Best foods to tackle menopause symptoms - including hot flushes and weight gain

12 October 2023 , 10:37

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You can eat to help beat hot flushes brought on by the menopause (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

More and more people are speaking out about the menopause. While the subject was previously pretty taboo, women are now talking openly about their symptoms and how they are coping.

Typically, women experience menopause in their early 50s, although some women will be younger, and some older. And the symptoms can range from mild to severe, from mood swings and weight gain to night sweats, hot flushes and chills For some, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps to alleviate the symptoms. But some changes to your diet can also help.

When women hit their 40s and 50s, their bodies start to respond very differently to foods - even if they're eating the same sort of diet they have followed for years, leading to increased fat around the waist that women suddenly develop during perimenopause. And given that our metabolism and bodies change at this time of life, our nutrition needs to change, too.

Dr. Federica Amati is a nutritionist and research scientist with the Curia Health team and Zoe, the personalised nutrition company. Zoe is, in effect, running the world's largest nutrition-science study and The Zoe Menopause study of more than 25,000 women found that body weight (measured as BMI) had a significant impact on the likelihood of suffering with menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, dry skin, low libido and mood changes.

What's more, newly-analysed data provides evidence to show that diet can have an even greater impact than BMI. So what should we eat to feel as good as we possibly can? Writing in the Daily Mail, Dr Amati suggests focusing on including whole foods at every meal: leafy greens, fresh herbs, eggs, nuts, vegetables (cooked or raw), whole grains, beans (fresh, canned or dried and soaked), pulses, seeds, fresh whole fruit with the skin on, fish, meat and fermented dairy products such as kefir and natural yoghurt.

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We should also think about colour. "Brightly-coloured foods contain more plant chemicals such as polyphenols, which are nature's powerful antioxidants and help protect us against the negative impacts of stress. Berries, beetroot, dark leafy veg (again) cabbage, mushrooms, spices including turmeric, nuts and beans all contain plenty of polyphenols."

For a super quick meal, Dr. Amati suggests adding a portion of tinned fish to some rocket and chickpeas or beans and scattering on some mixed seeds. Finish your meal with a piece of fruit such as an apple or pear - and be mindful of sweet foods and milky chocolate. Instead stick to antioxidant-rich dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids).

Gemma Strong