Q I'm a 51-year-old working mom, and after coming home from overtime I keep craving sweets at night. Are there foods I especially need to watch out for during menopause?
A Refined carbs (white rice, bread, snacks), sugary drinks, and late-night overeating drive menopausal weight gain. Conversely, increasing protein, vegetables, and whole grains helps. What you add matters as much as what you cut.
Detailed Answer
During menopause, refined carbohydrates and sugar spike blood sugar quickly and are easily stored as visceral fat. Late-night overeating, alcohol, and sugary drinks are especially unfavorable. On the other hand, eating enough protein (lean meat, fish, tofu, eggs), vegetables, and whole grains keeps you fuller longer and helps maintain muscle.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
Dongjedang views craving sugar at night and repeatedly filling up as a sign that circulation is suppressed and the body is exhausted, making it hard to clear excess. Rich, sweet foods add to the stagnation. Eating plainly to accumulate less excess, and opening up suppressed circulation to revive metabolism, brings nighttime hunger and weight under control together.
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