Low-Fat Vegan Diet With Soy Reduces Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women

A secondary analysis of clinical trial data shows that menopausal women following a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans experience significant reductions in body weight and hot flash severity, even when consuming highly processed plant-based foods. These findings were published online in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.

Plant-based diet effects independent of processing level

Previous research has established that low-fat vegan diets can reduce body weight and alleviate hot flashes in menopausal women. It is also known that diets high in ultraprocessed foods often lead to increased calorie intake and weight gain compared with diets emphasizing unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Ultraprocessed foods tend to have higher energy density and contain more added sugars, unhealthy fats and sodium, while providing less fiber and essential nutrients.

To explore the influence of food origin and processing, researchers conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Participants were assigned to either a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans or an omnivorous control group. Both groups had comparable numbers and severity of hot flashes at baseline.

After 12 weeks, the vegan group showed a 92% reduction in severe hot flashes and lost an average of 3.6 kg in body weight. The control group showed no significant change in hot flashes and a 0.2 kg decrease in weight. Importantly, these benefits were observed regardless of whether participants consumed highly processed or minimally processed plant-based foods. The study found that whether the food was animal- or plant-based was more important than its level of processing in influencing weight and hot flash outcomes.

Implications for dietary recommendations in menopause

This analysis suggests that plant-based diets rich in soy may offer menopausal women effective management of hot flashes and body weight regardless of food processing. The results may inform future dietary guidelines for this population.

Reference: Kahleova H, Znayenko-Miller T, Jayaraman A, et al. Processed foods in the context of a vegan diet, and changes in body weight and severe hot flashes in postmenopausal women: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Menopause. 2025. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002563

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

This content includes text that has been generated with the assistance of AI. Technology Networks' AI policy can be found here.