Caffeine
Under four cups of coffee a day
Can trigger flushes and keep you awake. Try stopping by midday, or switch to decaf or herbal teas.
Interactive nutrition guide
What to eat through menopause.
Falling oestrogen affects your bones, heart, sleep, mood and muscle. Food cannot replace treatment such as HRT, but what you eat can help with all five. Explore the plate, pick the symptoms you are dealing with, then build a day of food and see how it adds up.
- 700 mg calcium a day
- 10 µg vitamin D a day
- 30 g fibre a day
- Oily fish once a week
The basics
The menopause plate.
Most meals should follow the same simple balance: half fruit and vegetables, a quarter wholegrains and a quarter protein, with calcium-rich foods and a little healthy fat on the side.
A Mediterranean style of eating, with plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, fish, pulses, nuts and olive oil, is a good model. There is some evidence it may ease hot flushes too.
After menopause, a few things matter more than before. You need more calcium and vitamin D to protect your bones, more protein to hold on to muscle, and more fibre and omega-3 for your heart.
Half your plate: fruit and vegetables
Aim for at least five portions a day, in lots of colours. Dark leafy greens such as kale, pak choi and spring greens add calcium and vitamin K for your bones.
A quarter: wholegrains and starchy foods
Oats, wholemeal bread, brown rice and potatoes with their skins. The fibre steadies blood sugar, which helps with energy dips and brain fog.
A quarter: protein
Fish, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu or lean meat. Include some at every meal to protect muscle, and eat oily fish at least once a week. Soya and pulses also provide plant oestrogens.
On the side: calcium-rich dairy or alternatives
Two or three servings a day, such as milk, yoghurt, cheese or a calcium-fortified plant drink, gets you most of the way to 700 mg.
A small amount: healthy fats
A handful of nuts or seeds, and olive or rapeseed oil in place of butter. These are good for your heart, and walnuts and flaxseed add omega-3.
Tap any part of the plate.
Step 1 Show me the foods
What is bothering you most?
Choose one or more. You will see tips for each, and the foods below re-sort so the most useful ones come first.
Hot flushes and sweats
- Soya foods such as tofu, edamame and soya drink contain plant oestrogens. Studies are mixed, but some women find flushes ease after two to three months of eating them most days.
- Notice whether caffeine, alcohol, spicy food or very hot drinks set you off. Decaf or herbal teas are easy swaps.
- Flushes tend to be more frequent and severe in women carrying extra weight, so a healthy weight can help.
Bone health
- Aim for 700 mg of calcium, spread across the day. Your body absorbs it better in smaller amounts.
- Take a vitamin D supplement, because you need it to absorb calcium.
- Eat protein at every meal and do weight-bearing exercise.
Heart health
- Eat oily fish at least once a week for omega-3.
- Oats, beans and lentils contain soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol.
- Keep salt under 6 g a day, and choose olive or rapeseed oil over butter.
Sleep
- Stop caffeine by midday. It can stay in your system for six hours or more.
- Alcohol helps you drop off but breaks up sleep later in the night.
- Nuts, seeds and wholegrains provide magnesium. A light snack with some carbohydrate and protein before bed can help.
Mood and brain fog
- Wholegrains and protein at each meal keep blood sugar, and energy, steadier.
- Omega-3 from oily fish and walnuts supports brain health.
- Eggs, greens and wholegrains supply B vitamins.
Weight and muscle
- Muscle loss speeds up after menopause. Aim for about 1 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
- Spread protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner instead of one big meal.
- Pair it with strength exercise, such as weights, resistance bands or yoga, on two or more days a week.
Aching joints
- Omega-3 from oily fish may ease joint stiffness.
- Brightly coloured fruit and veg add antioxidants.
- Keeping a steady weight reduces the load on knees and hips.
Gut and bloating
- Build up fibre slowly towards 30 g, and drink more water as you do.
- Live yoghurt and kefir add helpful bacteria.
- Keep a food diary if particular foods make bloating worse.
Step 2
Build a day of food.
Add foods to your day and watch the totals for the nutrients that matter most after menopause. Figures are typical UK values per portion and are approximate.
-
Semi-skimmed milk
200 ml glassOne glass gives about a third of your daily calcium.
- Calcium
- 240 mg
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
-
Natural or Greek yoghurt
150 g potChoose live yoghurt for gut-friendly bacteria.
- Calcium
- 200 mg
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
-
Cheddar
30 g, matchbox sizeA lot of calcium in a small piece. It is salty, so keep portions small.
- Calcium
- 220 mg
- Protein
- 7.5 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
-
Fortified soya drink
200 ml glassCheck the label for added calcium. Organic versions often have none.
- Calcium
- 240 mg
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0.5 g
- Vit D
- 1.5 µg
-
Calcium-set tofu
100 gLook for calcium sulphate on the label. Soya and calcium in one food.
- Calcium
- 350 mg
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
-
Edamame beans
80 gYoung soya beans. An easy snack straight from the freezer.
- Calcium
- 50 mg
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
-
Tinned sardines, with bones
Half a tin, 60 gThe soft edible bones provide calcium. Also oily fish, with vitamin D.
- Calcium
- 300 mg
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Vit D
- 3 µg
-
Salmon fillet
120 gCounts as your oily fish for the week and is one of the best food sources of vitamin D.
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Protein
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Vit D
- 7 µg
-
Mackerel
100 g filletRich in omega-3. Smoked mackerel is salty, so balance the rest of the day.
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Protein
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Vit D
- 8 µg
-
Eggs
2 mediumQuick protein, with vitamin D and B12 in the yolk.
- Calcium
- 55 mg
- Protein
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Vit D
- 3.2 µg
-
Chicken breast
120 gLean protein to help keep muscle.
- Calcium
- 10 mg
- Protein
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
-
Lentils, cooked
120 gProtein, fibre and plant oestrogens. Cheap to bulk up any sauce.
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 4.5 g
-
Chickpeas
Half a tin, 120 gUse in hummus, curries or roasted as a snack.
- Calcium
- 50 mg
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
-
Porridge oats
40 gBeta-glucan fibre helps lower cholesterol. Slow energy that lasts.
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Protein
- 4.5 g
- Fibre
- 3.6 g
-
Wholemeal bread
2 slicesSteadier blood sugar than white bread, and more fibre.
- Calcium
- 80 mg
- Protein
- 7.5 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
-
Kale or spring greens
80 g, cookedCalcium your body absorbs well, plus vitamin K for bones. The calcium in spinach is mostly blocked.
- Calcium
- 100 mg
- Protein
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2.5 g
-
Broccoli
80 gOne of your 5 a day, with vitamins C and K.
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Protein
- 2.5 g
- Fibre
- 2.5 g
-
Berries
80 g handfulFrozen berries are just as good and cheaper.
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Protein
- 0.7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
-
Kiwi fruit
2 fruitSmall studies link two kiwis before bed with better sleep. Also good for regularity.
- Calcium
- 40 mg
- Protein
- 1.5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
-
Dried figs
3 figs, 45 gA sweet snack with calcium. They are sticky, so eat them with a meal for your teeth.
- Calcium
- 110 mg
- Protein
- 1.5 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
-
Almonds
30 g handfulProvide magnesium and healthy fats, plus some calcium.
- Calcium
- 75 mg
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3.5 g
-
Walnuts
30 g handfulThe best nut for plant omega-3.
- Calcium
- 30 mg
- Protein
- 4.5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
-
Pumpkin seeds
30 gHigh in magnesium and zinc. Sprinkle on porridge or salad.
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
-
Ground flaxseed
1 tbsp, 10 gBuy it ground. Whole seeds pass straight through you.
- Calcium
- 25 mg
- Protein
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2.7 g
Step 3
Go easy on these.
These are the usual triggers for hot flushes and poor sleep, and the foods that harm bones and heart. Triggers vary from woman to woman, so a short symptom diary helps you find yours.
Alcohol
No more than 14 units a week, spread out
A common trigger for flushes, night sweats and headaches. It also disrupts sleep and raises the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Have several alcohol-free days a week.
Spicy food
Notice your own threshold
Chilli widens blood vessels and can bring on a flush in some women.
Very hot drinks
Let them cool a little
Heat can set off a flush. Iced or warm drinks may suit you better.
Salt
Under 6 g a day, about a teaspoon
Raises blood pressure and makes you lose more calcium. Most of it is hidden in bread, cheese and ready meals.
Sugary snacks
Swap for fruit, nuts or yoghurt
Blood sugar spikes and crashes can make energy dips, mood swings and cravings worse.
Beyond the plate
Habits that work alongside food.
Diet works best together with exercise and a few other changes, which help with symptoms as well as your long-term health.
Move every day
150 minutes a week
Brisk walking, cycling or swimming that adds up to at least 150 minutes a week helps with hot flushes, sleep, anxiety and low mood, and protects your heart. Break up long periods of sitting.
Build strength
Two or more days a week
Weights, resistance bands or yoga keep muscles and bones strong. If your joints ache, low-impact options such as swimming still count.
Stop smoking
The biggest single change
Smoking is linked to more hot flushes and night sweats, and raises the risk of osteoporosis, stroke and heart disease. Your pharmacist or GP can help you quit.
Be careful with herbal remedies
Check with a doctor first
Red clover, black cohosh, St John’s wort and sage are sold for menopause, but there is little evidence they work and they can interact with medicines. Take extra care if you have had breast cancer.
A note on vitamin D
Food alone is rarely enough.
Very few foods contain much vitamin D, so most people in the UK cannot get 10 µg a day from diet alone. The NHS advises a 10 µg supplement in autumn and winter, and all year if you get little sun. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure, especially if you have been told you have osteoporosis.
Common questions
Menopause and diet, answered.
Can diet stop hot flushes?
Diet alone rarely stops them. Some women find that eating soya foods most days reduces flushes after two to three months, though studies are mixed; our article on foods high in oestrogen goes through the evidence. Cutting back on caffeine, alcohol and spicy food, keeping to a healthy weight and stopping smoking can also help. If flushes and night sweats are affecting your sleep or work, HRT is the most effective treatment. Speak to one of our doctors.
Is soya safe during menopause?
For most women, yes. Eating soya foods such as tofu, edamame and soya drinks is considered safe, including for women with a history of breast cancer. Concentrated soya or red clover supplements are different, so check with a doctor before taking them, especially alongside other medication. There is not yet enough evidence for any official health claim that soya eases menopause symptoms.
Do herbal remedies for menopause work?
The evidence for red clover, black cohosh, St John’s wort, sage and similar products is limited, and natural does not always mean safe. Some cause side effects or interact with other medicines, and St John’s wort is not suitable if you have had breast cancer or are at high risk. Speak to a doctor before taking any of them.
How much calcium do I need after menopause?
The NHS recommends 700 mg a day for adults. If you have osteoporosis or are taking bone-protecting medication, your doctor may suggest more. Spreading calcium across the day helps your body absorb it, and you need vitamin D to use it.
Should I take supplements?
Most women in the UK should take 10 µg of vitamin D a day, at least through autumn and winter, because very few foods contain much of it. Other supplements are only needed if your diet is missing something or a blood test shows a deficiency. See our blood tests.
Why do I gain weight around menopause?
Falling oestrogen changes where your body stores fat, often moving it to the tummy. Muscle mass also drops with age, which lowers the calories you burn. Eating protein at every meal, getting enough fibre and doing strength exercise twice a week all help.
Does HRT replace a healthy diet?
No, they work together. HRT treats symptoms and protects bones, while a good diet supports your heart, muscles, gut and energy. Our doctors look at lifestyle as well as treatment when building your plan.
This guide is general information and does not constitute medical advice. Nutrient figures are approximate. If you have a medical condition, take medication or follow a special diet, speak to your doctor or a registered dietitian before making big changes. Based on guidance from the NHS Eatwell Guide, the British Nutrition Foundation, the Royal Osteoporosis Society and the British Dietetic Association.
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