Nuts and Seeds

[PolaDeVeboise]

I'm looking to be a bit more healthy, and have Greek yog with honey for my breakfast. I'd like to sprinkle some nuts and seeds too - are there any in particular that are better for menopausal women?

I would avoid dairy.
But on the nuts seeds question, look up the omega 6 and 3 content. Chia, hemp have high omega 3, whereas sunflower and pumpkin high in omega 6. You need more omega 3.

Yogurt, honey and seeds is one of my favourite breakfasts. I can’t help with specifics re nuts/seeds and menopause, but I can tell you what I do to try to make it healthy.

I always choose full fat yogurt. I use Greek cause it tastes better. I stir in some plain kefir yogurt so it becomes a regular source of fermented food.

I stated off with a bag of mixed seeds bag which I put in Tupperware. Since then I top up with different seeds each time. There’s probably about six or seven different varieties at the moment. I’m always trying to get as much variety as possible into my diet, rather than seek out specific superfoods.

Then honey, if I was richer I would buy local but I’m not! Peanut butter is a good addition - only works if you buy the squeezy bottle though. Occasionally, I’ll add a bit of chopped up banana too.

Flaxseeds and linseeds are good and are suggested to help with meno symptoms. They are actually the same thing but some brands list as one or the other!

Agree with @sofabedsofa

To make it easy for yourself, buy a mixed seed pack (at most supermarkets) and add in anything extra. I buy mixed seeds and add chia seeds.

As someone else said, sunflower seeds aren't great as they are Omega 6 (as is sunflower oil- it's not that healthy) but they are in most packets of mixed seeds.
To be 'healthy' we need the right balance of 3: 6, (more 3 than 6) and many foods are omega 6.

It doesn't bother me that much as it's a tiny amount and I don't eat anything else sunflower, and get omega 3 from other foods.

Not sure why a PP said avoid dairy. It's hard to get enough calcium otherwise ( I know- I'm a bit dairy intolerant) and you need 700- 1000mgs a day.

You could also try adding almond or peanut butter into the yoghurt (or just eating it out of the jar!) I do!

Be careful with honey- it's really just sugar and no real health benefits. Body processes it like any sucrose/ glucose.

Yes I was going to say flaxseeds/linseeds, golden. I grind them at home and sprinkle on things, I have a bit every day.
it’s not hard to get enough calcium without dairy, I’ve not had dairy for decades now and have intermittent testing and everything is good, bones are great! People are at greater risk of a vitamin D deficiency, which is necessary for proper calcium absorption so don’t forget to check yours and see if you need a supplement.

it’s not hard to get enough calcium without dairy, I’ve not had dairy for decades now and have intermittent testing

Testing of what? calcium or bone health?

It would be really great if you could list what you suggest to get 700-1000mgs of calcium without eating fortified foods with added calcium (eg soya yogurts) as it's pretty hard for some people who can't tolerate lots of beans, don't want sardines daily, or don't want to eat vegan substitutes made from soy.

Yes I do testing of calcium included in my testing and DEXA etc no indication I have any nutrition issues at all.

Are you asking because you want help or are you asking to prove it’s not possible? I don’t eat in any special or labour intensive way. I eat a mostly whole foods plant based diet and it’s been doing the trick for me, my 6 ft husband and our children, all older teens/adults vegan from birth. I studied nutrition but you don’t need to to eat a varied healthy diet vegan or not.

Do you go privately for your scans (and are you in the UK)? This is of interest as I'm always suggesting women do this (I've had DEXAs for over 15 years privately) but on the NHS it isn't possible unless women have a fracture history or a huge risk profile. And many women can't afford the cost.

I'm just wondering why you have them (if that's not being nosy!)

I am interested genuinely in diet, although I've done a lot of research myself (ROS diet lists etc) and also (professionally) have written health guidance. But on a personal level I find it quite hard to do it daily, as I have various intolerances.

I initially had extensive testing due to unexplained illness, I felt like a pin cushion! I had to do those weird iodine loading tests etc and DEXA, which I redo now because I had to go private for my HRT ( Newson organise DEXA & uterus scans etc ) Even if I could get them on NHS I imagine the wait would be long, and if I can afford to I prefer private as I have a thyroid condition and I can’t be bothered trying to deal with the NHS with that again! I like Medichecks for nutrition testing, if I’m organising myself. Some are quite pricey though, so I opted to cover the nutrients I think I’m more likely to need to check- like iron… I have had several diff thyroid specialists and some organise for you, some allow you to choose. Because I had the symptoms of perimenopause for so long before HRT I think my private Dr was worried about my bones. I have always exercised, lots of weight bearing stuff and running, so I do think exercising well before we get to this age helps with bone health.
I checked my magnesium recently for the first time since I was sick years ago, and it was at the higher end. What was interesting was I had months before started taking magnesium to help me sleep and with anxiety because lots of women on forums said it was helping them. I then got rolling panic attacks and felt worse. So I think I got too much of it, as too much can cause anxiety and panic as well as palpitations which I had. I just thought I’d mention here as lots of us in menopause take it thinking we must need it and it is something you can get too much of.
Oh and I understand the hassle with intolerances, I react to gluten I think because of my thyroid, I hate it! It’s a real pain. I react to heavily refined things in general, Inc soy, but I am fine with tofu tempeh soy milk, just not refined isoflavones

You've had a tough time @Whaeanui !
At least it seems you are on the right path now.

My DEXA scans are arranged through my gynae as I had severe osteopenia for no obvious reason, before I was post meno. It's now been reversed more or less, with HRT , diet and exercise, but I do have to watch that I get enough calcium and I can't tolerate beans (or a lot of dairy) as they just upset my guts, hugely, for a day or two, which is a shame as I love them.

That’s a real shame. My mum is like that too, and is quite ill if she eats dairy or too much fibre, or any red meat- she used to be a farmer! I know there is something you can take if beans disagree with you, is it Beano? I mean, you can’t have hummus!

I have a kilner jar of flax, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, chia, sesame and hemp seeds, and another jar of almonds, walnuts, pecans, brazils, hazelnuts, cashews and pistachios.

I generally have the seeds with greek yogurt and fruit, or sprinkled on a savoury dish, and the nuts I eat with a chopped pear and a couple of squares of dark chocolate.

Between the nuts and seeds I add 14 different plants to my intake each week (I try to do the 30 plants a week challenge).

Be very careful with linseeds as too many do have a laxative effect as I unfortunately found out..

Oh no! They’re not super delicious so how did you eat so many!!

be careful not to exceed rec dosage of Brazil nuts too, they’re super high in selenium which is great but just 4 is too much so I keep it to one a day- which is enough selenium also,

They were in a pack of mixed seeds so I had about 3 or 4 bowls of microwaved porridge with them on with honey over 2 days because I have food issues & couldn't be bothered to cook. So a bit stupid really.

I LOVE hummus but it doesn't love me. I have even made my own as I can't tolerate garlic, but it has the same effect- pain, wind and worse :(

I’m sorry that’s awful! What about that aubergine dip? Or isn’t there a sweet potato hummus? Not really hummus without a bean but might be nice? Never tried it and maybe the tahini would cause an issue, but:

https://www.asweetpeachef.com/sweet-potato-hummus/#wprm-recipe-container-28027

Great idea- thanks! I eat a lot of sweet potatoes anyway and aubergines once a week usually so will def try that.

The last time I made chick pea & spinach curry a few months ago I had pain that was worse than labour pains! It's so annoying as I could eat gallons of hummus!

Must be a fibre issue, quantity or type? We call sweet potato ‘Kumara’ ( Koo-ma-ra ) in NZ 😊 it is a great healthy food to eat, especially the purple one. I should try growing it.

My 1st thought was that nuts & seeds & greek yogurt are all calorific and low fibre for the amount of calories taken in. If you had banana, peaches, mango, or dried fruit instead of honey (or even jam instead of honey) you'd be getting some fibre back in, but more nutrients per calorie than honey.

Canned mango is surprisingly cheap. Given the Greek yogurt is a similar balance of fats & protein to seeds/nuts, I'd only add in the seeds/nuts if I liked the resulting texture.

It would depend with nuts & seeds. Flaxseeds are 29% carbs, 95% of which is fibre. The NHS even suggests nuts as a good snack with a good amount of fibre.

Nuts and seeds are very high in fibre. And it's also about variety of the Omega 3 fats. Greek yoghurt isn't high in calories at all. It is high in protein= good!
The fruits you suggest are all very high in sugar. Dried fruit has double the amount of sugar compared to the fresh version (eg a fig).

Mangos
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-fruit-sugar#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20one%20mango%20has,save%20the%20rest%20for%20later.

Seeds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/seeds

Greek yoghurt is cow's milk fat, seeds and nuts are plant fats- omega 3.

It's been proven that people who eat nuts every day are slimmer than non-nut eaters. https://news.sky.com/story/eating-more-nuts-could-slow-weight-gain-researchers-say-11817911

Google says ... 20g of flaxseed is 107 kcal, 5 g of fiber
120 g of banana is 107 kcal, 3 g of fiber

Thing is, 120g of banana is just plain nicer. If you like bananas at all, anyway.

It's not about calories , the articles are about the health benefits of nuts and seeds - the Omega 3 and antioxidants. But even if it was about calories, you don't have to eat 20gms. Eat a smaller amount.😊

i suggested OP swap the honey for fruit. Does honey or fruit have more antioxidants, per 100 kcal?

What I do is make a batch of my smoothie. Oats, protein powder, berries, a few banana slices, spinach, flax, walnuts, almonds, chia made on water. Roughly a 200 ml glass per day. It keeps great in the fridge with just a stir to return to consistency. I make about 1.5 litres at a time (that's what the blender holds) and decant into soup mugs with lock lids, and keep in the fridge. Will do me for 7 days and only takes a few minutes to prepare. I have it for breakfast and keeps me going for hours.

Baby spinach can be frozen as it is, I just take a handful from the freezer, same for the berries and banana. I've cracked it now after a few months faffing around!