9 types of food that provide comfort during hot flashes

We can all remember times when our lives have felt like giant dumpster fires, but it's a different thing to feel like you, yourself, are one. Hot flashes are one of the most uncomfortable symptoms of perimenopause. Yet there's one surprising source of help: Foods that keep you more comfortable.

Hot flashes—officially called vasomotor menopausal symptoms—come on with little warning. These scorching power surges can keep you up at night (the dreaded night sweats), leaving you and your mattress topper soaked. If this is what they mean by "Hot girl summer," we'd rather not. 

Hot flashes (or hot flushes) are often described as a feeling of intense heat in the upper body that sends a hot feeling up through your chest, neck, and face. They can occur over two years or more, varying in frequency intensity from mild to call-the-fire-department. If you lose too much body heat, you may then feel chilled, which is … wait for it … a cold flash. 

The exact interplay of estrogen and hot flashes isn't entirely understood, but they may be an indicator of your body trying to help itself function as it always has. As estrogen falls, nerve cells in the brain get overstimulated and affect the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. That means even when your body is at a normal temperature, the brain continues to turn the temperature up and down, causing hot flashes, explains Yves-Richard Dole, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

Hone Health understands that knowing what causes hot flashes is cold comfort to the roughly 75 percent of women who experience them.

9 Types of Foods That Fight Hot Flashes

It shouldn't shock you that many of the foods we already know are healthy are also foods that help with menopause hot flashes. To be clear, these are not magic: Don't think of them as foods that get rid of hot flashes in one meal. Rather, a perimenopause diet that includes these types of foods has been shown to help.

"Make sure to consume a diet rich in protein, fresh fruits, and vegetables," says Neha Lalani, M.D., a board-certified endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist who practices at Bluebonnet Diabetes & Endocrinology, in Austin, Texas. Not only does research show that this can help with hot flashes, but it also has a positive impact on blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduces inflammation, lowers the incidence of breast cancer and type 2 diabetes, increases lifespan, and promotes healthy aging, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

1. Soy

Soy contains soy isoflavones, naturally occurring plant compounds that bind to estrogen receptors in the body. Soy, a phytoestrogen, acts somewhat like hormonal estrogen in the body, helping to smooth out the ups and downs that lead to hot flashes. 

Clinical studies show that women who eat 20 grams to 60 grams of soy per day experience less intense and fewer hot flashes, according to Mount Sinai Medical School. You can eat soy in a range of ways: edamame, tofu, tempeh, soy milk and cheese, miso paste—even soy oil. Whole soybean foods like soy milk have the most soy isoflavones.

2. Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are at very low levels in plants, so to get measurable hot-flash-reducing effects, you need to eat them regularly. Good sources of phytoestrogen include: 

• Flaxseeds 
• Dried fruit, especially dates, prunes, and apricots
• Fruits, such as peaches, berries, grapes, and apples
• Lentils
• Mung beans
• Alfalfa
• Wheat germ
• Garlic
• Sesame seeds
• Grains—Wheat, rye, oats, and barley
• Dairy—cow's milk, yogurt, and butter

3. Cooling foods

Traditional Chinese medicine advocates "cooling foods," which some women swear by as a natural remedy for hot flashes during menopause. The idea is that when your body is too hot, cooling foods counteract the heat. Because of the high amount of water and fiber in these foods, and their association with anti-inflammatory effects, it certainly can't hurt to add more to your diet. According to the Cleveland Clinic, cooling foods include:

• Cucumber
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Radish
• Bok choy
• Romaine
• Watermelon
• Pears
• Apples

4. Omega-3 fatty acids

The jury is officially still out on the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids in taming hot flashes. Some studies show omega-3 supplements make no difference; others show it can help. However, overall, omega-3 fatty acids are great to include in your diet: they promote heart and brain health, fight inflammation, and may help with anxiety and depression. 

Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids—such as cold water, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocados, and walnuts—are also part of the Mediterranean diet. One study showed that women who eat the Mediterranean diet are 20 percent less likely to experience hot flashes.

5. Fruits and veggies

Colorful plates are always a good idea, but they may offer bigger benefits during this phase. One study suggests eating fruits and veggies can help with menopause weight loss and hot flashes. Aim for nutrient-rich leafy greens, berries, and citrus, and high-fiber produce, including:

• Apples
• Citrus, such as oranges and grapefruit
• Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Artichokes

6. Leafy greens

Dark leafy greens, like kale and spinach, are loaded with calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. These nutrients help support hormonal balance and overall health. Leafy greens are also particularly rich in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation.

• Kale
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Collard greens
• Mustard greens
• Bok choy

7. Complex carbs

Blood glucose spikes—high highs and low lows—and insulin resistance have been linked to more frequent and severe hot flashes. The risk for insulin resistance increases with menopause, so keeping blood sugar spikes under control is key. What spikes blood glucose? Sugar, which is found in nearly all carbs, but is the most dense in high-GI foods like soda and candy. Low-GI, fiber-dense carbs—like whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies—digest slowly, and won't spike your blood sugar. These include:

• Whole grain cereal, including oats and bran  
• Bread including whole grain, multigrain, rye, and sourdough 
• Rice including basmati, long grain, and brown rice 
• Grains such as quinoa, barley, and couscous 
• Pasta including soba noodles and rice noodles 
• Legumes, such as black beans and chickpeas 
• Nuts, such as almonds and pistachios 
• Vegetables, such as leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and green beans 
• Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squash 
• Fruits, such as apples, pears, berries, oranges, and stone fruits  

8. Herbal teas

Certain elements found in tea may assist in relieving menopause symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. For example, phytoestrogens found in herbal tea varieties like chamomile and red clover may help boost waning estrogen levels, helping to relieve flare-ups.

Another tea that's gained popularity for clearing up menopause symptoms is black cohosh. Recent research suggests some black cohosh extracts, like Remifemin, may help with hot flashes and other menopause symptoms more than others. It's not clear whether black cohosh tea has the same effect.

• Black cohosh tea
• Chamomile tea
• Red clover tea
• Sage tea
• Milk thistle tea

9. Tomato juice

Interestingly, regularly sipping on a few small cups of salted tomato juice a day has been shown to help clear up vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes. It isn't clear exactly why tomato juice helps. Researchers speculate it may be due to the high lycopene content, which is an antioxidant that may help clear up menopause-related oxidative stress. Another theory is the high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in tomatoes since gabapentin has been shown to relieve hot flashes.

Foods That Trigger Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Certain foods seem to cause hot flashes, or at least are associated with more severe symptoms. Avoid or go easy on foods that can trigger or exacerbate vasomotor menopausal symptoms, advises Lalani. Here's what science says:

Sugary foods

Menopause is associated with insulin resistance when the body's cells don't respond as well to the hormone insulin. High insulin resistance is linked to hot flashes and night sweats and puts you at risk of diabetes, according to research from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Processed foods

Research shows that women who eat more ultra-processed foods have worse hot flashes. Why? Hot flashes are related to high blood pressure and these foods tend to raise it. Experts recommend limiting the amount of baked goods, sugary drinks, fried foods, butter and margarine, and packaged and fast foods.

Spicy foods

The natural flushing and sweating associated with spicy food and peppers can trigger hot flashes. Think about your old Uncle Howie mopping his brow after demonstrating how he can handle even the spiciest of ghost peppers: Spicy and hot (temperature-wise) food and drink can cause your head, face, and neck to sweat. This is simply the body's natural response to the rise in temperature, according to the National Hyperhidrosis Society.

Caffeine

The compound that wakes you up can narrow blood vessels and raise blood pressure, which can bring on hot flashes, one 2015 study found.

Alcohol

Alcohol is known to exacerbate hot flashes and night sweats in some women, according to the Menopause Society. Exactly why you may get more hot flashes when you drink isn't known. It may be because alcohol dilates your blood vessels, raising body temperature, or it may be because alcohol disrupts hormones. 

Chocolate

We know, we know. But in addition to the caffeine in chocolate, there's also sugar, so you may be paying for your pleasure with a bit of extra heat. However, one study showed that eating a small amount of chocolate during a specific time window in the day may help postmenopausal women burn fat and decrease blood sugar. So there's that because you'd have to be superhuman to totally give up chocolate.

Of course, you can't cut out everything fun all the time, and you may not have to. Keep a diary to see which of the above has a direct effect on your hot flashes, so you know what to really stay away from. 

How Diet Decisions Turn Up the Heat

Food and diet can naturally cause hot flashes, no matter your age or sex. And during the menopause transition is no exception. 

Hunger

Some research also shows that a drop in blood glucose can trigger hot flashes. That's why some people get them when they're hungry.

Fasting

The popular practice of intermittent fasting (eating only for a certain window of time each day, or eating very little a few days a week) can have a big impact on hormones, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It reduces the amount of estrogen and progesterone in your body, which can bring on—you guessed it—hot flashes. So don't take fasting to extremes. It can be more productive to focus on what you're eating rather than when.  

Having a bigger body

Being a heavy person may or may not have to do with what you eat and how fit you are, but either way, women who are medically classed as obese are more likely to report frequent severe hot flashes than women who aren't considered overweight, according to the University of Chicago school of medicine. Conversely, weight loss is associated with a decrease in hot flashes.