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| Hot flashes — called night sweats when they happen at night — are the most common symptom of perimenopause and menopause. Hot flashes aren’t harmful in and of themselves. However, they can cause considerable discomfort and disrupt the quality of your sleep, which in turn can lead to or worsen mental health issues, weight gain, and other health concerns. |
| This is to say that if you’re experiencing hot flashes, you probably want to do all you can to decrease their effect on your life. So today, we welcome back Jessica Sandoz, a registered dietitian at Healthline, to explain how diet relates to hot flashes. |
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Stay cool out there!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |
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Written by Ginger Wojcik
January 21, 2025 • 3.5 min read |
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| Q: |
How can you best manage hot flashes through diet? |
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| A: |
The severity and frequency of hot flashes depend on a variety of genetic and lifestyle factors, many of which are still not fully understood. When it comes to diet, there are a few types of foods known to trigger hot flashes:
- alcohol
- caffeine
- spicy foods
- hot foods
In addition to staying away from trigger foods, it may help to eat an overall healthy and balanced diet and to maintain a healthy weight. A healthy diet for menopause is not unlike a healthy diet at any age! You’ll want to limit simple and refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and salt while focusing on a balance of lean protein, fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, and healthy fats.
That being said, certain nutrients do become more important during this time of change:
- Protein: Your metabolism takes a hit through menopause (due to hormonal changes). One way to maintain and build your metabolism is to maintain and build muscle mass. This can be accomplished through a combination of strength training and getting adequate protein.
- Calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C: These nutrients help maintain your bone density, which decreases during and after menopause.
- Fiber: Fiber helps slow the digestion of carbohydrates, aids bowel function, and helps decrease LDL cholesterol, which can be affected by a decrease in estrogen. In fact, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases as estrogen decreases.
- Soy: Research is mixed, but some evidence suggests that the isoflavones in soy may be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms.
- Melatonin: Taking melatonin supplements or eating foods with tryptophan (a precursor to melatonin) can have a positive effect on sleep quality, which can be disrupted by night sweats. Examples include eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, cherries, grapes, shellfish, and yeast.
Other lifestyle factors to consider include quitting smoking, increasing exercise, and managing your stress!
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| Jessica Sandoz, Registered Dietitian
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| Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.)
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| Quench your thirst |
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| Stanley Quick Flip GO Water Bottle |
| When you live with hot flashes, it’s important to try to stay cool and hydrated. One easy way to support this goal is to keep an insulated water bottle full of cold water close at hand. This travel-friendly option from the widely loved brand Stanley fits in most cupholders, has a leak-resistant lid, and is guaranteed to keep your drink chilled for up to 12 hours! |
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| Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline’s or Optum Store’s vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. |
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| What we’re digesting |
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