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By Laura Clark RD, Registered Dietitian
If you’re navigating midlife, you’ve probably noticed how noisy nutrition advice gets. One day it’s “ditch the carbs,” the next it’s “eat more protein,” and someone else is warning you about sugar, non-sugar sweeteners, or fat. With hormonal shifts affecting muscle, mood, heart, bones and weight, it’s no wonder many women feel overwhelmed.
Here’s the reality: no single nutrient is the villain, and no single food is the saviour. The key is finding harmony in how everything works together: bringing protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre into balance, while also making sure meals are realistic, enjoyable and geared to health priorities. For some women, this might also include using non-sugar sweeteners as a safe, evidence-based way to cut back on added sugar without losing out on enjoyment.
Protein: Strength, Metabolism, Bones
From around age 40, women lose around 3–8% of their muscle mass each decade, a process linked to falling oestrogen levels. Protein intakes of around 1–1.2 g per kilo of body weight have been shown to protect against this loss, especially when paired with regular resistance training.
Protein also helps with fullness, which can be useful if weight regulation is a concern. But more isn’t always better; too much can displace carbs, leaving you tired and underperforming. A better approach is balance: because the body doesn’t store protein, it’s best to spread it across the day. Aim for a source at each meal such as fish, eggs, pulses or tofu. Grains paired with these foods also add to your protein intake.
Carbohydrates and Fibre: Brain Fuel and Gut Health
Carbs have had a terrible PR campaign, but the truth is the brain runs on glucose. Cut carbs too much and fatigue, brain fog and low mood often follow.
Long-term studies like the Nurses’ Health Study back up their importance, showing that women who eat more wholegrains have a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
UK guidance recommends 30g of fibre a day, but most of us fall short. Fibre supports gut health, weight management and helps to lower cholesterol. The catch is that bloating often ramps up around menopause. What matters is finding your own tolerance. Both soluble fibre (from oats, beans, fruit) and insoluble fibre (from wholegrains, bran and skins) have roles, but the right balance varies between people. For some women, individual advice can help fine-tune fibre and fermentable carbs.
Non-Sugar Sweeteners, Sugar and Real-Life Balance
Another common midlife question is whether sugar should be cut completely and what to make of non-sugar sweeteners. According to all leading health authorities worldwide, including the European Food Safety Authority, non-sugar sweeteners such as stevia, sucralose and aspartame are safe. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) set by these bodies is many times higher than typical daily use, meaning most people consume well below the threshold. They also don’t increase appetite or weight.
Hormonal changes in midlife affect how the body handles sugar, with falling oestrogen linked to reduced insulin sensitivity. Non-sugar sweeteners don’t raise glucose or insulin levels, so are a useful tool here, but neither does sugar have to be avoided completely. It still contributes to carbohydrate needs, but managing portions helps regulate energy and long-term metabolic health.
Concerns are sometimes raised about non-sugar sweeteners, but current evidence shows they don’t negatively affect gut or bone health when used in the context of a balanced diet with adequate calcium and fibre.
Healthy Fats: Hormones, Brain and Heart
After menopause, women’s risk of cardiovascular disease rises sharply and eventually overtakes that of men. Protecting heart health therefore becomes a priority in midlife, and the right fats can help. The PREDIMED trial, for example, showed people following a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil and nuts had a 30% lower risk of heart disease compared with those on a low-fat plan.
So fat isn’t something to fear, it’s about type and quality. Olive oil, nuts and avocado provide monounsaturated fats that support cardiovascular health, while oily fish, flax and chia supply omega-3s, which have anti-inflammatory effects and may also benefit the brain. Satisfaction is key to a healthy relationship with food, and balanced fats make eating well sustainable.
Nourish, don’t punish
Midlife is often framed as a time for restriction — don’t eat this, cut down on that — but eating shouldn’t feel like a daily battle.
For nutrition to support you well in midlife, it isn’t about single nutrients in isolation, it’s about how they knit together to serve your body as a whole. Including protein, carbs and fibre at each meal goes a long way to achieving this.
And perhaps most importantly, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” diet. The pressure to eat flawlessly only adds stress. Integrative nutrition means seeing how nutrients complement one another, but also how food fits into real life: social occasions, preferences, the joy of eating. What matters is consistency, flexibility and giving yourself permission to eat in a way that nourishes your body and peace of mind — including practical tools like non-sugar sweeteners if they help you strike that balance.
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