7 foods that may fight hot flashes

You might already know that what you eat can trigger things like heartburn or bloating. But your diet can also trigger hot flashes — things like your favorite curry dish or (apologies in advance) your morning cup of coffee. On the flip side, though, there are foods that may help with hot flashes. While no food can completely eliminate menopause symptoms, there are some that show promise for easing hot flashes and night sweats. Bonus: They’re good for you in their own right. Here’s what might be worth adding to your diet during menopause, and how to get more of it.

What are hot flashes?

Hot flashes are short, sudden bursts of warmth. Their intensity can vary — they can make you feel a little sweaty or like you’re sitting beside a furnace — and they can happen anytime, even in the middle of the night. To blame? Your hormones. The loss of estrogen during menopause “can affect the way our bodies regulate our internal body temperature,” says Dr. Camille Moreno, D.O., the medical director of the Midlife Women’s Health and Menopausal Medicine program at the University of Utah. As that regulation gets harder, your body temperature goes through dramatic swings.

Causes of hot flashes

Hot flashes are caused by the drop in estrogen that happens throughout menopause. Estrogen plays a big role in regulating your body temperature, and when its levels dip, it gets harder for your body to maintain a comfortable temperature. While hot flashes can happen out of nowhere, there are a ton of lifestyle and behavioral habits that can trigger hot flashes, with your diet being one of the most frequent offenders, according to Moreno. While it really varies person to person, there are certain triggers that come up often among her patients. “This can be alcohol, spicy food, sometimes too much caffeine, and hot beverages or foods,” Moreno says.

As far as your lifestyle, even just being in a hot environment can set off a hot flash. The same goes for exercise, both more strenuous kinds like hiking and running and gentle exercise, like hot yoga, can cause hot flashes in some people.

7 foods that help with hot flashes

First, a quick disclaimer: While loading your plate with certain foods might offer some relief for hot flashes, they’re best paired with other treatment options, like hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also known as menopause hormone therapy (MHT). “If you compare the efficacy rates between prescription options versus lifestyle, lifestyle is not as effective,” says Moreno.

Also, keep in mind that when it comes to the research, the results have been mixed. “There's a lot of data that says there's a real benefit in [certain foods] reducing the intensity and the frequency of high flashes,” says dietitian Stacey Raza, LDN, who is also a Certified Menopause Practitioner by The Menopause Society. “But for every positive study, there's going to be one that says they’re no better than a placebo.”

However, this may be one of those “why not?” situations. Many of the best foods for hot flashes are packed with nutrients and are a good part of a well-balanced diet, whether they end up relieving your hot flashes or not. With that said, here are seven foods to consider.

Soy products

Foods made from soy, like tofu, edamame, and tempeh, are among the most popular foods to fight hot flashes — and for good reason. Soy products contain isoflavone, which is a phytoestrogen (a.k.a. a plant-based estrogen). “They don't have the same chemical structure as estradiol, which is what the ovaries produce in premenopausal women, but because soy has estrogen-like properties, it may help hot flashes,” says Moreno.

Anecdotally, the results have been mixed. “I know plenty of women who it has helped, and plenty who it hasn't,” says Raza. As for research, one small study of 34 women looked at postmenopausal women who had at least two hot flashes a day. Those who ate a half-cup of soybeans daily for 12 weeks experienced fewer and less intense hot flashes (but the soybeans were paired with a low-fat, plant-based diet, so it’s unclear what exactly drove those results). In contrast, one 2024 meta-analysis showed that soy isoflavones had no impact on vasomotor symptoms during menopause.

The good news is that soy can also be a great source of protein. Raza recommends trying soy milk (it’s delicious in your coffee) as well as tofu, which you can blend into smoothies without affecting their taste.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and, most importantly for hot flashes, lignans, which is another type of phytoestrogen. A meta-review of the data found that eating flaxseeds may reduce the frequency of hot flashes, but the results weren’t statistically significant.

That said, flaxseeds have a ton of health benefits on their own, and those may translate to an improvement in hot flashes. “We know that flaxseed reduces inflammation [your body’s immune response to injury or illness] through omega-3 fatty acids,” says Raza. “It also helps regulate blood sugar through fiber.” Research has linked high inflammation in the body with worse menopause symptoms. Try throwing these little seeds into a smoothie or stirring them into oatmeal.

Fatty cold-water fish

Oily fish, like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, could be beneficial against hot flashes because they’re rich in vitamin B6 and omega-3 fatty acids. One study found that people who got their vitamin B6 by eating oily fish were able to reduce the severity of their hot flashes. To that end, “I don't think we can say that with hard evidence that if you increase your omega-3 fatty acids you'll decrease your hot flashes,” says Raza. But again, eating more fish is good for your overall health.

Fruits and vegetables

Eating more produce is a good idea no matter what, especially during menopause. A 2020 study found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables had lower instances of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes. It’s not surprising to Raza, seeing as hot flashes seem to be interconnected with inflammation. “These predominantly plant-forward, high fiber, low-fat diets help you control blood sugar and dampen inflammation,” she says.

Herbal teas

One small study found that people who had herbal tea capsules (a pill containing 450 mg of an unspecified herbal tea) reduced their hot flashes. This is likely because chamomile, fennel, and other common ingredients in herbal tea have phytoestrogen properties, so they mimic the behavior of estrogen but at a much lower level. While the study looked at capsules, drinking herbal tea could theoretically have a benefit — especially if caffeine triggers your hot flashes and you’re having this decaf tea instead of coffee.

Avocados

Whether spread on toast or smashed into guacamole, avocados are a great source of healthy fats. They’re also a natural source of vitamin E — one meta-analysis showed that when healthy fats and vitamin E are combined, they may reduce the intensity of hot flashes, compared to a control. Like a lot of foods, there’s no direct link between avocados and hot flashes just yet — so eat them because they’re delicious and nutritious, and consider any improvements in hot flashes an added perk.

Managing hot flash symptoms

Managing hot flash symptoms with your diet can help, but there are other science-backed approaches you can take. Here’s what the experts recommend:

• Hormone therapy: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is prescription medication which involves supplementing your estrogen and, often, progesterone levels via a pill, patch, or topical cream, is an effective way to treat hot flashes. It helps estrogen stay at more consistent levels, which can reduce hot flashes.

• Non-hormonal medications: Veozah is a medication that was FDA approved in 2023 to treat moderate to severe hot flashes. It blocks a receptor in the brain that plays a role in regulating your body temperature. It’s new and therefore not always covered by insurance, says Moreno, so doctors sometimes instead prescribe low doses of antidepressants off-label, as they have been shown to ease hot flashes.

• Tracking your triggers: Since hot flash triggers are very individual, you might need some trial and error to figure out what might be causing yours. Raza recommends starting a symptom diary in which you track what you ate or did before a hot flash started. That way, “you can see the cause and effect,” she says. Once you determine your triggers, you can then try to avoid them as much as possible.

• Weight management: In people who have overweight or obesity, studies have shown losing weight can help hot flashes become less intense. The exact reason is unclear — and other factors unrelated to weight, like better mental health resulting from regular exercise during the study, could have also played a role. A weight-loss program like WeightWatchers might help if you’re looking to maintain a healthy weight throughout menopause.
  
  For help determining which hot flash treatment is right for you, meet virtually with a clinician at WeightWatchers Clinic for Menopause. They will be able to go over your health history and prescribe medications like HRT if appropriate. You’ll also get help sticking with your healthy lifestyle goals, including diet and exercise, that can help with hot flashes.

The bottom line

Hot flashes are the most common menopause symptom in women, so it's not surprising that people are looking for all kinds of ways to improve them. While medication like HRT is proven to help, some foods may also reduce their frequency or severity. These include healthy foods like flaxseed, fatty fish, leafy greens, and fruit. Some help by mimicking estrogen’s action in your body, others by reducing overall inflammation. Many foods don’t have a ton of research backing up their ability to improve hot flashes, but they all are good additions to a healthy diet regardless.