Why protein is so important for menopausal women, according to a nutritionist

Menopause isn't just a case of women no longer getting their period once they reach a certain stage of their life. There can be a lot of undesirable symptoms attached to it such as hot flushes, night sweats, and weight gain, which is all a result of an imbalance of hormones experienced during menopause. 

Some women will undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy to treat extreme symptoms, others might start taking tablets such as the best menopause supplements. 

Many women will feel like they gain weight more easily during and after menopause, especially around the abdominal area. Registered nutritionist Shona Wilkinson explained why having a more protein-rich diet can help with this. 

Protein-rich foods tend to be more filling than other foods and are broken down and digested slower than carbohydrates, staying in your tummy for longer. When eaten with a source of carbs, the protein also helps to slow down the rate at which the carbohydrate is digested. 

"This means that you get a more even, steady supply of energy and are less likely to have cravings for sugary or carb-rich foods later on," said Wilkinson.

Moreover, though some older women may not care for their muscle mass, this can impact things like weight gain. Muscle mass will decline during menopause but eating plenty of protein can help to maintain or improve muscle mass. With this comes more toned muscle, which can help maintain a good metabolism where your muscles burn more energy than fat, helping you limit weight gain.

Additionally, Wilkinson shares how the consumption of protein can provide building blocks to support our energy, metabolism, drive, and mood. Our bodies naturally break down protein into individual components known as amino acids and each amino acid performs specific roles such as providing the building blocks of hormones.

"For example, the amino acid tyrosine is needed for your thyroid gland to make the hormone thyroxine, which keeps your metabolism up and makes sure you’re burning the right amount of energy.

"Tyrosine and phenylalanine are also needed to make adrenaline, the hormone that kicks in when the body requires a burst of energy. What’s more, tryptophan is used to make serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’ that can stop you from craving comfort foods," noted Wilkinson.

Eating too much protein can naturally lead to weight gain if you go overboard with it but Wilkinson said that increasing your protein intake with just the right amount can lead to endless benefits. Women over 50 should aim to eat around 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of their weight.

There are plenty of ways to get more protein in our diet and it doesn't all have to be via meat. You can source it in foods like boiled eggs, nuts, nut butter, legumes, beans, and lentils.

You can even throw some protein powder into a smoothie or your morning oats if you don't think your meals contain enough protein. Not all protein powders are for making you bulky and muscle building, you'll find alternatives in our roundups of the best protein powders for weight loss or the best protein powder for women.