Answer to Question 1
Men and women do not need to eat different foods, but their nutritional needs are different: Because most men are bigger and taller than most women, they consume more calories. On average, a moderately active 125-pound woman needs 2,000 calories a day; a 175-pound man with a similar exercise pattern needs 2,800 calories.
Here are some gender-specific strategies for better nutrition:
Men should cut back on fat and meat.
Women should increase their iron intake by eating meat (iron from animal sources is absorbed better than that from vegetable sources) or a combination of meat and vegetable iron sources together. According to the USDA, most women consume only 60 percent of a recommended 18 milligrams of iron per day. (The recommendation for men is 8 milligrams.)
Women should consume more calcium-rich foods, including low-fat and nonfat dairy products, leafy greens, and tofu.
Women who could become pregnant should take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Answer to Question 2
a