Health
8 foods to stock your menopause pantry
by Helen Foster
Let us help you create the perfectly stocked menopause pantry
1. Oil-rich fish
Canadian researchers have found that increasing your omega-3 intake may help improve mood-related menopause symptoms.
2. Chicken
A good source of phosphorus in the diet. Healthy levels of this can enhance the bone-building effects of calcium.
3. Cherries
Authors of a 2023 paper discussing menopause nutrition say that the melatonin content in cherries may help tackle sleep disturbances.
4. Cruciferous vegetables
‘These help support our bodies’ detoxification pathways,’ says nutritionist Hannah Hope from Hannah Hope Nutrition in St Albans.
5. Flaxseeds
6. Lean red meat
A study at the University of Oklahoma found that women with low iron levels were more likely to experience brain fog at menopause than those with higher levels.
7. Leeks and onions
‘Prebiotic foods like these help feed the bacteria in the gut,’ says Dr Laura Wyness, registered nutritionist and co-author of Eating Well for Menopause (Lets Talk Food Publishing, £19.99).
8. Mushrooms
Specifically UV-treated ones. As we get older our ability to convert vitamin D from sunlight declines, but enhanced food sources like ‘super mushrooms’ can help pick up the slack.
Photographs: Getty Images
Health-boosting recipes
We've created these health-boosting recipes that can be good to support you through menopause symptoms. Try our walnut and olive oil granola, crunchy za'atar chickpeas, tonnato toasts with roast broccoli and protein-packed cottage cheese taco bowl.
