Soybeans help reduce hot flashes during menopause.

The study, conducted by scientists at George Washington University School of Medicine, was published in a medical journal.MenopauseThe results showed that postmenopausal women on a plant-based diet who consumed 86g of cooked soybeans daily experienced an 88% reduction in the number of moderate to severe hot flashes. After 12 weeks, half of the women in the study no longer experienced severe hot flashes.

Professor Neal Barnard, the lead researcher, said the diet was more effective than expected, comparable to the effects of hormone therapy. It also helped with healthy weight loss and was easy to follow. Those following the diet lost an average of 3.6 kg in 12 weeks, while the group that did not follow it lost an average of only 0.2 kg.

Previous studies have shown that women in Japan and other countries with traditional diets consisting primarily of plant-based foods such as rice, soybeans, and vegetables rarely experience hot flashes. However, as diets have become Westernized, with increased consumption of dairy products and meat, hot flashes have become more common.

Barnard began researching the impact of a vegan diet on hot flashes after receiving a tip from a woman who had read the book.Your Body in BalanceHis book explores the impact of diet on hormones and health.

"She said the method in the book helped relieve her hot flashes in just a few days. This was even more effective than what I promised in the book," Barnard said. The woman said she adopted a vegan diet, reduced fat intake, and added half a cup of cooked soybeans each day.

Barnard and his research team tested this method in a randomized study with 84 women, each reporting at least two moderate-to-severe hot flashes per day. Half of the women followed a low-fat vegan diet and ate half a cup of soy products daily, while the other half continued their normal diet. They then recorded the frequency and severity of their hot flashes.

Sherri, a participant in the study, said she experienced a significant improvement in her quality of life, no longer suffering from bothersome hot flashes. She was able to spend more time with her four children and felt her overall mood was better.

"I was apprehensive about hormone therapy, so I was very welcoming to changing my diet," Sherri said. Before considering medication, she tried this method because it was simple, easy to do, and had immediate results.

Barnard stated that a purely vegan diet wasn't very effective for hot flashes. Soy and soy extracts also didn't have a strong impact. However, combining both, along with avoiding oily foods like nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils, significantly reduced hot flashes.

"We don't know exactly why, but avoiding oily foods seems to help. All three factors play a role," Barnard said.

Soybeans may help reduce the risk of breast cancer due to the presence of naturally occurring isoflavones such as genistein, daidzein, and glycitein, which are phytoestrogens of plant origin. In this study, a diet including cooked soybeans, which contain higher levels of isoflavones, was found to contain more isoflavones than edamame (young soybeans in their hulls), soy milk, or tofu.

Barnard explained that the isoflavones in soybeans act like natural remedies to reduce hot flashes. He noted that soy milk or tofu are both healthy foods, but they don't have the same powerful effect as cooked soybeans.

He stated that while the full benefits of a plant-based diet are not yet clear, high fiber and low fat play an important role. These often regulate the effects of estrogen and have been found to be effective for menstrual cramps. It's likely that women who prefer a plant-based diet have lower and less volatile estrogen levels during menopause. Furthermore, plant-based diets also aid in weight loss, which in turn reduces hot flashes.

Marta, a participant in the study, had been unable to find any other solution. She said her hot flashes were very severe before participating in the study. She suffered from them almost every hour, along with night sweats. After adopting this diet, she noticed an improvement in her health, had more energy, and slept better at night. The hot flashes decreased significantly.

"I won't be going back to the American diet because I feel my health is under control," Marta said.