By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Hot flashes are the most common menopause-related discomfort with an estimated 75% of women in North America experiencing them (1). They have been described as a sudden feeling of heat throughout one’s body accompanied by profuse sweating and flushing. According to the North American Menopause Society, although their exact cause isn’t known, they are thought to be the result of changes in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. Hot flashes can lead to a loss of sleep and reduced quality of life.

A recent study examined the effects of a combination of a low-fat vegan diet and a serving of cooked soybeans daily on the occurrence of hot flashes (2). Postmenopausal women aged 40 to 65 years who reported at least two moderate-to-severe hot flashes per day were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group (Intervention) was asked to avoid all animal-derived foods, markedly reduce their consumption of oils and high fat foods such as nuts and avocados, and eat a half cup of soybeans daily for the 12 week study period. The other group (Control) was asked to continue their usual diet throughout the study. Study participants used a mobile app to record the frequency and severity of hot flashes.

Over the 12 week study period, the Intervention group reported eating less fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and more fiber than they ate before the study. This group lost an average of 8 pounds; the Control group averaged less than half a pound of weight loss. During the study period, the Intervention group had hot flashes and moderate-to-severe hot flashes less frequently than the Control group. For example, moderate-to-severe hot flashes in the Intervention group went from 5 per day, on average, to less than one a day compared to a decrease from 4.4 moderate-to-severe hot flashes per day to 2.9 per day in the Control group. Among study participants who had at least 7 moderate-to-severe hot flashes daily at the start of the study, subjects in the Intervention group went from 10.6 to 0.7 per day and those in the Control group went from 9 to 5.8 per day.

Due to the design of the study, it’s not possible to say if the results were due to the vegan diet, the low-fat nature of the diet, the soybeans, or a combination of two or more of these factors. For now, we can say that a vegan, low-fat diet accompanied by a half cup of cooked soybeans each day was associated with a significant reduction in the number of daily hot flashes that participants experienced.

References

1. The North American Menopause Society. Menopause FAQS: Hot flashes. https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-hot-flashes. 2023.
2. Barnard ND, Kahleova H, Holtz DN, et al. A dietary intervention for vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a randomized, controlled trial. Menopause. 2023;30(1):80-87.

To read more about menopause see:

Nutrition Hotline on Hot Flashes

Early Menopause

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

By Whitney McVerry

Castle Street Kitchen located in the Castle Street Arts District of Wilmington, NC has a separate vegetarian/vegan menu and a welcoming atmosphere. My family tried the two vegan brunch offerings from their menu: vegan French toast and a veggie patty wrap. Both were excellent! The special that day was a vegan kimchi pancake. It was savory and filling! They have rotating specials that can typically be made vegan.

Location: 509 Castle St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Telephone: (910) 769-4316

Website: https://www.castlestkitchen.com/about-us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/castlestkitchen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castlestkitchen/?hl=en

Recent topics brought up include:

– Shared an article on Prenatal Supplements for Vegans

– Posted a list of where to buy vegan Easter Chocolate/Candy online

– VRG’s Essay Contest for Kids promoted; Deadline May 1st

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Support The Vegetarian Resource Group by subscribing to our magazine Vegan Journal! To subscribe in the USA, go to: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

The Vegetarian Resource Group produced a brochure called “Save Our Water” looking at water usage and livestock production versus water usage and eating a veggie diet. One chart shows the estimated amount of water in liters used to produce one kilogram of food in the U.S. Another chart shows global averages of the quantity of water required to produce certain food products by liters. We also present the quantity of grains (kg) eaten by U.S. livestock to produce one kilogram of meat. Three sets of statistics are presented due to differing calculations by various statistics.

You can read this brochure here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/water_brochure.php

The brochure is also available online in Spanish: https://www.vrg.org/environment/water_brochure_spanish.php

If you would like to hand out this brochure in your community, please email [email protected] and let us know how many brochures you would like, street address to ship them to, and where you will be distributing them. Donations are always appreciated: https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565

Each year The Vegetarian Resource Group sponsors an essay contest for kids. Winners receive a $50 prize. Entrants should submit a 2-3 page essay on any aspect of vegetarianism/veganism. Vegetarianism is not eating meat, fish, and birds (for example, chicken or duck). Vegans avoid all animal products. Among the many reasons for being a vegetarian/vegan are beliefs about ethics, culture, health, aesthetics, religion, world peace, economics, world hunger, and the environment.

Entrants should base their paper on interviewing, research, and/or personal opinion. You need not be a vegetarian to enter. All essays become the property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. Deadline for the contest is May 1, 2023!

Details on the contest, as well as previous winning essays, can be found here:
http://www.vrg.org/essay/

photo by Whitney McVerry

If you’re looking for vegan donuts or donut holes in Wilmington, NC, Brooklyn Café has a variety of flavors that includes: cinnamon, coconut, lemon, chocolate, vanilla, plain, and sprinkle. They are all equally delicious! The menu also includes hot and cold coffee/tea beverages that you can add almond, coconut, oat, or soy milk to. While you are there be sure to get an order of the vegan beignets as well; you will not be disappointed! They are open daily for breakfast and lunch. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.

Location: 706 N. 4th St., Wilmington, NC 28401

Telephone: (910) 399-1676

Check out Brooklyn Cafe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrooklynCafeNC/

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate, which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito. It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541 gallons of water to make a beef burrito.

The Burrito on My Plate Graphic can be seen here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/BurritoOnMyPlate.pdf

The article detailing how we came up with the numbers of gallons of water needed to produce each type of burrito can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php

photo from Bambi Vegan Tacos

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Bambi Vegan Tacos, 1725 I St., Sacramento, CA 95811

This Mexican-fusion restaurant is a completely vegan taco joint with a vivacious and welcoming atmosphere. They make every meal from scratch, using the freshest vegetables they can find. You can be sure when ordering from Bambi Vegan Tacos that you aren’t ordering anything processed. They offer tacos, starters, and plenty of other delicious small plates. In addition to excellent vegan food, Bambi also has a full bar ready to make your favorite cocktail, while also offering innovative drinks with adaptogens and other herbal and non-alcoholic ingredients. They have seasonal specials that include pineapple upside-down cake, banana peanut butter cupcakes topped with vegan bacon bits, and zesty avocado verde salsa. Find them on Instagram @bambivegantacos.

Black Leaf Vegan, 335 West 9th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202

Growing from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar that was awarded one of 50 business grants for small businesses led by Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, Black Leaf Vegan’s story is as big and bold as its flavorful menu items. With options of breakfast items, classic American comfort foods, and smoothies, there will be something to suit whatever you may be craving. Start your day with a hearty bagel breakfast sandwich of bacon or sausage, egg, and cheese (yes, all vegan), or go a little lighter with avocado toast or an oatmeal cup made with oat milk and sweetened with agave and maple syrup. Lunch and dinner options include the Crab-less Crab Cake made from a base of chickpeas, heart of palm, and

vegetables, and the Guac Burger, served not only with guacamole but also their classic teriyaki BBQ sauce. And any time of day would be a great time for the Apple Pineapple Smoothie (a blend of apple, pineapple, and strawberry), or perhaps their Vita Verde Smoothie (a naturally sweet blend of spinach, dragon fruit, pineapple, and lemonade).

Buddy’s Steaks, 4255 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97215

Buddy’s Steaks specializes in vegan Philly Cheesesteaks, sandwiches, hoagies, and more! Its outdoor counter service building is located in the alley, right across from Mt. Tabor Veterinary Care on SE Belmont St. Customers rave about Buddy Steaks’ friendly service, and highly recommend their vegan mozzarella sticks! Their special is “The Spicy Daddy Meal,” a Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak (vegan) with hot pepper provolone and peppers with a side of fries, but you can’t go wrong with their classic and popular vegan Cheesesteak with plant based steak and sautéed onions. While their vegan cheese is made with cashews, they offer cashew free versions by request for allergies. For dessert, they serve vegan “Irish Potatoes,” a Philadelphia sweet made with Coconut cream balls covered in cinnamon and cocoa.

Cena Vegan, 456 Elm Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802

Initially inspired to become vegan due to health concerns, the husband and wife duo behind Cena Vegan have opened in Partake Collective, a kitchen dining hall in the East Village. What started as an effort to develop homemade seitan in order to serve a large group on a low budget has flourished into a full menu of authentic, vegan Mexican street food, including the Big Vegan Burrito, whose name says it all—filled with house-made plant proteins, rice, beans, cashew crema, and a choice of salsa. For a lighter option, there’s the Burrito Bowl—same great burrito filling, minus the tortilla. The Taco Barbacoa is simmered in a rich adobo—and is gluten-free. And for those who can’t decide, the Taco Trio or the Four Taco Plate may be a good choice—sharing with others is optional. There are a variety of sides (beans, rice, chips) to round out the meal, plus traditional drink offerings, including Horchata and Watermelon Agua Fresca.

Mora Pizza, 911 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80218

Owned and operated by a third-generation pizzaiolo, this Brooklyn-style pizzeria offers New York-inspired dishes such as subs, pastas, pizzas, calzones, and stromboli. The menu consists of plant-based takes on classics such as plain cheese and white-sauce slices while also offering unusual pizza-fied mashups like Birthday Cake, Peach Pie, and S’Mores. Some of their most beloved pizza creations are Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm, Buffalo Chickn with ranch, and Philly Cheesesteak. For these, the crust was reported as being perfectly crisp on the outside, with just the right density and mix of light sweetness on the inside. Mora Pizza is located inside a shared kitchen space and can therefore be easily overlooked. The pizzeria space is small and has a few tables for dining. Make sure to call ahead to order, as preparation times can vary.

 Tacos Veganos, 3301 E. Indianschool Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018

Enjoy authentic Mexican vegan street style tacos, loaded nachos, quesadillas, breakfast burritos, horchata, and more. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available.

World Party Pizza, 520 Shepherd Dr., Ste. 10, Garland, TX 75042

World Party Pizza is located right off of Forest Lane, just a block away from Hollobaugh Park. They serve vegan pizza, salads, pastas, and decadent desserts all available for pick-up or delivery! Some of their menu items include the “Texas Bar-B-Q Chick-N Pizza” made with their house-made chipotle BBQ Sauce, nut- and soy-free vegan mozzarella, soy chicken, and red onions, and their “Impossibly Cheesy Lasagna.” If you’re gluten intolerant. Their salad menu includes the “The Holy Bowler” made with spinach, pear tomatoes, quinoa salad, broccoli and more served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette, and they also serve a gluten-free chocolate lava cake.

Chickpea Lasagna photo by Rissa Miller

Leslie Gray Streeter article “Flat Out Flavor – Sheet Pan Meals” features recipes that were conceived for minimum effort but maximum flavor, with lots of veggies and a variety of plant-based add-ins. Enjoy Hash Brown Sheet Pan Brunch Casserole with Cashew Cream; Black Bean Taco Bake; Chickpea Lasagna; Sesame Sriracha Tofu; and Oatmeal Apple Dessert Bake.

Find the article here: Vegan Sheet Pan Meals

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php