It’s no secret that a woman’s nutritional needs change through her life stages. The way you will and can eat as a teenager will differ vastly from what your body needs (and can metabolise) in later years.

“A woman’s hormonal status is not static,” affirms Stephanie Rouillard, a registered dietician with a special interest in women’s health. “A woman’s hormones will fluctuate from season to season and there are multiple seasons that we anticipate. The body responds dynamically to our environment – and nutrition is a very important environmental factor. There is no single ‘women’s diet’. The foods that matter will genuinely shift from one decade to the next.”

Dr Fumi Kokoali is a medical doctor who practises at The Women’s Health Practice in Claremont, Cape Town. With an additional qualification in menopausal health care, she has a particular focus on women’s health.

She is of like mind and says: “Throughout a woman’s lifespan, there will be periods where hormones play a massive role in not only how she eats but what she chooses to eat.”

Dr Kokoali, being what she calls a “generalist” who takes a broad view of women’s health, shared two broad nutritional guidelines:

• The first is to beware of too many simple carbs (such as white bread, pastries and refined pasta) on the plate. “As a society, we have ended up making carbs the basis of our nutrition, but carbs turn into sugar in the body, and this leads to more sugar cravings.”
• Her second guideline is to make sure you consume enough lean protein. Protein plays such a big role in longevity, she says. “In the short term, it keeps you full for longer and it keeps your sugar levels quite stable. In the long term, it helps you build muscle and since women start to lose muscle mass in midlife, this is crucial. Protein helps build muscle mass – and good strong muscles mean good strong bones.

Venison steak salad recipe

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Rouillard, with her specific nutritional focus, says that while there will be foods that are very useful for a woman at a certain stage of her life, there are also plenty of foods that are nutritional powerhouses through every stage.

She highlights five all-stars below:

1. Flax seeds and chia seeds:

“They kill multiple birds with one stone,” she explains. They’re loaded with plant-based omega 3s and contain a great amount of fibre, which is important for gut health. “We know that for women, from perimenopause onwards, gut diversity starts to reduce. They also interact with a group of bacteria in the gut which affect your oestrogen levels.”

Chia seed pudding recipe

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2. Fatty fish

Fatty fish (such as salmon and sardines) are essential for women across the board. “They guard against cardiovascular disease and inflammation, they’re good for the thyroid, and they play a role in fetal brain development during pregnancy.”

Whole-roasted salmon recipe

3. Legumes

Next up are the Legumes. Nutrition-wise, these are really powerful tools for women. They're high in plant-based protein, in iron and folate- and the latter is very important in pregnancy.

Lentil salad with grilled brinjal recipe

4. Cruciferous veg 

Cruciferous veg are essential for a woman's nutritional health- these include broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Not only are they rich in folate and vitamin C, but they contain compounds that may be beneficial for oestrogen metabolism, says Rouillard.

Roasted broccoli side with herbed yoghurt recipe

5. Dairy

Finally, a woman needs a good intake of dairy products (for example, yoghurt including Greek yoghurt and dairy like maas, milk and cottage cheese) for the calcium and protein they contain both of which are very important for maintaining good bone density. A very valuable player in this category is also fermented dairy (such as kefir), which has the added benefit of being a great source of probiotics, which are key for gut health.

Parmesan cauli cheese recipe

Then there are certain foods that Rouillard recommends for certain periods of a woman’s life.

1. Reproductive phase

As you enter the reproductive phase (from puberty onwards), foods rich in zinc and magnesium (like pumpkin seeds, nuts and legumes) are goof for supporting hormonal balance. Get those seeds in with this soup recipe

2. Pregnancy

During pregnancy, eggs are very beneficial. They're loaded with vitamins and iron, and the yolk in particular contains choline, which is essential for fetal brain development. The perfect eggy breakfast

Tomato-poached eggs with roast red pepper pesto recipe

3. Postpartum era

In the postpartum era, Rouillard says that women may struggle with thyroid problems. For this reason, she recommends the intake of Brazil nuts – they’re a fantastic source of selenium, which is key for thyroid support.

4. Perimenopausal era

When the perimenopausal era dawns, we start to see fluctuation in hormones and changes in the immune system. “We also see a higher occurrence of inflammation, so it’s good to take an anti-inflammatory approach by adding antioxidant-rich foods like berries (strawberries, for example), other brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds to the diet.” (This barley porridge with roasted strawberries is just the thing)

5. Menopausal era

Finally, for the menopausal era and onwards ,cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil may be a powerful ally. It reduces inflammation, may support bone health and guards your cardiovascular health.

Although most of the five foods above are good for specific eras in a woman’s life, they’re also beneficial throughout. So, it’s a great idea to start incorporating all these foods into your diet as early as possible. Remember, says Rouillard: What you do in your former years is going to carry through to your later years.

Stephanie Rouillard is a registered dietician. Contact her at Stephanie Rouillard

Dr Fumi Kokoali is a medical doctor with a broad focus on women’s health, contact her at womenshealthpractice.co.za