Fibre and Menopause Symptoms: Is there a link?

Fibre is key to a happy gut microbiome and healthy digestion. By feeding the ‘good’ bacteria in your gut, it has the power to improve many aspects of your health, including your immune system, brain function and blood sugar control.¹ This is why, at The Fast 800, we’ve created a range of Fibre Blends and Shakes to help you reach your daily target and reap the full benefits of a fibrous diet.

When it comes to fibre and menopause specifically, there are benefits to be had from increasing your fibre intake. So, keep reading to find out exactly how much you should consume each day, and why it’s so important during this life stage.

Fibre and menopause: why is it so important during this time?

Fibre and menopause go hand in hand, though it’s often an unsung nutritional hero. Although we frequently focus on the importance of protein during menopause, fibre can also make a real difference to many symptoms.

Here are just some of the reasons fibre is so important during menopause:

• Helps weight maintenance: Menopause is often associated with body composition changes, including weight gain, loss of lean mass, and the accumulation of visceral (belly) fat. Fibre can combat weight gain by slowing gastric emptying, thereby reducing appetite between meals, and has been shown to target belly fat in particular.^2,3
• Reduces your risk of menopause-associated diseases: After menopause, you become more likely to develop diseases like cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. However, increasing your intake of fibre may help counteract these risks, as studies show high fibre intake lessens your risk of both heart disease and osteoporosis.
• Improves your mood: A study on 3054 mid-life women showed that dietary fibre was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in premenopausal women.⁶ This may be because ‘happy hormones’, like serotonin, are created in our gut by microbiota that feed on fibre. Simply put, if we consume more fibre we can produce more mood-boosting hormones.

• Reduces menopause symptoms: When focusing on fibre and menopause, a 2021 review found that women who eat more whole grains and vegetables experience less severe menopausal symptoms. Symptoms that were alleviated included disordered sleep and vasomotor (hot flashes and night sweats).⁷

How much fibre do you need every day?

We recommend consuming 30g of fibre every day to reap the full benefits it has to offer. However, less than 10% of Western populations manage to hit that target. If you think you may be one of the 90% who don’t consume enough fibre, there are some tell-tale signs, from fatigue and constipation to difficulty losing weight and feeling hungry shortly after eating.

We recommend tracking your meals and following a meal plan to ensure you eat enough fibre. The Fast 800 Programme creates meal plans that ensure you’re eating enough protein, healthy fats and fibre, so you can rest assured you’re properly nourished every single day. What’s more, if you’re wanting to learn more about fibre and menopause, our Programme has on-hand Health Coaches and a dedicated menopause Community that you can reach out to any time.

As well as giving a meal plan a go, there are other ways you can add more fibre into your diet, so keep reading for some of our top tips.

Simple ways to add more fibre to your diet

If you’re focusing on fibre and menopause in your health journey, then here are some simple ways to add more fibre into your diet.

1. Include non-starchy vegetables alongside every meal: Non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage and spinach, are key to getting in enough fibre. When plating a meal, fill half of it with delicious vegetables – no need to count the calories here!
2. Try a fibre supplement: If you think you might be among the 90% of people who don’t consume enough fibre, then a supplement might be a good option for you. The Fast 800’s range of Shakes and Fibre Blends were all designed to help you hit your daily nutrient targets. In particular, our Apple Fibre Blend is formulated to boost your daily fibre intake and support gut health with a refreshing blend of probiotics and prebiotics. This product is now available in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
   Click here for our UK product
   Click here for our Australia/New Zealand product
3. Sprinkle nuts and seeds on your meals: Nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses that are high in fibre. They also contain essential fatty acids and phytoestrogens, which have been shown to help alleviate menopause symptoms.⁸ Tops tip from our Health Coaches: Take a sprinkle bag of nuts and seeds to add to your meals wherever you may need a nutrient boost.

The bottom line when it comes to fibre and menopause is that upping your intake is sure to bring with it a host of health benefits, from weight loss to improved menopause symptoms. Try our Green Apple Fibre Blend here for those in the UK and here for those in Australia or New Zealand to help boost your daily fibre intake and discover for yourself the difference this key nutrient can make.