the skins!
- Increase your intake slowly: going from a low-fibre diet to a high-fibre diet overnight can cause bloating and discomfort. Add one new fibre-rich food at a time and give your gut a few days to adjust. Remember to stay hydrated too.
Protein
Protein is one of the most underrated nutrients for women’s health. It is not just for bodybuilders! Every woman needs enough protein every day to support her muscles, bones, skin, hair and nails. Protein-rich foods are often good sources of other nutrients too, including iron and zinc.
Try to have a source of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Breakfast protein could be yoghurt or eggs. At lunch and dinner, aim for protein to fill around one-quarter of your plate.
Good sources of protein
- Chicken, turkey and lean meat
- All kinds of fish
- Eggs
- Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese
- Beans, lentils and chickpeas
- Tofu and tempeh
- Nuts and seeds
Do you need a supplement?
If you eat a varied, balanced diet, you should get most of what you need from food. There are a few exceptions worth knowing about.
Vitamin D
Ireland’s latitude means that we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight during the winter months. For people aged 13 to 64, the HSE recommends taking a 15 microgram vitamin D supplement, equivalent to 600 IU, from Halloween, 31 October, to St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. Some people should take it all year round, including those with darker skin tone, reduced sun exposure or who are pregnant. Adults aged 65 and older should take 15 micrograms every day, all year round.
Iron
If you have heavy periods or you have been told that your iron is low, you may need a supplement. Do not start taking one without testing. Too much iron can be harmful, so ask your doctor for a blood test first.
Folic acid
All women who can get pregnant should take a 400 microgram folic acid supplement every day, even if they are not planning a pregnancy. If you are planning a pregnancy, start taking folic acid at least three months before conception and continue during pregnancy. It is very difficult to get this much folic acid from food alone, so the supplement is important.
Eating well, not perfectly
The goal is not perfection. It is balance. Focus on whole foods and balanced meals: fibre-rich carbohydrates, protein, plenty of vegetables, salad or fruit, and a healthy fat at most meals. Get this right most of the time and there is room for everything.
The reason “most of the time” matters is that, when less nutritious foods take up too much space across the week, they crowd out the foods your body actually needs. It is not because any single food is good or bad, but because there is only so much space in your day. Build the foundation around the foods that nourish you, and the rest fits in easily. Importantly, you should enjoy what you are eating. If your relationship with food brings any sense of guilt or restriction, that is a sign it needs softening, not tightening.