The Top 10 Best Foods to Eat in Perimenopause
Perimenopause is a time of transition and critical to feeling well is supporting our bodies with really good nutrition - we can make a really big difference to our experience of this time of our lives if we get our diet right.
Important nutrients to focus on for bone and muscle health are:
- Vitamin D
- Calcium and
- Protein.
- Omega 3: reduces inflammation (as in peri we are in a pro inflammatory state) and foods high in antioxidants to protect our cells from free radical damage.
We also need to incorporate foods into our diet that feed and populate our good gut bacteria.
A good diet will help reduce peri symptoms.
Here are our top 10 best foods to eat in perimenopause
1. Salmon
Salmon is rich in Vitamin D and Omega 3, nutrients needed in peri for bone health and reducing inflammation. Try and have salmon or fish at least twice a week, other great fish sources of Omega 3 are mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli is a powerhouse veggie from the cruciferous family bursting with vitamins and minerals, not to mention the phytonutrient sulforaphane which has been well studied to have a wide range of properties such as:
- Antioxidant
- Antimicrobial
- Anticancer
- Anti Inflammatory
- Anti Aging
- Neuroprotective and
- Antidiabetic.
Basically, bloody brilliant, broccoli is.
Other veggies in the Cruciferous Family include:
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Bok Choy.
3. Eggs
Eggs are not only a great protein source for peri women but a great source of Iron (which can tend to run low in perimenopausal women) and vitamin D.
Two eggs equals 12g of protein.
Read why protein is so important for perimenopausal health here.
4. Berries
Berries are definitely one of the best things you can have in your daily diet. They are high in vitamin C which is necessary for
- Maintenance and repair of all your body tissue
- Helping with the absorption of iron and
- Supporting your immune system.
5. Green Tea
Green tea is made from the same plant as black tea, the leaves are just unprocessed, hence the green colour. Those leaves contain powerful antioxidants to protect our cells.
They also contain active ingredients to boost brain function.
Some studies have also shown that green tea can boost your metabolism. Basically, a great way to start your peri-day!
6. Yoghurt
Yoghurt is high in probiotics to help populate your gut with good bacteria for good gut health. Gut health is super important in peri health, read why here.
Yoghurt is also high in calcium and Vitamin D for bone health, again really important for women going through perimenopause as our bones can become brittle as we age.
7. Oats
Oats are high in resistant starch that helps feed the good bacteria in your gut. Other foods high in resistant starch are cooked rice, beans and legumes, cooked potatoes and green bananas.
8. Leafy Greens
They are packed full of vitamins and minerals and high in fibre. They also contain really high levels of antioxidants to protect our cells.
9. Flaxseeds
They are high in antioxidants, Omega 3 and Lignans.
Lignans are a polyphenol which is a micronutrient naturally found in plants particularly in seeds, whole grains and vegetables.
Lignans have been found to lower the risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and breast cancer in studies*.
10. Dark Chocolate
We know you love to see it.
The reason dark chocolate is good for you is because of the high levels of cocoa.
Cocoa is high in magnesium, iron and polyphenols. Polyphenols are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory.
Have chocolate with 70% plus cocoa beans in them.
11. Peri Chai Latte
And of course our very own Peri Chai Latte that us two perimenopausal chooks created to soothe our own symptoms.
Our SheBANG! Peri Chai Latte is loaded with Magnesium and Collagen to:
- Soothe anxiety
- Even out mood swings
- Give you sweet, peaceful sleep
- Maintain your bones and muscles.
Find out more here