What foods help ease hot flashes in menopause?

Hot flashes are a very common menopause symptom, and research suggests that eating certain foods and avoiding others may help. 

Menopause is the point in a woman’s life when she hasn’t had a period for 12 months due to certain hormonal changes. The time leading up to it is called perimenopause and generally lasts for several years.

The levels of hormones in the body fluctuate throughout this time, which is why hot flashes are so common during perimenopause and even beyond menopause. 

At ZOE, we run the largest nutrition study of its kind in the world, with over 10,000 contributors to date. In our research, we have seen many differences between women before and after menopause, including worse sleep.

Take a free quiz to find out more about how the ZOE program can help you eat the best foods for your body before, during, and after menopause.

Read on to learn how improving your diet might help relieve menopause symptoms. We'll also cover some research into specific foods and how they might help. 

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What changes in the body during menopause?

During perimenopause, women experience fluctuations in levels of the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone. You may notice changes in your menstrual cycle or the intensity of your periods.

After menopause, when you haven’t had a period for 12 months, estrogen settles at a lower level and your body stops producing progesterone completely. 

During this process, you may experience a range of symptoms, including:

• menstrual changes

• sleep disturbances

• mood changes

• bladder control issues

• vaginal dryness

• hot flashes

• weight gain

• problems with memory

Hot flashes and “night sweats” are the most common symptoms of perimenopause, and almost 80% of women experience them.

During a hot flash, you may feel a sudden warmth or heat spreading around your neck, face, or upper body. This can be accompanied by a flushed appearance, sweating, and often anxiety.

Experts don't know exactly what causes or triggers hot flashes, but they suspect that changing hormone levels affect the hypothalamus, which is the part of your brain that regulates body temperature. 

Foods and diet changes that could ease hot flashes

Here's some good news: There’s evidence that making changes to what you eat can help reduce menopausal symptoms. 

As we’ll see below, scientists have looked at different aspects of this, but it can be broadly summed up in one short sentence: Eat more plants.

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that mimic some of the functions of estrogen. They may help to counter the reduced hormone levels that accompany menopause. 

There are two main types of phytoestrogens — isoflavones and lignans.

Soybeans are particularly rich in isoflavones and lignans. Flaxseeds and sesame have high levels of lignans.

Other plants that contain lignans include: 

• nuts and seeds: cashews

• whole grains: rye, oats, wheat, spelt, buckwheat 

• fruits: apricot, pears, grapes, kiwi 

• vegetables: bell pepper, green beans, carrots, zucchini 

A review of 10 studies concluded that women who took phytoestrogen supplements experienced hot flashes much less often than those who didn’t. The amount of phytoestrogen that the women in these studies took varied from 36 mg to 100 mg per day. 

In comparison, 3 ounces of soft tofu contains 20 mg of isoflavones, and 3 ounces of natto has 70 mg. 

However, not all studies have shown a strong effect, so scientists are still investigating. But because foods that contain isoflavones are all healthy options, there's no harm in giving them a try.

A plant-based diet

A small study examining the effects of a low-fat, plant-based diet showed that eating more plants may help with hot flashes.

The participants were all women who experienced hot flashes at least twice a day and had gone through menopause. 

One group switched to a plant-based diet — including half a cup per day of cooked soybeans — while the other group stuck to their normal diets.

After 12 weeks, those in the plant-based group experienced significantly fewer hot flashes than those in the control group, with most also reporting less severe symptoms.

It's important to note that this was a small study, so we need to be careful not to over-interpret the results. At the same time, we know that a plant-based diet is good for your health, so upping your plant intake is a great idea whether it reduces hot flashes or not.

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is an eating pattern that is high in vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes (like lentils and chickpeas), and healthy oils like olive oil. 

One large-scale study looked at the eating habits of 6,040 women. 

It identified six different patterns of eating and found that women who ate a Mediterranean diet or consumed lots of fruit were significantly less likely to report hot flashes and night sweats than those on the other diets.

Foods to avoid

Just as eating more of certain foods may help with your hot flashes, so could limiting the amounts of some other foods and drinks you consume. 

Coffee

The caffeine in coffee and tea narrows your blood vessels and raises blood pressure, which may be involved in triggering hot flashes. 

One large-scale study showed that consuming more caffeine was linked to experiencing more hot flashes. So, cutting down on coffee could help with your symptoms.

Everyone responds differently to caffeine, so it might be worth reducing your intake to see if it helps.

Foods high in fat and sugar

The same study that showed the Mediterranean diet can help with hot flashes also found that a diet high in fat and processed sugar can do the opposite. 

So, if you experience hot flashes, try to limit the amount of sweets and cakes you eat. With ZOE, no food is off the table, but eating these foods just once in a while might help. 

Our research has found that the way women’s bodies respond to food changes. You're more likely to experience high blood sugar after meals, which can lead to weight gain during menopause and a higher risk of chronic health conditions. 

Spicy foods

There’s some research to indicate that spicy foods can make hot flashes worse or happen more often. But research into this is limited.

If you regularly eat hot food and have hot flashes, try milder spices to see if that helps with your symptoms. 

Summary

Menopause and the lead up to it can come with uncomfortable symptoms for women. But there’s good evidence that changing to your diet might help. 

Experiment with plants that are rich in phytoestrogens — like soybeans, flaxseeds, whole grains, and legumes — or follow the Mediterranean diet, which is also rich in plants and healthy oils.

Limiting foods high in processed sugar and fat can help, too. And you can also try cutting down on spicy foods and caffeine, and focus on staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water. 

Although these broad changes to your diet may help with your hot flashes, at ZOE, we know that nutrition is highly personal. 

The ZOE at-home test analyzes your body’s responses to food and the bacteria in your gut to find the best foods for you at your current life stage. 

Take our free quiz to find out more.