Essential Foods for Thriving Through Peri-menopause & Beyond
The advice below is general advice, for any specific tailored advice relevant to any health conditions please talk to your health professional.
Peri-menopause is a fantastic opportunity to transform challenges into positives and embrace a new approach to your body and diet. As our bodies change during menopause, so should our approach to nutrition. Taking care of ourselves means tuning into how our bodies feel and discovering what truly nourishes us. By paying attention to the foods that make us feel good and listening to our body's hunger and fullness cues, we can thrive during this phase of life.
As oestrogen levels decline, our risk factors for disease may increase, but we have the power to counter this with positive lifestyle changes. Start by incorporating nourishing foods that support your health and wellbeing during peri-menopause and beyond. When we focus on the abundance of foods we can enjoy, we eliminate feelings of restriction and restraint, which can lead to a healthier relationship with food (1).
Our top three food groups to boost in your daily diet:
- Colourful Fruits and Vegetables: These vibrant foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre, and are low in calories. They support everything from cellular renewal and protection to enhancing mood and overall wellbeing.
- Protein: Protein is vital for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, growth, and immune function. As muscle mass naturally declines with age, starting in peri-menopause, our protein needs increase. Ensuring adequate dietary protein is key to healthy aging and maintaining strength.
- Low-Fat Dairy/Calcium-Rich Foods: Increasing dietary calcium during menopause and after is crucial for bone health. While low-fat dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, you can also find it in foods like chia seeds and fish with bones, such as salmon or sardines.
Read on for more detail on how to boost your diet with nourishing foods.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
What to Eat:
Choose a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables each week to ensure you get a wide range of nutrients. The daily recommendation is at least 5 servings of colourful vegetables and 2 servings of fruit (3). Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, peas, mushrooms, pumpkin, salad greens, and tomatoes are low in energy but nutrient dense. In contrast, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, kumara, yams, and corn contain more carbohydrates and energy, and are treated like wholegrains to fuel the body (3). Starchy vegetables are still nourishing so it’s important to include them in your diet too.
Why It's Important:
An apple a day really does keep the doctor away!
Studies show that individuals who consume more fruit and vegetables a day have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality (5).
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
- Vitamins: Required in small amounts to perform specific functions that support growth, reproduction, and maintenance of life. As we age, we experience low-grade inflammation and general wear and tear in our cells. Vitamins can protect our bodies from oxidative damage. The colour of vegetables indicates the vitamins content, for example, orange vegetables like carrots, capsicum, and pumpkin are high in Vitamin A.
- Minerals: Essential for life these non-organic compounds are required in varying amounts in the body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are high in the mineral potassium, which helps maintain cell integrity by balancing fluids in our bodies. Because of this eating more fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure (4).
- Fibre: Promotes bowel health by keeping us regular. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fibre, which also helps us feel full longer and supports better weight stability (1). A high-fibre diet supports gut health and is linked to improved mood and well-being through the gut-brain axis (5).
How to Get More Fruits and Vegetables in Your Day:
Variety is key. Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables ensures you access a variety of different nutrients. Fresh, frozen, and canned options are all good, especially in colder months when variety is limited, and costs increase.
Some ways to increase your daily intake include:
- Include a serving of fruit or vegetables with every meal and snack. For example, add fruit to your morning porridge, have an apple with your cheese and crackers, add extra salad vegetables to your lunch, and include another serving of vegetables with your evening meal.
- Incorporate colourful vegetables into dishes like soups, curries, and pastas. For example, add grated carrot, courgette, and onion to a bolognaise sauce.
- Include a side of colourful roasted vegetables with main meals. Toss seasonal vegetables with olive oil, black pepper and herbs, and roast in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes.
- Order a fruit and vegetable box to increase variety and convenience. We recommend Wonky Box or Misfit Garden.
Up your Protein Levels
What to Eat:
Incorporate a variety of high-quality, minimally processed plant and animal-based proteins into your diet. Excellent sources include beans and legumes, fish and seafood, poultry, lean red meat, and eggs. Aim for around 100 grams of protein per day (1).
Why It's Important:
- Counters Muscle Loss: Adequate dietary protein helps combat muscle loss due to aging and menopause.
- Supports Growth and Repair: Protein is essential for the body's growth, repair, and immune response.
- Increases Satiety: Protein helps you feel fuller for longer.
How to Increase Your Daily Protein Levels
Unlike carbohydrates and fats, protein needs to be consumed regularly throughout the day.
- Spread Your Protein Intake: Include a protein source with every meal and snack.
- Stack Your Protein Sources: Combine multiple protein sources and add your daily Everee to smoothies or porridge.
- Add in Resistance Training: Combining resistance training with adequate protein supports muscle synthesis (7).
Boost your Intake of Low-Fat Dairy and Calcium-Rich Foods
At 51 years the daily recommendation changes from 2.5 to 4 serves of low-fat dairy and calcium-rich foods (3).
What to Eat:
Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese are reliable sources of calcium, protein, carbohydrate, and Vitamin D (3). Unsweetened low-fat versions are better for heart health.
Why it’s important:
- Bone Health: Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones.
- Heart Function: Calcium supports heart, muscle and nerve function.
Where to start:
No matter where you are on your menopause or health journey, it’s never too early or late to make positive lifestyle changes.
Kotahi karihi nana ko te wao tapu nui a Tāne.
The creation of the forests of Tāne comes from one kernel.
This Whakataukī reminds us that small changes can be powerful. Starting small leads to growth. Small actions add up over time.
References
- Whitney et al. (2019). Understanding Nutrition.
- Bhandari et al. (2023). Long-Term Consumption of Food Groups and Cardiovascular Mortality.
- Ministry of Health. (2020). Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults.
- Conlin PR. (1999). DASH trial.
- Aune et al. (2017). Fruit and vegetable intake and disease risk.
- Churchward-Venne et al. (2012). Protein synthesis and resistance training.
