Nutrition Score Focuses on Women's Health
Available Free To Female Users For The Month Of May
Here at Cronometer, we’re big supporters of the fact that women are not small men! Females require a unique set of macro and micronutrient targets in order to be their healthiest selves. So, in celebration of National Women’s Health Week, we’re giving all of our female users access to our women’s health Nutrition Score! Normally our Nutrition Scores are only available to our Gold Subscribers, but for the month of May, we are releasing this one score to all of our female users, free of charge.
What Is A Nutrition Score?
Our Nutrition Score feature bundles specific macro and micronutrients together and gives users a percentage value for how they are hitting their targets. We have Nutrition Scores for all targets, electrolytes, bone health, immune support, metabolism support, antioxidants, keto & more!
What Goes Into The Women's Health Nutrition Score?
Our women’s health Nutrition Score includes the nutrients that females are typically lacking such as iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D and fiber. The Nutrition Score will give you a percentage on how well you’re hitting your targets for these nutrients. In order to score 100%, you’ll need to reach your recommended daily intake of all of these nutrients. Going over the recommended daily intake will also affect your score.
Why Is This Important?
Calcium
Females are more susceptible than men to osteoporosis (3). Out of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, 80% of them are women, meaning their calcium intake should be top of mind. 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the bones and if one does not eat enough calcium-containing foods, the body will remove calcium from bones (4). Keep your bones in tip-top shape by keeping an eye on your calcium intake.
Iron
Women need significantly more iron than their male counterparts, mostly due to blood loss during menstruation. After menopause though, the recommended intake decreases from 18mg to 8mg per day. Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development and carries oxygen from your lungs to other parts of the body. Iron is also useful to make some hormones. Iron deficiency or anemia, is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide (6) so to counteract the odds, make sure you’re getting enough iron in your diet.
Magnesium
This mineral plays an important role in assisting enzymes to carry out various chemical reactions in the body such as building proteins and strong bones, and regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and muscle and nerve functions. Magnesium is also required for energy production (7). Women typically lack magnesium in their diets so keep your body thriving with adequate magnesium intake.
Vitamin D
Together with calcium, vitamin D helps protect you from developing osteoporosis. Vitamin D also is required for muscle function, immune and nerve function (8). We can make vitamin D in our skin through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D from foods and supplements is more important for those with dark skin, or little exposure to sunlight, such as those who live in cloudy or northern climates.
Fiber
A high fiber diet has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, constipation (1) and even breast cancer (2). Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check, hence why it’s touted to help with weight management and digestive health. Fiber needs for women decrease once you’re over the age of 50.
Where Can I Find This Nutrition Score?
If you’re a free user you won’t have to do anything to see this score as we’ll automatically provide you with it for the month of May. Make sure you’re on the latest version of the mobile app and swipe three times on the header bar on your diary screen. You’ll see the women’s health Nutrition Score automatically pop up under the all targets Nutrition Score. On the web app, it’ll show up in the Nutrient Targets section on your diary page beside the all targets Nutrition Score.
For Gold users, on the web application navigate to your More > Display Settings > Select the women’s health Nutrition Score as one of your eight choices. On the mobile app, go to settings, targets and then Nutrition Scores. Watch a video tutorial on YouTube.
An Additional Note On Gender Specific Nutrition Scores
First of all, we’d like to acknowledge the limitations of current practices in the medical and nutrition industries when it comes to inclusivity of trans and non-binary people. Currently, due to a lack of scientific research available to account for other options, Cronometer nutrient target calculations are sex-based, which forces you to choose a sex in order to accurately calculate settings within the app. We know that’s not ideal for some of our users, and as the research becomes available, we hope to better serve our community of transgender and non-binary individuals. Based off of the existing research, we have compiled a few nutrition considerations for the transgender population into a blog.
We understand that the release of these Nutrition Scores in your diary may be triggering for some individuals, and if this applies to you, we ask that you reach out to us. We will gladly offer a solution so you will no longer see these Nutrition Scores on your diary page.
In the months and years to come, all of us at Cronometer hope to improve how our app serves all members of our community.
Resources
2. Dietary fibre intake and risk of breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, National Library of Medicine. Link
3. What Women Need To Know, Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation. Link
4. The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Link
5. National Library of Medicine. Link
6. The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Link
7. National Institutes of Health. Link
8. National Institutes of Health. Link
