Tomato Juice To Ease Menopause Symptoms

Feeling anxious during the menopause? Find you are putting on weight in areas you never had trouble with before? Could the solution to your woes be found in the humble tomato?
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5 Ways Tomato Juice Can Ease the Menopause Woes

Feeling anxious during the menopause? Find you are putting on weight in areas you never had trouble with before?

Could the solution to your woes be found in the humble tomato?

In a study by Masakazu Terauchithe results were astounding for this vibrant, juicy vegetable. They found that by drinking 200ml of unsalted tomato juice twice daily for eight weeks, they actually alleviated some of the most pressing menopause symptoms.

The conclusion of the study found that tomato juice eased menopausal symptoms, including anxiety, as well as increasing REE (Resting Energy Expenditure) and lowering serum triglyceride levels in the female participants.

Stress and low estrogen levels play a major role in the occurrence of hot flushes. Coupled with low estrogen, progesterone, also known as the relaxing hormone, also decreases.

When a woman enters the perimenopause stage of her life (the lead up to menopause) estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate. What results are symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and weight gain.

Tomatoes to the rescue.
  1. Tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin B-6, which may be essential for maintaining ideal estrogen-progesterone balance. It is when these hormones are out of balance that menopause symptoms can be difficult to control.

  • In the lead up to menopause, a woman's REE drops by about 400 calories per day. This fact helps to explain why many women complain of sudden weight gain at the menopause despite eating no differently to what they usually eat. The problem does not lie in what they are eating, but rather lies in the fact that their body no longer needs the same amount of calories that it required when they were younger. Masakazu Terauchi's article showed that tomatoes actually increased REE levels.
  • Psychological symptoms prevalent around menopause may be associated with oxidative stress. The improvements in menopausal symptoms observed in the study participants could partly be explained by the anti-oxidative effect of lycopene. Stress plays a major part in hot flushes and night sweats. Tomatoes may play a role, indirectly, in keeping hot flushes at bay.
  • Women are more at risk for high triglycerides leading up to, and after, menopause, when they gain weight around the middle. Tomato juice can help with lowering serum triglyceride levels.
  • The tomato is a fantastic low-calorie vegetable as well as an excellent source of antioxidants, dietary fibre, minerals, and vitamins.
  • Do you have a recipe to share that has helped you alleviate your menopausal symptoms? I would love to hear your secrets for coping with the menopause or any tomato recipes you would like to share.

    Julie Dargan is a Nurse, Naturopath BHSc and has worked in the wellness industry for over 30 years. Julie's FREE 5 Day Kickstart Program is excellent to get you on the right track in your Guide to Healthier Eating in the Menopause. Julie also has a private Facebook group for women over 50 and looking for solutions to changes they are experiencing in their menopause journey.

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