Nutrition

An apple a day. Nine servings of fruits and vegetables. Three servings of whole grains . . . Everywhere you turn, it seems as though there is a new recommendation for what people should or should not eat. What is the real story? We asked Christine Gerbstadt, MD, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, what essential nutritional elements women require during different stages in life. Are you getting what you need?

In Your 20s
“The twenties is your last chance to really build your calcium stores,” Gerbstadt says. “Because by age thirty, both men and women are at a negative calcium balance.”

Gerbstadt recommends women get at least three servings of calcium per day, which can come from skim milk, low-fat cheese, fat-free yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, and even green veggies, such as broccoli and spinach.