Feeling stressed, moody, or like menopause is just taking over your life? What if there were a single food that could lift your mood, stabilize your blood sugar, calm your mind, and help you handle the rollercoaster of menopause with much more ease—while actually tasting delicious?
Here’s some great news: tubers are the secret magic food you’ve probably overlooked! Not only can they help you lose weight (more on that soon), but they work wonders for your mood and nervous system. Let’s break down why adding these root powerhouses to your diet just might be your new daily ritual for hormonal harmony—especially if you’re a woman over 40. (Based on the insights of Dr. Mindy Pelz)
Key Takeaways
- Tubers are root vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, turmeric, turnips, and jicama, and each color and type brings unique benefits.
- They naturally boost crucial brain chemicals (like GABA and serotonin) that help you feel calmer and happier.
- Eating tubers supports stable blood sugar, a healthy gut, and even helps your body detoxify excess estrogen.
- Getting a colorful variety is key for the best nutrient hit and gut support.
- Easy to cook and incorporate into meals, tubers are a menopause game-changer!
Keep reading to learn why tubers should be your new staple—and exactly how to use them for the smoothest menopausal experience possible!
1. Tubers Stabilize Your Blood Sugar
Balancing hormones during menopause can mean wild swings in blood sugar—and all the moodiness, cravings, and energy crashes that come with it. Tubers, thanks to their fiber content and slow-digesting carbs, help slow down sugar absorption. If you’ve ever worn a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or checked your blood sugar with a finger stick, you might notice smaller blood sugar spikes when you add a tuber to your meal. This means more even energy, less irritability, and easier weight management.
2. They Feed Your Microbiome (and That Affects Your Mood!)
Did you know your gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters that regulate happiness, calm, and emotional well-being? A balanced gut is essential, particularly as estrogen (which helps stimulate serotonin, the feel-good chemical) fluctuates and eventually declines during menopause. Tubers contain prebiotic fibers that feed healthy gut bacteria, improving their ability to produce serotonin. If you have a history of poor eating habits or long-term use of medications like birth control, your gut may be lacking. Tubers help you build a thriving microbiome, supporting mood from the inside out.
3. Promote GABA and Serotonin Synthesis Naturally
Hormones like progesterone and estrogen help your body produce “calming” and “happy” brain chemicals called GABA and serotonin. But after about age 35, as these hormones decrease, you’re left with less natural support for your mood and ner