The Secret to Navigating Menopause: How to Perfect Your Food Portions for Maximum Health Benefits!
Are you navigating the challenging waters of menopause and wondering how your diet can help you stay healthy, energized, and feeling your best? You’re not alone! Many women find that adjusting their food portions—especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables—can make a world of difference. But what exactly should your plate look like, and how much is enough? Let’s dive into the details of food portions during menopause and discover how the right choices can support your health.
Why Fruit and Veg Portions Matter (Especially During Menopause)
We’ve all heard the age-old advice: eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. But is that really enough? For years, this 5 A Day mantra has been the gold standard for healthy eating. The idea is simple—five portions of fruits and veggies, each weighing around 80g, adds up to the recommended daily intake of 400g.
But here’s the twist: more recent guidelines suggest that 400g is actually the minimum you should be consuming. The UK Government's advice now indicates that eating more than 400g of fruit and vegetables daily is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. This is even more crucial as we age and enter menopause when maintaining heart, bowel, breast and bone health becomes particularly important.
So, should we all be eating more than five portions a day? The answer is likely yes, especially for women in menopause who need to support their overall health. However, it can be tricky to navigate what this means in practice, particularly when other dietary needs come into play.
Understanding Portions: The What, Why, and How
Understanding what constitutes a portion is key to getting the right balance. According to the NHS, an 80g portion of fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables is the edible part—so that doesn’t include peels, cores, or any other non-edible bits. If you’re eating tinned goods, make sure to measure the drained contents for an accurate portion size.
But what about specific foods? Here’s a quick breakdown:
1 medium banana
1 medium apple or pear
2 satsumas
A handful of berries
1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit
3 heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots, peas, or sweetcorn
4 heaped tablespoons of cooked greens like cabbage, kale, or spring greens
3 heaped tablespoons of beans or chickpeas
1 cereal bowl of salad
1 medium tomato or 7 cherry tomatoes
150ml of fruit or vegetable smoothie
It’s worth noting that starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cassava don't count as part of your 5 A Day because of their high carbohydrate content. The same goes for pulses like beans and lentils—they only count once, no matter how much you eat!
Portion Sizes for Children vs. Adults
While the 5 A Day advice is geared toward adults, what about children? The WHO has recently issued recommendations for children’s daily intake, advising that:
2–5 years old: At least 250g per day
6–9 years old: At least 350g per day
10 years or older: At least 400g per day
In the UK, the guidance is that one portion for a child is the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand. This can be a helpful visual guide for adults too—especially when portion control is a concern during menopause, when metabolism may slow down.
Are We Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies?
Despite knowing all of this, are we actually getting enough fruit and veg in our diets? Sadly, many of us aren’t. A recent UK diet survey found that more than two-thirds of people don’t meet the 5 A Day target. This gap is even more pronounced in teenagers (only 12% of 11-18-year-olds hit the target), while older adults (aged 65 and over) also struggle to meet their daily fruit and veg needs.
There are various reasons why people may fall short—from the rising cost of fresh produce, to lack of cooking skills, to simply not liking the taste of vegetables. But with a little creativity, you can work around these challenges, particularly during menopause when diet becomes a crucial part of managing symptoms and maintaining overall health.
A Rainbow on Your Plate: How to Make Healthy Eating Fun!
Eating the right portions doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, variety is key! The British Heart Foundation suggests focusing on a rainbow of colours to ensure you’re getting a wide range of nutrients:
Red: Tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, red apples, red grapes
Orange: Carrots, squash, sweet potato, melon
Yellow: Swede, yellow peppers, sweetcorn, peaches
Green: Spinach, rocket, kale, broccoli, lettuce
Blue/Purple: Beetroot, aubergines, blackberries, purple grapes, red cabbage
White/Beige: Bananas, celeriac, mushrooms, onions, turnips
By mixing and matching these vibrant colours, not only will your meals look more appetizing, but you’ll also be ensuring you get a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This is especially beneficial during menopause when your body can use all the nutritional support it can get.
Are You Ready to Supercharge Your Menopause Journey?
If you’re looking for more tips on how to navigate menopause with a diet that supports your health, why not join our community? Sign up for our newsletter here to get regular updates, recipes, and expert advice on everything from portion sizes to staying active and feeling your best.
Together, we can make menopause a time of renewal and vitality—one healthy meal at a time!
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