Men and Women Have Different Nutritional Needs

In an article appearing in the September issue of the Harvard Men's Health Watch publication, medical experts warn that nutritional needs differ between sexes. Of course, the differences are not that huge, but there are still distinctions between what a woman and a man should eat in order to have an optimal diet.

Referring to the fats intake, authors of the report point out the fact that monounsaturated fats are good for both men and women. On the other hand, even if omega 3 fatty acids have the same beneficial effects on the health of males and females, a vegetable based omega-3 fatty acid found in canola and flaxseed may not be as recommended for men as it is for women. The omega-3 is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and is suspected to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. Therefore, even the ALA is good for men having heart impairments, medical experts state that the others should consume omega-3 from fish and the monounsaturated fats from olive oil.

Moderate intake of alcohol is healthy, as it cuts on the risk of heart attacks and some stroke types. On the other hand, heavy alcohol drinking brings about a wide range of severe conditions and both males and females should stick to just one glass of alcohol per day. However, scientists showed that occasional alcohol drinking may increase the risk of breast cancer in women who are in their middle age.

Even if calcium is a nutritive mineral who helps us preserve the health of our bones and teeth, Harvard medical experts say that a calcium based diet is not that beneficial for men as it is for women. If women who consume foods rich in calcium lower their chances of suffering from osteoporosis, a diet rich in calcium may bring about prostate cancer in men. The solution given by the authors of the report is to have a moderate consumption of calcium supplements or of aliments rich in this particular nutritive mineral.

Iron, another extremely important mineral for our health, is said to work differently on men and women. Scientists argue that men do not need so much iron amounts as women and they should avoid consuming too large amounts of iron. Excessive iron intake by men was shown to cause harmful deposits in various organs when in the presence of an abnormal gene.