Here’s What You Should Be Eating During Menopause

“What you need, nutritionally, during menopause isn’t all that different from what you needed at 20,” says Jenn Salib Huber, a registered dietitian from Atlantic Canada who is currently based in the Netherlands. “You need protein, fibre and fat. Those things don’t change.” But they can be fine-tuned.

There’s a lot of internet chatter about protein right now—and there is something to it for women in midlife. “When we look at the research, we do need a little bit more protein as we get older because our bodies can’t use it as efficiently,” she says. “It can protect against the loss of lean muscle tissue. And when you lose muscle tissue, you can’t lift things, you can’t move your body as easily.” (The recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight, but research shows that somewhere between 1 g and 1.2 g per kilogram is advantageous for older adults. In general, Salib Huber notes that aiming for 20 to 30 grams per meal will get you there.)

Increasing your fibre intake is another safe bet. “You just can't go wrong by including more of it,” she says. It’s recommended that women eat at least 25 grams of fibre per day; fibre consumption is associated with—among many other things—reduced levels of bad cholesterol (which can increase during the menopausal transition).

Finally, Salib Huber recommends that menopausal women consume more soy, flaxseed and legumes, which are high in both protein and fibre. “They are powerhouses of menopausal nutrition,” she says. “You can’t go wrong with including more of them, regardless of what your menopause nutrition goals are.”

Read more about menopause wellness.