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About · References

The studies we build on

When a recipe page says "trials link soy to fewer hot flushes", this is where that sentence comes from. Every source we lean on is listed below, grouped by topic, with a plain-English note on what we cite it for. This is a living list: when we add a claim, we add its source here first. How we turn these into recipes is on our methodology page.

Clinical guidance on the menopause transition

  1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2015, updated 2024). Menopause: identification and management. NICE guideline NG23.

    Our baseline for what perimenopause is, how it's diagnosed and managed, and where lifestyle measures sit alongside medical care.

  2. El Khoudary SR, et al. (2020). Menopause transition and cardiovascular disease risk: implications for timing of early prevention. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 142(25):e506–e532.

    Why we treat the transition itself, not just age, as a window for heart-health habits.

  3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2014). Practice Bulletin No. 141: Management of menopausal symptoms. Obstetrics & Gynecology 123(1):202–216.

    Clinical framing for symptom management, including where diet can and cannot help.

Hot flushes, phytoestrogens & hormone support

  1. Taku K, Melby MK, Kronenberg F, Kurzer MS, Messina M (2012). Extracted or synthesized soybean isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Menopause 19(7):776–790.

    The core evidence behind our "soy isoflavones and fewer hot flushes" claims.

  2. Franco OH, et al. (2016). Use of plant-based therapies and menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 315(23):2554–2563.

    The wide-lens review of plant-based therapies; also why we don't oversell them.

  3. Chen MN, Lin CC, Liu CF (2015). Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric 18(2):260–269.

    Supporting meta-analysis for phytoestrogens and vasomotor symptoms.

  4. Barnard ND, et al. (2021). The Women's Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms (WAVS): a randomized, controlled trial of a plant-based diet and whole soybeans for postmenopausal women. Menopause 28(10):1150–1156.

    Trial evidence for whole soy foods, not just supplements, which is how we cook.

  5. Pruthi S, et al. (2012). A phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of flaxseed for the treatment of hot flashes: NCCTG N08C7. Menopause 19(1):48–53.

    Why our flaxseed language is measured: the strongest trial was not conclusive.

  6. Messina M (2016). Soy and health update: evaluation of the clinical and epidemiologic literature. Nutrients 8(12):754.

    The safety evidence behind our "whole-food soy is safe" statements.

  7. Freedman RR (2014). Menopausal hot flashes: mechanisms, endocrinology, treatment. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 142:115–120.

    The thermoregulation mechanism behind our Cool & Calm category.

Muscle, metabolism & protein

  1. Greendale GA, et al. (2019). Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition. JCI Insight 4(5):e124865.

    SWAN data showing lean mass declines and fat mass rises across the transition; the "why" behind our protein-first approach.

  2. Bauer J, et al. (2013). Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 14(8):542–559.

    Where our 25–30g protein-per-meal target comes from.

  3. Paddon-Jones D, Rasmussen BB (2009). Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 12(1):86–90.

    The per-meal protein distribution argument our menus are built around.

  4. Deutz NE, et al. (2014). Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging: recommendations from the ESPEN Expert Group. Clinical Nutrition 33(6):929–936.

    Supporting consensus on protein needs in midlife and beyond.

  5. Ludwig DS (2002). The glycemic index: physiological mechanisms relating to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. JAMA 287(18):2414–2423.

    The mechanism behind our steady-energy, low-GI recipe choices.

Heart health

  1. Estruch R, et al. (2018). Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts (PREDIMED). New England Journal of Medicine 378(25):e34.

    The landmark trial behind our Mediterranean-leaning heart recipes.

  2. Matthews KA, et al. (2009). Are changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors in midlife women due to chronological aging or to the menopausal transition? Journal of the American College of Cardiology 54(25):2366–2373.

    SWAN evidence that cholesterol shifts track the transition itself.

  3. Mozaffarian D, Wu JHY (2011). Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: effects on risk factors, molecular pathways, and clinical events. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 58(20):2047–2067.

    The omega-3 mechanisms our oily-fish recipes cite.

Gut health & fibre

  1. Wastyk HC, et al. (2021). Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell 184(16):4137–4153.

    The Stanford fermented-foods trial behind our kefir, kimchi and yoghurt recipes.

  2. McDonald D, et al. (2018). American Gut: an open platform for citizen science microbiome research. mSystems 3(3):e00031-18.

    The "30 plants a week" diversity finding our shopping lists nudge toward.

  3. Reynolds A, et al. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet 393(10170):434–445.

    The fibre evidence base: why wholegrains and legumes appear so often in our recipes.

Mood & mind

  1. Jacka FN, et al. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the "SMILES" trial). BMC Medicine 15:23.

    Trial evidence that dietary change can meaningfully support mood.

  2. Gordon JL, et al. (2015). Ovarian hormone fluctuation, neurosteroids, and HPA axis dysregulation in perimenopausal depression: a novel heuristic model. American Journal of Psychiatry 172(3):227–236.

    Why mood symptoms cluster in perimenopause specifically; the mechanism our Mood & Mind pages describe.

  3. Greendale GA, et al. (2009). Effects of the menopause transition and hormone use on cognitive performance in midlife women. Neurology 72(21):1850–1857.

    SWAN evidence that brain fog is real, measurable, and usually temporary.

  4. Grosso G, et al. (2014). Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depressive disorders: a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. PLoS One 9(5):e96905.

    The omega-3 and mood evidence our oily-fish recipes reference.

Sleep

  1. Abbasi B, et al. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences 17(12):1161–1169.

    The magnesium-and-sleep trial behind our leafy-greens-at-dinner habit.

  2. Howatson G, et al. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition 51(8):909–916.

    Tart cherry and melatonin: the evidence behind our evening recipes that use it.

  3. Pigeon WR, et al. (2010). Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of Medicinal Food 13(3):579–583.

    Supporting pilot trial for tart cherry and sleep.

  4. St-Onge MP, Roberts A, Shechter A, Choudhury AR (2016). Fiber and saturated fat are associated with sleep arousals and slow wave sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 12(1):19–24.

    Why our Better Sleep dinners are high-fibre and lighter on saturated fat.

Bones & strength

  1. Greendale GA, et al. (2012). Bone mineral density loss in relation to the final menstrual period in a multiethnic cohort: results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 27(1):111–118.

    The bone-loss timeline our calcium and vitamin D guidance is built around.

  2. Weaver CM, et al. (2016). Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and risk of fractures: an updated meta-analysis from the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Osteoporosis International 27(1):367–376.

    The calcium and vitamin D evidence behind our bone-health recipes.

Kitchen & food safety

  1. Yadav H, et al. (2023). Cutting boards: an overlooked source of microplastics in human food? Environmental Science & Technology 57(22):8225–8235.

    The microplastics estimate behind our wooden-chopping-board recommendation.

  2. Ak NO, Cliver DO, Kaspar CW (1994). Cutting boards of plastic and wood contaminated experimentally with bacteria. Journal of Food Protection 57(1):16–22.

    The classic study showing well-maintained wood is at least as hygienic as plastic.

How to read this list

Nutrition science is rarely absolute: most of these are associations, modest effect sizes, or trials in specific populations. We cite them as reasons a recipe leans a certain way, never as promises. Food supports this life stage; it doesn't treat it. If a claim on any page isn't traceable to this list, tell us and we'll fix it or cite it.