Best Foods for Hot Flashes: A Dietitian’s Guide

Written by Emahlea Wilcher, MPH, MS, RD, LD
Registered Dietitian and Founder & CEO of New Approach Health

Food choices can support your nutrition during menopause, while evidence that particular foods reliably reduce hot flashes remains limited. A useful plan considers your nutrition needs, food preferences, symptoms, and treatment options together.

The North American Menopause Society’s 2023 position statement did not recommend dietary modification, soy foods, or soy extracts as established treatments for hot flashes.1 You can still enjoy these foods as part of meals that meet your needs.

What are hot flashes?

Hot flashes are episodes of sudden warmth that may involve sweating or flushing. During sleep, they are often called night sweats. They are common during the menopause transition and can affect sleep, comfort, and daily life.2

What are the best foods for hot flashes?

There is insufficient evidence to prescribe a universal food list for hot-flash relief. A dietitian can help you choose foods that support your broader nutrition needs while you arrange appropriate symptom care.

Meal options to discuss and adapt to your preferences include:

  • Tofu or chicken with rice and vegetables.
  • Chickpeas added to soup, a grain bowl, or a sandwich filling.
  • Yogurt or a suitable fortified alternative with fruit and oats.
  • Eggs, beans, fish, or another familiar protein food alongside a meal.

These are examples for building meals. Your allergies, medical needs, appetite, budget, and preferences help determine what works for you.

Are chickpeas high in estrogen?

Chickpeas contain plant compounds called isoflavones, which are often discussed as phytoestrogens. Laboratory research has measured these compounds in chickpea seeds and found that germination can substantially change their content.3

Measuring compounds in a food does not establish that eating it raises your estrogen level or treats hot flashes. Chickpeas can fit into your meals without requiring a particular dose or treating them as hormone therapy.

Can soy foods help with hot flashes?

Soy foods and extracts have been studied for menopausal symptoms, but the evidence has not supported recommending them as reliable hot-flash treatments.1

If you enjoy tofu, tempeh, edamame, or soy milk and they fit your medical needs, a dietitian can help you include them in your eating plan. Discuss concentrated supplements with your clinician before using them.

Should I avoid caffeine, alcohol, or spicy foods?

You can discuss any pattern you notice with your clinician. The Menopause Society identifies insufficient evidence to recommend trigger avoidance as an effective hot-flash treatment.2

If a particular food or drink consistently feels uncomfortable, bring a specific example to your appointment. A personalized discussion can help you decide whether an adjustment is useful.

How can a dietitian support me during menopause?

Nutrition care can address the practical experience of eating while symptoms, sleep, appetite, and daily routines are changing. Topics to discuss include:

  • Making meals accessible after a difficult night of sleep.
  • Assessing your intake and relevant medical nutrition needs.
  • Finding satisfying foods that fit your preferences.
  • Working through food rules, body-image concerns, or a history of dieting.
  • Coordinating nutrition care with your medical treatment.

When should I ask about treatment for hot flashes?

Speak with a qualified medical clinician when hot flashes interfere with sleep, work, or quality of life. Effective treatments include hormone therapy for appropriate patients and several evidence-based nonhormonal options. Your health history and preferences guide the choice.1

Share new, unusual, or persistent symptoms with your clinician so they can assess what is causing them.

Get nutrition care that fits this stage of your life

New Approach Health provides virtual nutrition therapy with Registered Dietitians. Our holistic approach considers your nutrition needs, symptoms, daily routines, and relationship with food together.

Check my benefits

Explore our menopause and perimenopause nutrition care or meet our dietitians.

Related reading

Looking for practical meal ideas? Explore our seven-day menopause meal plan .

For individualized support, learn about menopause and perimenopause nutrition therapy .

References

  1. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000002200. Read the position statement .
  2. The Menopause Society. Hot flashes. Accessed October 5, 2026. Read the resource .
  3. Wu Z, Song L, Feng S, et al. Germination dramatically increases isoflavonoid content and diversity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds. J Agric Food Chem. 2012;60(35):8606-8615. doi:10.1021/jf3021514. Read the study .