Eating the rainbow

The most important foundation to any dietary pattern is that the diet should be based on a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. Each colour of the rainbow offers different, potent, medicinal benefits. Try to eat something from most of the colours most days to ensure you are getting a wide range of phytonutrients and health benefits. This is the basis of any anti-inflammatory style diet. 

• Blue/Purple: Anthocyanins, which can delay cellular ageing and protect cognitive function and memory; from dark berries, aubergine, purple broccoli and Brussels sprouts, red cabbage 
• Red: Lycopene, which is a carotenoid that may protect against heart disease and cancer; from tomato, strawberry, cherries, beets, red onion 
• Yellow/Orange: Lutein, Cryptothanxin, zeaxanthin, carotenoids that protect the eye’s macula and support ovarian function; found in carrots, yellow summer squash, sweet potato, oranges, mango, winter squash 
• Green: Sulforaphane and indoles, which support detoxification processes, hormone metabolism, and cancer prevention; found in dark leafy greens, green herbs, cruciferous veggies (kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), and green tea 
• White: Allicin, a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour compound. Found in onion, garlic, leek, parsnip

Balancing macros

While this can be a diet pattern in itself, “macros”, or “macronutrients”, simply refer to the three macronutrient groups that all foods contain – fat, protein, and carbohydrate.   

All macronutrients are important for the body’s function, and any diet that instructs someone to cut out an entire macronutrient group is not going to be healthy or sustainable in the long term. Generally, I advise that about 50% of calories should come from carbohydrate, with the majority being from vegetables and fruits as well as minimally processed grains. 30% of calories should be from fats, and 20% from proteins.  Choosing healthy sources is key in developing a diet that supports health through the menopause transition. Make sure that protein is from quality sources – minimally processed plant protein, such as tempeh, beans and legumes, or sustainable animal products such as grass-fed beef, game meats, organic/pastured poultry, omega-3 enriched eggs, and sustainable, low-mercury seafood. Most women do not eat enough healthy fats during the menopause transition and beyond, and fat is key for healthy satiety, metabolism, nerve and brain health, and cognition. Omega-3 fatty acids should be emphasised, like olive oil, fatty fish, and nuts; and saturated fat should come from sources like avocado, coconut, and high-quality dairy, with complete avoidance of trans fatty acids.

Low glycaemic diets

Another key element of healthy eating during (peri)menopause is a low glycaemic index diet. The glycaemic index of a food is a measure of how high the blood sugar increases after eating the food, and consequently how much insulin it requires to normalise the blood sugar. Since blood sugar and insulin going up triggers inflammation (not to mention worsening mood shifts!), it is paramount to keep a steady blood sugar through a low glycaemic index diet. Avoiding highly processed foods, simple carbohydrates, and added sugars is important, as well as making sure that protein and fat are consumed at each meal, which lowers the overall glycaemic load. Taking care to choose minimally processed grains, plant-based protein sources like beans and legumes, and eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens will naturally steer the diet towards a low-glycaemic, anti-inflammatory style of eating that will support hormonal balance and overall health.

Time-restricted eating

The final important consideration of nutrition during (peri)menopause is considering when to eat. One of the most important elements of weight management during (peri)menopause is having an adequate amount of time for the body to fast and rest overnight.  

Generally, practicing time-restricted eating for at least 12 hours overnight is a healthy practice, say, 8 pm to 8 am. This actually serves as a healing, anti-inflammatory time for the body, and helps with long-term blood sugar maintenance and to optimise healthy utilisation of fat stores. While some protocols have longer periods of fasting, even up to a few days, I think that this style of eating generally suits most people well, and is particularly helpful for managing the abdominal weight gain that many women notice during (peri)menopause.