{"id":58005,"date":"2025-08-04T16:07:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/58005\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T16:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:07:13","slug":"study-says-a-vegan-diet-can-ease-menopause-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/58005\/","title":{"rendered":"Study Says A Vegan Diet Can Ease Menopause Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plant-based diets are often recommended by health experts<\/a> for reducing cancer and heart disease risks, helping maintain a healthy weight and improving overall health. And now, a new study<\/a> suggests that eating this way may also help reduce hot flashes for women during menopause. <\/p>\n

The research, published in May in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society, asked 84 women to eat a low-fat vegan diet with soybeans (including some highly processed plant-based foods) or their usual diets, which typically mixed plant and animal foods. While the study is small, after 12 weeks, the vegan eaters\u2019 severe hot flashes decreased by 92%, and they lost about 8 pounds. <\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re in perimenopause or menopause, does that mean you should go vegan? It likely couldn\u2019t hurt \u2014 but doctors say it\u2019s better to focus on eating more plant-based foods and not worrying so much about being completely vegan. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe know a plant-based diet has benefits for overall health,\u201d Dr. Susan Haas<\/a>, an OB-GYN and chief of the division of gynecology at Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health in Pennsylvania, told HuffPost. \u201cThis study shows that a plant-based diet might also help hot flashes, and that it\u2019s OK to get your plant-based foods as processed food found routinely at the grocery store.\u201d <\/p>\n

What\u2019s significant about this research? <\/p>\n

The latest Menopause research builds on a 2023 study<\/a>, published in the same journal, which also showed that plant-based diets reduced the severity and frequency of hot flashes. However, the new study conducted a secondary analysis to determine whether vegans experienced the same results when they consumed highly processed foods. <\/p>\n

This is significant, Dr. Katie Jo Light<\/a>, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine, told HuffPost, as it \u201cchallenges the assumption that plant-based diets must be \u2018clean\u2019 or minimally processed to be effective.\u201d <\/p>\n

Other research has linked ultra-processed foods to dozens of health problems<\/a>, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep problems and obesity. Consuming highly processed foods has also been associated with increased overall calories, decreased intake of fiber and other key nutrients, and possibly weight gain, Dr. Angela Wilson<\/a>, an OB-GYN at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in New York City, told HuffPost. <\/p>\n

However, the new study found that women lost weight while eating highly processed vegan foods, Wilson noted. Light said this could indicate that, overall, consuming more plants and less animal fats has a meaningful impact. <\/p>\n

\"While<\/p>\n

Pancake Pictures via Getty Images<\/p>\n

While the study is small, after 12 weeks, the vegan eaters\u2019 severe hot flashes decreased by 92%, and they lost about 8 pounds. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s empowering, especially for busy women who may not always have time to cook from scratch,\u201d Light said. \u201cHowever, I still recommend minimizing processed foods when and where able.\u201d <\/p>\n

The inclusion of soy is also worth noting, as it further refutes the myth<\/a> that soy isn\u2019t good for women, Elizabeth Ward<\/a>, a registered dietitian in Boston and author of \u201dThe Menopause Diet Plan<\/a>,\u201d told HuffPost. She said soy, including tofu, soy milk and edamame, is a \u201cwonderful food\u201d \u2014 it\u2019s high in plant-based protein and contains phytoestrogens (or plant chemicals that mimic estrogen\u2019s effects in the body), which have been shown to also potentially minimize hot flashes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is plant-based eating actually beneficial for menopausal women? <\/p>\n

Eating more plant-based foods is good for anyone at any age, Ward said. Fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains \u2014 the go-tos of a plant-based diet \u2014 are high in fiber, which she said helps keep you full. <\/p>\n

Plant-based diets are also typically lower in calories and fat, which can promote a healthy weight. \u201cWeight gain is a common menopause concern, and a plant-based diet has been shown to reduce body weight and has other metabolic benefits,\u201d Haas said. <\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t necessarily a one-size-fits-all diet for menopausal women, though, Light said. While a plant-based approach can help balance hormones, weight and menopausal symptoms, you don\u2019t necessarily have to give up all animal products, she added. <\/p>\n

Research<\/a> has also shown that the Mediterranean diet, which includes some fish, poultry and dairy<\/a> and lots of fruits and vegetables, is beneficial for women during menopause, as well as cardiovascular health and overall well-being, Wilson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it promotes heart health, I do think it would be beneficial for menopausal women to follow this diet, as well,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cAny diet plan rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein and low in carbohydrates and refined sugars would be ideal for menopausal women.\u201d <\/p>\n

Are there any downsides to plant-based diets? <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is possible to eat a balanced diet with only vegan foods, but it can be more challenging to get everything your body needs,\u201d Haas said. So, pay attention to your diet to make sure you\u2019re getting enough essential nutrients. <\/p>\n

For instance, vitamin B12 is more abundant in animal foods, so you may need to supplement this nutrient, she said. Calcium, zinc, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids may also be harder to get on a vegan diet.<\/p>\n

Getting enough protein is another issue, Wilson said. \u201cWith muscle mass declining in menopause, it is important to have enough protein and appropriate exercise to help maintain that muscle.\u201d <\/p>\n

Going vegan can also be too restrictive for some people and sometimes difficult to follow, Ward said. Fresh produce may not be accessible in some communities, Haas added; however, the new research suggests people may still benefit from processed plant-based foods.<\/p>\n

How to embrace a plant-based diet during menopause<\/p>\n

If you want to eat more plant-based, Wilson suggested doing so gradually.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can easily add more fruits and vegetables to each meal of your day,\u201d she said. \u201cThen you can gradually change meat protein to plant-based protein.\u201d <\/p>\n

For example, replacing dairy with oat or soy milk, swapping meat for beans one meal a day, and filling half your plate with veggies are small steps to take, Light said. Shortcuts, such as frozen vegetables, canned beans and ready-to-eat grains, can make it a little easier to stick to, she added.<\/p>\n

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If you need help, Light suggested consulting a registered dietitian who can personalize your diet plan and ensure you\u2019re getting all the nutrients you need. <\/p>\n

The bottom line, she said, is to keep it simple: \u201cYou don\u2019t have to overhaul your entire diet overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Plant-based diets are often recommended by health experts for reducing cancer and heart disease risks, helping maintain a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58006,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[97,24295,7431],"class_list":{"0":"post-58005","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-menopause","10":"tag-vegan"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}