Nutrition during menopause: Our tips for you

*Note: The header image is AI-generated

Nutrition during menopause is one of the few levers you have in your own hands when your weight, sleep and energy suddenly feel different. It's about a few targeted changes to your protein, your bone nutrients and your dinner, with no diet and without giving up everything that tastes good.

Here are all the sections at a glance:

• Why your belly is growing now, even though you're not doing anything differently
• Which nutrients matter now and how much you need
• What belongs on your plate, and the thing about soy
• What can put additional strain on hot flashes and sleep
• A day to cook along with: Meal plan with shopping list
• Maintaining your weight without a crash diet
• Food supplements: When they can make sense
• The first plate counts more than the perfect plan

Why your belly is growing now, even though you're not doing anything differently

Weight gain around the belly during menopause has three drivers that act at the same time: estrogen drops, cells respond less strongly to insulin, and muscle mass decreases. So your body is playing by new rules, even though your plate has stayed the same. It's completely understandable that this annoys you.

Important: This article does not replace medical advice. Severe hot flashes, sleep problems over a longer period, persistent low moods or unintended weight changes should be seen by a doctor, also so that other causes can be ruled out. If you take medication, check any food supplement with your doctor or pharmacist beforehand.

Let's start with estrogen. This hormone makes the body's cells more receptive to insulin, the messenger that channels sugar from the blood into the cells. When estrogen levels drop, sugar has a harder time reaching its target, blood sugar tends to rise, and the body is more likely to store energy as fat.

At the same time, where this process takes place changes. Before menopause, fat in women tends to settle on the hips and thighs. Afterward, it shifts more toward the belly area, including around the organs. Experts call this visceral fat (fat in the abdominal cavity, between the organs).

The third driver is quieter. Muscle mass slowly starts to decline from around age 30, and this speeds up during menopause. Muscles burn energy even at rest, so your body needs less while you're eating the same amount. The surplus tends to collect around the belly.

This is biology, not a question of character. The good news lies in the same mechanism: muscles, insulin action and fat distribution respond to what you eat and how you move. That's exactly where the next sections come in.

Nutrition during menopause: Which nutrients matter now and how much you need

Four nutrients now deserve special attention: protein for your muscles, calcium and vitamin D for your bones, and magnesium as an all-rounder. For all four, there are clear guideline values from the German Nutrition Society (DGE) (1), supplemented for protein by the German Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) (2).

• Protein: 0.8 g per kilo of body weight, around 50 g at 60 kg (2), found in legumes, tofu, low-fat quark, eggs and whole grain bread.
• Calcium: 1,000 mg daily (1), well covered by hard cheese such as Gouda, yogurt, broccoli and calcium-rich mineral water.
• Vitamin D: 20 µg if your skin doesn't produce any itself (1), for example from oily fish, eggs and some edible mushrooms.
• Magnesium: 300 mg as an estimated value (1), plentiful in whole grains, legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and fish.

What does a value like this feel like in everyday life? Let's take calcium. 100 g of Gouda provides around 800 mg, 100 g of yogurt a good 120 mg, 100 g of broccoli just under 60 mg (1). Two slices of cheese on your bread, a cup of yogurt, a serving of broccoli with dinner and a liter of calcium-rich mineral water with over 150 mg per liter: that already gets you a long way, without weighing anything. By the way, water is an underrated helper, so it's worth checking the label.

Why calcium and vitamin D in particular? When estrogen levels drop, the body breaks down more bone than it builds, especially in the years around menopause. Your diet can support the maintenance of normal bones. Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

Good to know: Vitamin D is the special case in the table. You only get a little through food, because hardly any foods contain significant amounts (1). The main source is your own skin, as soon as the sun shines on it. The 20 µg applies in case this production of your own is missing, for example in winter.

When it comes to magnesium, you can breathe easy. With usual eating habits a deficiency is rare, according to the DGE (1). Whole grain bread, a handful of nuts and legumes reliably bring you toward the 300 mg.

And what about omega-3 or the B vitamins? There are no separate German reference values for women over 51; the general recommendations for adults apply. In practice, this means: oily fish once or twice a week, walnuts or flaxseed regularly and a varied diet with whole grains, vegetables and legumes cover the basics. On a vegan diet, vitamin B12 is the exception; more on that in a moment in the daily plan.

What belongs on your plate: Food groups and the thing about soy

The Mediterranean diet is considered the model for menopause: lots of vegetables and fruit, oily fish, good plant oils and enough protein. The German Federal Center for Nutrition sums it up in a short formula: less energy, more nutrients (2). So you need slightly fewer calories than before, but at least as many vitamins and minerals.

Menopause, what to eat exactly? These groups can regularly end up on your plate:

• Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas and beans provide protein, fiber and magnesium.
• Whole grain products: Oats, whole grain bread and brown rice keep you full for a long time.
• Vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli in particular provide calcium and magnesium.
• Oily fish: Salmon, mackerel and herring provide omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

Honestly, there's nothing exotic on this list. The difference lies in how often these things show up and how much space they get on your plate.

Phytoestrogens, honestly assessed

Hardly any food is argued about as much during menopause as soy. Soy is a valuable food. The evidence on hot flashes remains inconclusive.

In short: Phytoestrogens are plant substances that are chemically similar to the body's own estrogen. The best known are isoflavones, mainly in soybeans, and lignans, which are found in particularly large amounts in flaxseed.

The idea sounds logical: when your own estrogen drops, plant-based relatives step in. Research takes a more sober view. Studies on soy isoflavones and hot flashes come to different results; some show a benefit, others none. There is therefore no good evidence that soy reliably improves menopausal symptoms. Isoflavone supplements are a separate topic: with them, contraindications, amount and duration of use belong in a consultation with your doctor.

Then there's a detail from the gut. Isoflavones probably only unfold their potential once gut bacteria convert them into a substance called equol. This only works for some people in Western countries. Whether the others benefit from soy at all in terms of symptoms is unclear.

It's a similar story with flaxseed. There's no good evidence that it reduces hot flashes as a targeted measure. Still, it continues to belong in your muesli, because it provides fiber and the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. And tofu remains one of the best protein sources you can find in the supermarket. The promise of an effect is dropped.

What can put additional strain on hot flashes and sleep

Anyone searching for foods against hot flashes usually ends up with the opposite question: What makes it worse? Fortunately, the answer to that is fairly concrete.

With hot flashes and sweating, it's worth keeping an eye on these candidates: alcohol dilates the blood vessels and can make sleep in the second half of the night restless. Coffee, black tea and cola in the afternoon have a long-lasting effect in some people. Spicy seasonings like chili can trigger a wave of heat. Lots of sugar on an empty stomach makes blood sugar fluctuate more, and late, heavy meals weigh on your sleep when your body should actually be winding down.

Only you know your pattern. Some women can drink a glass of wine in the evening without any problem; others already notice an espresso after lunch. A simple approach: for a few weeks, jot down on your phone each evening what you ate and drank from the afternoon on and how the night went.

Then leave out one candidate for a while and see whether anything changes. This isn't a diagnosis, more of a small experiment with you as the research subject. An herbal tea in the evening is a nice substitute for wine or coffee, with no promises attached.

If you want to know more about heat and hormones, this article might interest you: why women feel heat differently than men.

A day to cook along with: Your meal plan with shopping list

A day following this pattern needs no scale and no app. It spreads protein across all meals, brings calcium and fiber with it, and tastes like food, not like a diet.

A day following this pattern is spread across four meals: oats with flaxseed, berries, walnuts and low-fat quark or soy yogurt for breakfast. A bowl with chickpeas or lentils, brown rice, lots of vegetables and olive oil for lunch. Almonds and fruit or a green smoothie in the afternoon. Oven-baked salmon or mackerel with broccoli and roasted vegetables in the evening, early enough that you don't go to bed on a full stomach.

Just for orientation: 150 g of low-fat quark provides a good 15 g of protein, 200 g of cooked chickpeas about 16 to 18 g, two slices of whole grain bread around 6 g (2). That already puts you close to the 50 g, and the fish in the evening adds a good amount more. A little trick: grains and legumes together, such as bread with hummus or rice with beans, make it easier for the body to use plant protein (2).

For your weekly shopping, these building blocks are enough:

• Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas and beans, dried or in jars.
• Whole grains and fish: Oats, bread and rice as well as oily fish such as salmon, mackerel or herring, frozen is fine too.
• Plant foods and dairy: Nuts, seeds, broccoli, spinach, dairy products or fortified plant-based drinks.
• Protein sources and co.: Tofu, tempeh, low-fat quark, soy yogurt, eggs, olive oil, berries and calcium-rich mineral water.

Do you eat vegetarian or vegan? Then simply swap:

• Instead of fish as an omega-3 source: flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds or rapeseed oil; you can discuss algae oil as a supplement with your doctor.
• Instead of dairy as a calcium source: calcium-fortified plant-based drinks, calcium-rich mineral water, broccoli, kale or tofu with calcium (it's on the ingredient list).
• Instead of meat, fish and quark as a protein source: tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas or beans, combined with whole grains.
• Instead of fish and eggs as a vitamin D source: sunlight and some edible mushrooms; in winter, have your vitamin D level checked by a doctor.
• Instead of animal foods as a B12 source: fortified foods or a B12 supplement, ideally with medical guidance.

Maintaining your weight without a crash diet: Protein, strength, sleep, structure

When it comes to losing weight and nutrition during menopause, the most effective route is, of all things, the unspectacular one: maintain your muscles, eat until you're full, sleep well. Radical diets don't fit here.

With very little energy, the body breaks down not only fat but also muscle tissue, exactly the tissue that's already dwindling and that keeps your energy consumption up. After the diet, your body then needs even less than before, and the pounds come back quickly.

The four levers that are really worth it:

• Protein: with every main meal, spread across breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Strength training: regularly and several times a week, whether at the gym, with a resistance band or with your own body weight.
• Sleep: take it seriously, because poor sleep increases cravings for quick energy from sweets.
• Meal structure: fixed mealtimes with breaks in between, three filling meals and at most one planned snack.

Sounds like too little? That's exactly the advantage. You don't have to turn everything upside down starting Monday. Start with protein at breakfast, add strength training two weeks later, and see what fits into your everyday life.

Food supplements during menopause: When they can make sense

A food supplement can make sense if your diet has a gap that's hard to close through food. This mainly applies to vitamin D in winter, vitamin B12 on a vegan diet and calcium if you hardly eat any dairy products or fortified alternatives. For everything else: a balanced diet like the one described above usually covers your needs well. A plate counts more than capsules.

Before you reach for a supplement, it's worth talking to your doctor. A blood test shows, for example, what your vitamin D level looks like, and your doctor can assess whether you're really getting too little calcium. That saves you money on things you don't need, and it clarifies possible interactions.

Magnesium can affect the absorption of certain antibiotics and of bisphosphonates (medications for osteoporosis). Iron is best not taken together with coffee, tea or calcium; leaving some time in between can make sense. If you take medication, have a thyroid condition or use products with plant extracts, checking with your doctor or pharmacist is the right way to go.

If you want to know more about supplements during menopause, this article might interest you: which supplements can accompany women over 45.

If you'd like an overview of nutrient combinations, you'll find the category Products for physical health at CLAV. Specifically for women over 45, there's also a dedicated combination.

Advertisement: N°23 Meno Balance by CLAV

N°23 Meno Balance is a nutrient combination for women over 45. Among other things, it contains vitamin B6, magnesium, iron, folic acid and vitamin B12, as well as plant extracts from wild yam, red clover, sage, angelica root, Siberian rhubarb, hops and hibiscus.

The following approved statements apply to the vitamins and minerals it contains: Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to the normal function of the nervous system. Iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Because the product contains iron, the note about coffee, tea and calcium from above applies. It is not recommended for children and pregnant women; further information can be found on the product page. It's best to discuss with your doctor beforehand whether it's right for you. View the product

The first plate counts more than the perfect plan

Protein, calcium, magnesium and regular meals only work together: no single food and no capsule replaces the pattern you put on your plate day after day. That's why your next step is a small one. Pick one meal from the sample day, ideally breakfast as the easiest, and make it your routine this week. Once that's in place, add the next one.

And if hot flashes, sleepless nights or low moods weigh heavily on you despite all your efforts: get medical support. Nutrition is an important building block during menopause, but it can't cushion everything, and you don't have to manage it on your own.

Sources

(1) German Nutrition Society (DGE): Referenzwerte für die Nährstoffzufuhr, entries on calcium, magnesium and vitamin D.

(2) German Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE): Anders essen in den Wechseljahren.

FAQ: Common questions about nutrition during menopause

Do I have to give up certain foods completely during menopause?

Usually not: no healthy food needs to be banned completely. It makes more sense to consciously plan alcohol, lots of sweets and very late, heavy meals less often, especially if you notice that your nights suffer from them.

How do I put the daily plan into practice if I don't have much time?

With a good supply on hand: legumes from a jar, frozen vegetables, canned fish and oats need hardly any preparation. You can prepare the bowl in the evening for the next day's lunch, and with the oven-baked salmon, the oven does most of the work.

When should I see a doctor about symptoms instead of only trying it through diet?

As soon as hot flashes, sleep problems or low moods noticeably restrict your everyday life, or your weight changes for no apparent reason. Nutrition supports you, but it doesn't replace a medical check-up. Your doctor can rule out other causes and discuss with you which treatment is right for you.