Vegan Diets May Ease Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women

Recent research indicates that adopting a low-fat vegan diet can significantly reduce hot flashes and support weight loss in women during menopause. Notably, the benefits observed are consistent regardless of whether the plant-based foods are highly processed or minimally processed, highlighting the key role of the diet's plant origin over processing levels.

A secondary analysis of previously conducted clinical trials, published online in the journal Menopause, examined how food sources influence menopausal symptoms and body weight changes. Participants assigned to a soy-enhanced vegan diet experienced a 92% reduction in severe hot flashes after 12 weeks, compared to no significant change in the control group that did not follow a vegan diet. Additionally, the vegan group lost an average of 3.6 kg, whereas the control group’s weight remained largely unchanged.

The study underscores that the primary factor impacting outcomes is whether the diet is based on animal or plant sources, rather than the level of food processing. The findings suggest that women seeking relief from hot flashes and weight management issues during menopause might benefit from increasing their intake of plant-based, soy-rich foods, regardless of how processed these foods are.

These insights have important implications for dietary recommendations for menopausal women. Emphasizing a plant-based diet, particularly one that includes soybeans, could potentially improve hot flash severity and aid in weight control. Experts also note that such diets are linked to additional health benefits, including reduced risks of heart disease and certain cancers.

The full details of this research are available in the study titled "Processed foods in the context of a vegan diet, and changes in body weight and severe hot flashes in postmenopausal women: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial," which can be accessed via the DOI: 10.1097/GME.000000000000000256.