Supercharge Your Diet After Menopause

What you eat in your 50s and beyond can have a huge impact on your well-being, says health coach susan saunders. Here, she explains some easy ways to power up your midlife diet

- SUSAN SAUNDERS

IN the years after menopause you need to make good nutrition a priority. Your body changes during this time. Lower oestrogen levels lead to loss of lean body mass and an increase in fat storage, so it's important to think about what you're eating in the context of these changes.

It's not about following a strict diet, but there are some guidelines - eating a plant-heavy fibre-packed diet with enough protein and enough healthy fats to keep you full and to lubricate the body and brain.

PUT VEGETABLES FIRST

Fill your plate with brightly coloured fruit and vegetables at each meal. We tend to think about protein and carbohydrates first, with vegetables an afterthought. So when planning your meals start with veg instead, the more brightly coloured the better.

These colours come from anti-inflammatory antioxidants and are associated with health and longevity. One easy way to boost your fruit and veg intake is to think berries and greens that's three meals a day with berries and/or greens.

CARBS WITH BENEFITS

Carbohydrates have been demonised in recent years. But there's a huge distinction between highly refined sugar-laden carbs and nutrient-dense whole-grains, such as beans and fibrous vegetables, which come with a whole host of benefits.

We need a fist-sized portion of starchy foods with each meal. But ask yourself what added benefits your carb choice brings - ideally it comes with fibre plus something extra. For example, a sweet potato contains the antioxidant benefits of carotenoids for better eye and brain health, and brown rice has fibre and B vitamins.

SUGAR IS NOT SO SWEET

Sugar and other refined carbs like white flour send us on a bloodsugar rollercoaster - just at the time when we've lost the oestrogen that helps keep blood sugar stable.