‘Pomegranate’ in menopause, changes in the body? what about other food?

When women reach menopause, estrogen (a female hormone) which protects blood vessels, muscles and bones decreases. After the age of 40, the natural decline in muscle mass makes things worse. During this time, it is important to take care of your body, such as food choices and exercise. We have another 30 to 40 years left to live. If health is lost, the meaning of longevity disappears. Let’s find out the foods that attract attention during menopause.

◆ Phytoestrogens… Key Ingredients of Pomegranate

According to the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the representative component of pomegranate is phytoestrogen. Its chemical structure is similar to that of estrogen, so it acts similarly in the body and replenishes female hormones that gradually disappear during menopause. Pomegranate skin and seeds are high in estrogen. In order to consume pomegranate nutrients most effectively, it is good to use not only the pulp, but also the skin and seeds. Pomegranate is also cultivated in the southern part of Korea. It has a strong sour and pungent taste and is known to be superior to imported pomegranate in terms of actual pharmacological efficacy.

◆ Domestic pomegranate concentrate, improved menopausal symptoms such as bone density

According to a paper published in the Journal of the Korean Society of Food and Nutritional Science, domestic pomegranate concentrate (Goheung) was more effective in improving menopausal symptoms related to bone health such as bone density than Iranian pomegranate products. Domestic products helped with menopausal symptoms such as osteoporosis, obesity, and cardiovascular disease by reducing weight gain and visceral abdominal fat. In this study, domestic and foreign pomegranate concentrates were fed to ovariectomized animals and compared and analyzed.

◆ Relieves hypercholesterolemia and inflammation… strong antioxidant effect

Pomegranate has an excellent antioxidant effect that slows down damage and aging of the body. It is rich in anthocyanin and rich in phenol, which fights against oxidation in the body. Feeding pomegranate to mice that gained weight from a high-fat diet had an effect on alleviating tissue inflammation and hypercholesterolemia caused by gut microbes and bacteria. It also helped reduce mood disorders such as depression, one of the symptoms of menopause in women.

◆ How to eat a pomegranate?

Pomegranate is drunk as tea or made into juice. It is also eaten raw. Most of the pomegranates were imported, but recently domestic varieties are being developed and distributed. Compared to imported products, domestic products produced through environmentally friendly cultivation have larger fruits and thicker skins. When it is ripe, the skin cracks, and it is a variety with a stronger sour taste than sweetness. This is because it is high in organic acids (citric acid) which are beneficial to health.

◆ Besides pomegranate, which food has a lot of phytoestrogens?

Soybeans, kidney beans, peas, black beans, and soybean products, such as bean sprouts, tofu, and bean curd, also contain plant estrogens called isoflavones. It relieves menopausal symptoms and reduces calcium loss. It helps control blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease. Raw food is the safest. Instead of looking for expensive functional foods processed in factories, it is more efficient to eat natural foods that have been tested for a long time first.