What foods make menopause worse?

Menopause comes with a wide variety of side effects, one of the most notable being weight gain. For this reason, it may seem reasonable to fast in the morning to skip those extra calories, right? However, this is far from the truth. Eating breakfast is in fact important to activate your metabolism and burn calories throughout the day. But what is better to eat breakfast when you have menopause?

A Guide to Eating Breakfast When You Have Menopause

Eating breakfast has other important benefits, such as promoting memory and concentration, reducing your levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol. And it can even lower your chances of developing diabetes or heart disease. This is why it is important not to skip breakfast when you reach middle age.

What should you eat for breakfast when you have menopause? What foods will help your metabolic rate, at the same time fill you up longer, and get you ready for your day?

The two main nutrients that will help you with this are protein and fiber. Let's see each of them separately...

1. Protein-based breakfasts

It is very beneficial to have your daily dose of protein in the morning. This can consist of foods like meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, and nuts. Eating protein is essential when it comes to menopause as protein helps to slightly increase metabolism and give muscles the amino acids, they need to stay strong.

Protein also helps you feel fuller longer, as it compensates for the hunger hormone... just what we want!

Some high-protein breakfasts include:

· Any recipe that calls for eggs… scrambled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, etc.

· Any food that has avocado in it.

· Smoothies and protein shakes.

· Chia Seed Pudding - Add your choice of plant-based milk and crushed almonds to boost protein power.

· Cottage Cheese Bowl: Add some berries if you're craving a sweet breakfast. Or if you prefer something salty, combine it with vegetables such as spinach, bell pepper, tomatoes, zucchini and red onion.

· Scrambled Tofu - Perfect for Vegetarians!

· Greek yogurt parfait.

2. High-fiber breakfasts

Fiber is very important for stabilizing blood sugar levels and reducing cravings. The reason this is particularly important during menopause is because the risk of diabetes and heart disease increases after menopause due to accumulated abdominal fat.

Some foods that are high in fiber are:

· Whole grains for breakfast, whole wheat bread and oats, barley and rye.

· Fruits like berries, pears, melons, and oranges.

· Vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and sweet corn.

· Peas, beans and legumes.

· Nuts and seeds.

· Potatoes with skin.

The more you can include these foods in your breakfasts, the better! We give you some ideas so you can do it:

· Homemade muesli.

· Shakes

· Whole wheat toast.

· Add seeds and nuts to everything you can.