When I was transitioning into menopause, I remember my doctor laying particular emphasis on fluid intake. She gave me a number, two liters of fluid a day – amounting to 12 cups on average. While researching, I learned that the estimated fluid intake is 15.5 cups for males and 11.5 cups for females. That’s close to what my doctor suggested to me as well.
Keeping myself hydrated was one of the most essential things on my to-do list. During the transition phase, it was more important, especially during the perspiration after a hot flash episode would leave me dehydrated to a greater extent. Besides water, I added herbal teas and healthy juices to my diet and eliminated unhealthy drinks like alcohol and carbonated beverages.
Are you nearing menopause? Do you want to know some of the best drinks that would help you when you are transitioning into menopause? Do give my article a read, then. I have included a comprehensive list of some of the drinks that you could have in the menopausal phase. I have even provided answers to some of the frequently asked questions.
The Best Drinks to Choose During Menopause to Feel Rejuvenated
Certain drinks are immensely effective in helping you manage several symptoms of menopause. They’ll make you feel rejuvenated and better.
Let us take a look at some of them:
1. Water
It might seem quite obvious to you, yet when mentioning the drinks to have during menopause, water will always be on top of the list. Over 80% of women experience hot flashes in menopause[1]. As mentioned above, 11.5 cups is the estimated water intake for women. If you cannot drink that much, try to drink about eight glasses of water daily. It may help minimize episodes of hot flashes. Also, drinking water when hot flashes have begun will help you feel better. I always kept a cold water bottle handy since the time I started experiencing hot flashes. It cooled me down and provided instant relief.
Dry, itchy, and wrinkled skin is common in menopause due to the reduced estrogen levels. Drinking adequate water will help you stay hydrated. It will also help to keep your skin moisturized.
Stress and anxiety are pretty common in menopausal women, mainly due to fluctuating hormone levels. Water cannot cure depression and anxiety. Yet, staying hydrated could help alleviate the symptoms to a greater extent, which are responsible for triggering your anxiety levels. If you sometimes find regular water bland, you may go for flavored ones.
Adding a pinch of lemon to water and drinking it would be refreshing. That’s one of my favorites, too. Lemon juice helps to lessen hot flashes and even regulates glucose levels.
2. Buttermilk
Another relieving drink for menopause is buttermilk, which is immensely helpful in minimizing hot flashes. Buttermilk has cooling properties, capable of reducing body heat. If you are troubled with episodes of hot flashes, you can add buttermilk to your list of drinks that may give you relief.
Buttermilk will not just help you to cope with your hot flashes. It has other health benefits as well. It is effective in maintaining the water balance and lessening dehydration. Buttermilk also helps in digestion and boosts metabolism because of its lactic acid and healthy bacteria content.
In menopause, you will not just experience hot flashes; there are other problems, such as bloating and indigestion, to name a few. So, drinking buttermilk will help you remain hydrated and healthy. Including a cube or two of ice will be a bonus. That’s how I drink buttermilk in summer.
3. Iced Tea
If drinking tea is something you cannot avoid, then consider switching to colder versions of the beverage rather than having it hot.
An iced tea will be a great and healthy option. Its cooling effect and hydrating properties will help maintain your body temperature, especially if you are troubled by frequent hot flashes. You could replace sugar with honey, stevia, or jaggery for a healthier drink. Iced tea has always been refreshing for me.
4. Kokum Juice
Kokum, a popular Indian food, has a bright red coloration. Rich in vitamins and minerals, kokum comes with various health benefits. It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help to manage rheumatic pains. Kokum is a rich source of antioxidants, helping prevent sagging and wrinkling skin.
Dry skin and reduced bone health are common during menopause. Having kokum juice will help to a great extent. Moreover, kokum also has coolant properties, which help lessen your body’s heat. So, this drink is also an effective remedy to manage hot flashes.
5. Tomato Juice
Another effective remedy that will help manage menopausal symptoms is tomato juice. A study conducted on 95 women aged between 40 and 60 showed that some ingredients in tomato juice effectively alleviated anxiety and other symptoms of menopause.
The benefits of herbal teas in boosting our health aren’t unknown. When it comes to menopause, some herbal teas help to a great extent. Let us take a look at some of them. When I had to do away with coffee since it worsened my hot flashes, I shifted to herbal teas for a healthier option.
6. Ginseng tea
When it comes to reducing menopause symptoms, ginseng is highly effective. The health benefits of ginseng were showcased through different studies. One study conducted in 2021 on 90 women who had reached the postmenopause stage deduced the benefits of ginseng in improving the symptoms of women with osteopenia[2]. Osteopenia is when the body loses the capacity to make new bones quickly.
Ginseng has also significantly helped to lessen the incidences of hot flashes, as established through a particular study[3]. In another study in 2012, the positive effects of red ginseng in lessening the risks of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women were highlighted[4].
However, if you are on blood thinners or are having medicines for diabetes and blood pressure, it is advisable to consult the doctor before consuming ginseng extracts.
7. Black Cohosh Root tea
Black cohosh root is effective for menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness, night sweats, hot flashes, anxiety, etc. A study found the benefits of black cohosh in managing symptoms of women who experienced menopause early, between 40 and 45 years[5].
Another study that had 120 menopausal women as participants showed that black cohosh extracts were more effective than the antidepressant fluoxetine in treating night sweats, hot flashes, and other menopause symptoms[6].
Black cohosh root extracts are mostly consumed as herbal infusions. However, some even prefer to take it in the pill form. Black cohosh is considered a safe substitute for hormone replacement therapy.
Pregnant women or those being treated for liver or blood pressure problems should refrain from having this extract in any form.
8. Red Raspberry Leaf tea
This tea doesn’t have any direct impact on alleviating menopause symptoms. However, it helps manage heavy menstrual flow, which one is likely to experience in the perimenopause phase when the period and flow become irregular. It would help to be cautious with this tea because of its mild diuretic and laxative properties.
9. Red Clover Tea
When you are on the lookout for a healthy drink to manage your menopause symptoms, you cannot ignore the effectiveness of red clover tea. It has been found that red clover contains the phytoestrogen isoflavone, which has estrogen-like properties.
Thus, it is beneficial in managing the hormonal imbalances one is susceptible to during the menopause transition and menopause phase. It is also said to improve symptoms of vaginal dryness and hot flashes women suffer during this time. However, the effectiveness of red clover tea in managing menopausal symptoms is said to be mild.
10. Dong Quai Tea
Dong quai doesn’t have phytoestrogens. However, it has some properties that effectively balance and maintain estrogen levels, which dip drastically during and after menopause. A study conducted on 55 women in the postmenopausal phase showed that combining dong quai with chamomile would help to lessen hot flashes by about 96%[7].
11. Green Tea
The benefits of green tea in managing menopause are umpteen. In perimenopause and menopause phases, reduced estrogen levels result in weakening and loss of bones. It could trigger osteoporosis and other bone-related disorders.
A study in 2009 showed the usefulness of green tea in strengthening bones and lessening the risks of fractures that women are prone to in menopause[8]. Matcha, a green tea variety, is effective in managing menopausal symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These benefits of green tea perhaps drew more women to it, particularly those who had already crossed the menopause phase. I was reading the findings of a study the other day, which showed around 33.3% of women had green tea daily in the postmenopause phase. Contrastingly, only 21% of women in premenopause took to green tea.
12. Ginkgo Biloba Tea
Gingko biloba contains phytoestrogens, which mimic the functions of estrogens, helping to manage hormonal imbalances. It is, therefore, helpful to lessen symptoms like hot flashes, anxiety, etc., common in menopause. If you are already on blood clotting medications, you should not have this tea, as it could result in blood clotting.
13. Licorice Tea
Licorice root helps to reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes since it has phytoestrogen and can, therefore, exhibit estrogen-like properties. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties of licorice root make it helpful in treating respiratory tract infections and digestive ailments.
In menopause, your overall health gets immensely affected, so drinking this tea will help to provide relief to a greater extent.
FAQs
It is safe to limit and lessen caffeine consumption in the menopause transition phase and menopause.
A study conducted recently with 2507 menopausal women as participants showed that women who had an increased caffeine consumption were more likely to be affected with vasomotor symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes[9]. So, minimizing the caffeine intake and switching to healthier options is recommended.
Nothing gave me more pleasure than a cup of coffee. I would have not less than four cups a day. But the equation changed when I experienced my first hot flashes. I realised that besides hot foods, even coffee aggravated my symptoms. That was it. I decided to cut down my coffee intake from four to a single cup a day.
Menopausal women are already susceptible to a whole lot of health problems. Drinking alcohol could aggravate their symptoms and put them at a greater risk of several health conditions.
Medical experts suggest that limiting alcohol intake to no more than a drink each day will be better. My doctor once said that alcohol worsens hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms rather than doing any good.
Conclusion
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and imbibing adequate food habits will boost your overall health before and after menopause.
Besides the drinks mentioned above, you could always try out coolants that will help you maintain your body temperature. If pina colada is your favorite, you could make something similar at home – a healthier version. Add frozen banana, pineapple, and coconut milk, and have a delicious smoothie.