How much added sugar is reasonable during menopause, and why do whole fruits affect blood sugar differently?
When it comes to added sugar during menopause, less really is more.
✅ How much added sugar is reasonable?
In our conversation with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, she recommends limiting added sugars to under 25 grams per day. Women who keep added sugars below this level tend to have:
Lower visceral fat
Lower risk of cardiometabolic disease
You can hear her explain this here: Ask the Expert: Personalizing Menopause Care | Dr. Mary Claire Haver - Limiting Added Sugars for Better Health
Added sugars are the ones put into foods during processing or cooking, think sweets, baked goods, sugary drinks, and many packaged snacks. During menopause, this matters even more because we become more insulin resistant, meaning our bodies do not process sugar as efficiently and are more likely to store it as abdominal fat.
🍎 Why whole fruits affect blood sugar differently
Not all sugar behaves the same in your body.
Whole fruits contain natural sugars, but they also come packaged with:
Fiber
Water
Antioxidants
Phytonutrients
That fiber is key. It slows down the absorption of sugar, which means:
Blood sugar rises more gradually
Insulin does not spike as high
You feel fuller longer
Processed and refined sugars, on the other hand, are absorbed quickly, leading to sharp blood sugar spikes, increased cravings, and more fat storage, especially around the midsection during menopause.
As we share in our nutrition guidance at Alloy, focusing on whole, plant based, high fiber foods supports gut health, metabolic health, and weight management during midlife.
You can read more about midlife nutrition in our article: Nutrition + The Menopause Society | Alloy
If weight changes or insulin resistance have become more noticeable for you, we also offer evidence based support, including hormone therapy and weight health solutions, which you can explore here: weight health solutions
This answer was created using the following resources: