A recent study conducted by scientists at George Washington University School of Medicine has found that a low-fat, plant-based diet combined with daily soy consumption can significantly reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. The research, published in the medical journal Menopause, showed that postmenopausal women who followed a plant-based diet and consumed 86 grams of cooked soy per day experienced an 88% reduction in moderate to severe hot flashes. After 12 weeks, half of the women in the study no longer had severe hot flashes.
Professor Neal Barnard, the lead researcher, stated that the diet was more effective than expected and comparable to the effects of hormone therapy. The plant-based diet also led to healthy, easy-to-follow weight loss, with participants losing an average of 3.6kg over 12 weeks. In comparison, the control group lost an average of 0.2kg.
Previous studies have shown that women in countries with traditional diets rich in plant foods such as rice, soybeans, and vegetables rarely experience hot flashes. However, as diets have become more Westernized with increased consumption of dairy products and meat, hot flashes have become more common. Barnard’s research was inspired by a woman who read his book, “Your Body in Balance,” and shared how adopting a vegan diet with cooked soybeans significantly reduced her hot flashes.
The study involved 84 women who reported at least two moderate to severe hot flashes per day. Half of the women followed a low-fat vegan diet and consumed half a cup of soy per day, while the other half continued with their usual diet. The results showed that the combination of a plant-based diet and daily soy consumption was effective in reducing hot flashes in menopausal women.
Soybeans contain natural isoflavones like genistein, daidzein