8 Foods That Could Ease Your Menopause Symptoms, According to Dietitians

• What it is: Vegetables in the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, collards and chard.
• What symptoms it helps: hot flashes, brain fog

These vegetables have compounds that support liver function to help "unclog a drain" and clear excess estrogen from the body. This can help with symptoms like hot flashes and brain fog. They are also highly anti-inflammatory. As a rule of thumb, Garza says "the darker the vegetable, the more anti-inflammatory benefit to it. So think like kale, collards, chard, all of those are super beneficial."

• What it is: Berries such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries; tropical fruits like mangoes, papayas and pineapple.
• Symptoms it helps: joint pain, inflammation

The darker-colored fruits are high in anti-inflammatory compounds. As estrogen, which has an anti-inflammatory benefit, declines, it's important to increase anti-inflammatory foods to help with symptoms like joint pain. "A lot of your fruits also are very anti-inflammatory so darker fruits are very high in anti-inflammatory benefits,” Garza says. “I also really love the tropical fruits...they have a lot of vitamin C, potassium, other vitamins and minerals that are also really anti-inflammatory."

• What it is: Whole food proteins from sources like chicken, turkey, fish and beef (instead of protein powders or bars)
• Symptoms it helps: dull skin, peeling nails, brittle bones, fading muscles

Quality protein (according to Garza, we should “aim for a gram per pound of body weight each day”) is crucial because declining estrogen means you lose the hormone's cell-growth promoting function. Eating enough protein helps retain muscle and strength, and the natural fats in animal protein provide anti-inflammatory nutrients like Vitamins A and E.

• What it is: Nuts, seeds, pulses and whole grains.
• Symptoms it helps: susceptibility to chronic disease, long-term health

Increasing plant protein intake is highly protective for long-term health and can reduce the risk of chronic disease. According to Dr. Amati's research, a small shift—a 3 percent increase in plant protein—was shown to reduce the risk of chronic disease by over 20% in women over 70." As soon as we're saying to people, eat more plants without even thinking about it, they're getting more plant protein from the nuts, from the seeds, from all these wonderful foods, and it's actually delivering protein in a package that is protected for health,"  Dr. Amati says.

• What it is: barley, oats, unprocessed grains
• Symptoms it helps: boots immune system, evens out blood sugar swings

Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber and plant protein. A diet low in whole grains and fiber is a major contributing factor to chronic disease, says Dr Amati. Also, increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates helps with metabolic health and blood sugar balance.

• What it is: Unsaturated fats found in foods like avocados, nuts, seeds and oily fish
• Symptoms it helps: low energy, brain fog

"My dietary advice has a strong focus on healthy fats, Dr. Amati says. “So make sure that you're getting fats from avocados and nuts and seeds and oily fish...instead of using more saturated fats like sweets and baked goods.” This supports overall metabolic health and can help manage menopausal symptoms.

• What it is: Foods that have undergone a controlled microbial growth, such as kefir, yogurt and cheese
• Symptoms it helps: mood, mental clarity, bloat

Supporting gut health is crucial because the gut plays a role in eliminating estrogen and producing serotonin. “It's not just about being bloated or constipated...it really is about our immune system. It's about our neurotransmitters. It's about kind of this holistic approach to what is happening in our body and how our guts play a role," Garza says. Declining estrogen can impact serotonin production, which affects mood and mental clarity. A healthy gut can help the body produce its own serotonin, leading to a more stable mood.

• What it is: Staying hydrated with water and choosing unsweetened carbonated beverages instead of sugary drinks, alcohol or excessive caffeine.
• Symptoms it helps: sleep, metabolic health and hot flashes

Ideally you’re exchanging the beers for some flat water, but if you want a little carbonated beverages to spice up your hydration, that’s understandable. Isabel Garza suggests that if a sparkling water "gets them through the day, gives you something to enjoy, amazing. Enjoy that, right? Let's use that instead of alcohol or another cup of coffee at 2 p.m."