“Eat your greens!” might have sounded like nagging once, but turns out Mom was onto something far bigger! Greens are good for health, and the latest research suggests that they could even help women navigate smoothly through menopause.
A new analysis published in the journal Menopause suggests that sticking to a certain diet can help with post-menopausal symptoms in women.
Postmenopausal symptoms and diet
Hot flashes are among the most frequent complaints of women during the menopausal transition. This sudden burst of heat felt in the upper body, often accompanied by sweating and increased heart rate, appears even after menopause. The new analysis found that a vegan diet can significantly reduce severe hot flashes and aid in weight loss for postmenopausal women.
Why vegan is bigger and better
Previous research has shown that a low-fat vegan diet, specifically one supplemented with soybeans, can reduce body weight and hot flashes. Studies have also shown that diets dense in ultraprocessed foods can lead to increased calorie intake and weight gain compared to those with unprocessed or minimally processed foods. The reason is the higher energy density, meaning they are more calorie-rich for their size. Ultraprocessed foods are also often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, while being low in fiber and other essential nutrients.
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However, this new secondary date analysis showed that vegans have added benefits, as this diet not only relieves the postmenopausal symptoms, but also shows the same great results even if highly processed plant-based foods are consumed.
The study
A group of researchers reanalyzed existing data to see if the type of food, animal-based or plant-based, influenced how processed food intake affected body weight and hot flashes. The participants of the study were randomly placed on either a low-fat vegan diet with soy or a regular diet including animal products. Both groups started with similar hot flash symptoms.
After 12 weeks, the vegan group saw a 92% drop in severe hot flashes, while the control group saw little change. The vegan group also lost an average of 3.6 kg, compared to just 0.2 kg in the control group. The researchers found that whether the food was highly or minimally processed didn’t matter as much as whether it was plant or animal-based. The study suggests that plant-based foods may help reduce weight and hot flash severity more effectively, even if processed!
What are the experts saying
“This study highlights the potential positive effects of a plant-based diet rich in soy (regardless of the level of processing) in terms of both hot flash and weight management. Given these and the other known benefits in terms of lowering heart disease and cancer risk, women in midlife should consider leaning into a plant-based diet,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a release.
A new analysis published in the journal Menopause suggests that sticking to a certain diet can help with post-menopausal symptoms in women.
Postmenopausal symptoms and diet
Hot flashes are among the most frequent complaints of women during the menopausal transition. This sudden burst of heat felt in the upper body, often accompanied by sweating and increased heart rate, appears even after menopause. The new analysis found that a vegan diet can significantly reduce severe hot flashes and aid in weight loss for postmenopausal women.
Why vegan is bigger and better
Previous research has shown that a low-fat vegan diet, specifically one supplemented with soybeans, can reduce body weight and hot flashes. Studies have also shown that diets dense in ultraprocessed foods can lead to increased calorie intake and weight gain compared to those with unprocessed or minimally processed foods. The reason is the higher energy density, meaning they are more calorie-rich for their size. Ultraprocessed foods are also often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, while being low in fiber and other essential nutrients.
Video
However, this new secondary date analysis showed that vegans have added benefits, as this diet not only relieves the postmenopausal symptoms, but also shows the same great results even if highly processed plant-based foods are consumed.
The study
A group of researchers reanalyzed existing data to see if the type of food, animal-based or plant-based, influenced how processed food intake affected body weight and hot flashes. The participants of the study were randomly placed on either a low-fat vegan diet with soy or a regular diet including animal products. Both groups started with similar hot flash symptoms.
After 12 weeks, the vegan group saw a 92% drop in severe hot flashes, while the control group saw little change. The vegan group also lost an average of 3.6 kg, compared to just 0.2 kg in the control group. The researchers found that whether the food was highly or minimally processed didn’t matter as much as whether it was plant or animal-based. The study suggests that plant-based foods may help reduce weight and hot flash severity more effectively, even if processed!
What are the experts saying
“This study highlights the potential positive effects of a plant-based diet rich in soy (regardless of the level of processing) in terms of both hot flash and weight management. Given these and the other known benefits in terms of lowering heart disease and cancer risk, women in midlife should consider leaning into a plant-based diet,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a release.
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