Food and women’s health

Women’s bodies undergo complex hormonal changes throughout life, from menstruation and pregnancy to menopause and beyond. These shifts increase the need for specific nutrients that support reproductive, cardiovascular, and cognitive health.

Unfortunately, many diets today fall short in providing the essential fatty acids, proteins, and minerals women need to function at their best. This is where seafood comes in. Seafood in its varieties, is packed with omega-3s, high-quality protein, iodine, selenium, and vitamin D.

Women’s health matters. Women oftentimes fall into the role of caretaker to those around them. They tend to ensure everyone else’s needs are met and can often neglect to care for themselves.

Good nutrition is incredibly important to feeling your best self. One way to step up towards wellness and improve your overall health is by simply increasing the amount of seafood you eat weekly. It’s that easy because seafood offers comprehensive support for women’s unique physiological needs.

Seafood offers a variety of self-care:

Seafood fights inflammation: Seafood is not only delicious, it’s important for women’s health.  Seafood is an excellent dietary source of EPA & DHA, which are important omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies need. These omega-3s help to reduce inflammation and promote overall health. Inflammation is the leading cause of chronic diseases, such as stroke, heart attacks, high blood pressure and diabetes. It also helps to improve athletic performance and recovery, joint health, and arthritic symptoms. Fish and shellfish are also rich in nutrients such as zinc, iron and selenium, and high in protein.

Seafood is mood boosting: Seafood can make you happier and healthier. Along with reducing inflammation, eating seafood is also linked to boosting our mood. Fish is like a multivitamin for your brain — it is more than just an excellent source of lean protein and essential omega-3s, it provides other vitamins and minerals important for mental health. The nutrients that tend to be low in people who are depressed – vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc – are found in fish. And, this is important for women’s health as women are twice as likely to face anxiety and depression than men. People who regularly eat fish are 20% less likely than their peers to have depression.

Radiant skin with seafood: All want soft, radiant skin and many spend money each year buying expensive creams and lotions to delay the natural aging process. But by including seafood in your diet, you will help your skin look and feel younger. The omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood, particularly EPA, may help promote the skin’s oil production, as well as skin hydration. Fish also contain a large supply of amino acids that act as building blocks for our existing collagen levels. Choose to promote your skin health from the inside out by choosing seafood.

There are so many more reasons to eat seafood beyond reducing inflammation, mood boosting, and skin health and it is important throughout the lifespan with benefits ranging from fertility to healthy aging.  Check out this graphic from Alaska Seafood for more benefits!

Seafood offers women crucial omega-3s for heart/brain health, essential vitamins (D, B12) for immunity/bones, minerals (iron, zinc, iodine) for thyroid/energy, plus protein for muscles, improving mood, skin, vision, and reducing risks for depression, postpartum depression, and age-related decline, especially during pregnancy and aging. Low-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, and trout are ideal choices, while pregnant women should avoid raw fish and limit high-mercury options.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA) is vital for heart health (lowers blood pressure), brain function, vision, and potentially reducing risks of depression, Alzheimer’s and arthritis.

Omega-3s for heart health and hormonal balance, particularly EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids are essential for hormone regulation, inflammation reduction, and heart health support. Oily fish like mackerel, salmon, trout, and sardines are the main source of these fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially helpful for women in controlling menstrual pain, lowering the risk of endometriosis, and preventing heart disease, which is one of the main causes of death after menopause.

For cardiovascular protection, the American Heart Association also suggests consuming at least two servings of fatty fish each week. See our blog post on the Advantages and disadvantages of eating fish for a more thorough look at the nutritional profile of seafood.

It has high-quality protein which is essential for muscle, organ, blood vessel health, cell division, hair growth, and hormone signaling and Vitamin D which is crucial for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function that few foods naturally contain it.

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