NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS HOW WOMEN IN LONDON FEEL ABOUT MENOPAUSE

New research released today by The Coconut Collab, the UK’s leading coconut-based yoghurt brand, highlights that women in London feel confused, unsupported and uninformed about menopause – including the role that nutrition plays at this time of life.

The research finds that almost a quarter (23%) of women in London do not understand how their nutritional needs change during the menopause, while over half (55%) confess that they do not or did not know how to prepare for menopause, and almost half (44%) feel let down by the level of information on menopause available.

It also highlights that more needs to be done to help women through what can be a challenging time, with only 25% feeling they have been fully supported, while 39% admit to finding the messaging presented on social media conflicting.

Furthermore, the data also demonstrates that conversations around the menopause should take place earlier, with almost 63% feeling that these conversations should start by the age of 30 – despite this, a fifth (21%) are not starting to have these conversations until at least 40.

As most of us spend the day at work, this can be a difficult situation to navigate for women going through menopause, with only 31% believing that their workplace is knowledgeable and understanding about it. Shockingly, of those who have, or are going through menopause, 37% of women in London have felt pressured to hide symptoms of menopause at work.

Women surveyed have shared their thoughts on improvements that workplaces can introduce; for example, flexible working (64%), provisions of information and training on the menopause and symptoms for all staff and senior members (47%) and providing access to nutritious convenience food (31%).

This research comes as The Coconut Collab launches its new Protein Yog – a deliciously thick and creamy plant-powered yog that delivers 10g or protein per serving. Available in Tesco and Ocado now (RRP. £2.75, 350g), the Protein Yog is an enticing coconut-based yog that is naturally low in sugar but high in protein, creating an easy and delicious way to increase your protein intake, providing natural plant-powered protein (from Soy and Almond) with all nine essential amino acids.

Unbeknownst to many, protein can be a game-changing tool in your nutrition toolkit, at all stages of life but particularly during menopause: it’s key to helping prevent muscle loss, mitigating weight gain, regulating blood sugar and making key hormones. Despite this, over a quarter (28%) of women in London did not realise that their recommended protein intake changes at menopause. Leading Nutritionist and Menopause Specialist Emma Bardwell says:

“If you follow me on social media, you’ll know I’m evangelical about protein and its wide-ranging health benefits. And yet I still see so many women who simply aren’t eating enough of it. Protein is a game changing tool to have in your nutrition toolkit. In fact, if there’s just one thing you do today to benefit how you feel tomorrow, I suggest increasing the amount of protein you consume – which is why I’m so thrilled to be supporting the launch of The Coconut Collab’s new Protein Yog, which offers a really delicious and simple way to add plant-based protein into your daily diet.”

To help empower women and equip them with tools and information on nutrition that can support them during menopause, Emma has put together five key tips on adding protein into your daily diet:

1. “Add to your diet, don’t take away. Menopause is not a time to be restricting and feeling deprived, even if you are noticing changes in body composition and want to do something about managing your weight. Think about generous, hearty meals that harness the power of protein, but which still taste really good: ingredients such as lentils, yoghurt, eggs, edamame beans, cheese, salmon and tofu.”

2. “Whether you choose to eat breakfast at 7am or 11am, your first meal is, in many ways, the most important. Try to eat something protein-rich to really set your energy and mood for the rest of the day. We know that higher protein foods fill you up and banish cravings by down-regulating the hunger hormone, ghrelin. Protein can also help stabilise blood glucose levels, staving off the dreaded post lunch slump and ‘hangry’ irritability that often show up when we don’t eat nutritionally balanced meals.”

3. “Mix up your sources so you get plenty of variety. Most of us know about animal protein, but plant protein has additional benefits such as phytoestrogens (shown to help some women manage symptoms such as hot flushes) and shouldn’t be forgotten. Try a soya-based yoghurt such as The Coconut Collab’s Protein Yog mixed with a tablespoon of chia seeds and a splash of soya milk, topped with berries and a drizzle of nut butter – delicious, fuss-free and ridiculously easy to throw together.”

4. “Eating more protein can help your body recover more efficiently after exercise. Not only does it help strengthen bones, it also plays a role in keeping age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) at bay. But it isn’t just for fitness gains. Protein has benefits for everyone who wants to feel and live their best life. There are lots of confusing, not to mention conflicting, messages about how much protein you should be consuming. As a nice simple guide, think about a palm or first sized portion with every meal.”

5. “The beauty of plant protein is that it goes beyond just protein! It contains fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, plus is generally low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Think legumes (beans, peas, lentils), soya products (yoghurt, tofu, tempeh, edamame beans), grains (quinoa, freekeh), and nuts and seeds. Some plant proteins such as soya have been linked with lower levels of cardiovascular disease and may even protect against some forms of cancer, so it really is an ingredient worth watching.”

The Coconut Collab’s Protein Yog (RRP. £2.75, 350g), is available from Tesco and Ocado now.