HOW DOES DAIRY EFFECT YOUR MENOPAUSE

Should I be eating cheese as I get older? 

I thought I’d share an article I read in the latest Modern Medicine Magazine. It relates to dairy and women’s health, to weight management, inflammation and menopausal symptoms.

It states that 43% of menopausal women globally are thought to be obese. That’s not a great figure ( or figure 😉). On average women can put on 2.25 kg during menopause. Dairy is nutrient dense, contains calcium, short chain fatty acids besides, proteins,  minerals, vitamins and pro-biotics all of which have been shown to lower the risk of putting on weight.

Tissue breakdown occurs during menopause which is where the intake of protein from cheese and yoghurt can have a positive  effect. But taking care to modify the diet and not to also increase the intake of carbs.

Calcium stimulates the breakdown and excretion of fat. A higher intake of calcium from dairy products is associated with a lower overall body fat percentage ( Cifuentes et al)

The short chain fatty acids in cheese and sour cream ( fermented dairy products)  have been shown to have a positive effect on inflammation. The same does not apply to cream and butter ( not fermented)

The Vitamin D in dairy can improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms.

Trytophan is an amino acid found in dairy that is a precursor to melatonin which can directly effect sleep.

And then of course the pro-biotics found in yoghurt, maas and some cheeses have a huge effect on your health. Read all about it in my blog here  https://www.finestkind.co.za/gut-health-benefits-of-yoghurt/

The article concludes that dairy products contributes to bone health, cardiovascular disease, weight management in menopausal women. The article is an Initiative by the consumer Education Project of Milk SA.

All of the above nutrients are of course also available from other foods. For instance soy beans and endamame  have a high concentrations of tryptophan.  On the other hand there are not many vegetables that contain a high concentration of bioavailable calcium. So cheese and yoghurt are a kind of “one stop shop”  for all the nutrients. And making ones own artisanal products from fresh full cream milk is good for ones general sense of well being, ones health and ones sense of achievement.