Polyphenols for the Heart: Supporting Cardiovascular Health in Menopause

The Cardiovascular System

Heart disease research has been heavily male-centric for many years. Recent research shows that women are not unaffected by cardiovascular disease. For women, the risk for cardiovascular disease typically increases later in life. Why? Female reproductive hormones are protective to the cardiovascular system and the heart.

In perimenopause and postmenopause, we lose the natural heart-protecting benefits when hormones decline. And our risk for heart disease begins to increase.

Many of us spend as much as 40% of our lives postmenopause. So, understanding the shift gives us the opportunity to care for our hearts earlier and maintain heart health well into the future.

Menopause, Your Cardiovascular System & Heart health

When we think of menopause, we often think of hot flashes, weight gain, hormone swings, and no more periods. What we don’t often consider is how menopause affects other systems in our body. Hormones are the chemical messengers our body uses to communicate. And rarely do they impact just one system or function!

During menopause, we know that estrogen begins to change and then drops after the final menstrual period. While progesterone levels remain low.

Estrogen is protective of the cardiovascular system. So, times of lower estrogen are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Estrogen supports blood vessel relaxation, collagen, and flexibility, and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

So what other changes do we see when estrogen and progesterone begin to decline during the menopausal transition? 

Several factors come together to impact cardiovascular health:

• Total cholesterol and  LDL-C have been found to increase before and after the final menstrual period

• Less flexibility of the blood vessels within a year of menopause

• Fat distribution shifts toward the abdomen and organs

• Changes to body composition favoring fat gain over lean muscle

• Metabolic syndrome rates increase, marked by changes in blood pressure, blood sugar control, and lipid levels 

• Increases in nervous system stress 

For women, research shows these changes are not only a result of aging. These changes are specifically tied to the menopausal transition. Menopause isn’t just about periods stopping; it’s a whole-body shift that touches both body and mind. The good news? Knowing this gives us a powerful starting point. We can take practical steps to support heart health. Let's take a look at protective foods, herbs, and daily habits to weave into our routines.

Lifestyle Factors and Lower CVD Risk

Lifestyle and cardiovascular health are closely linked. This is good news, because it means you have a lot of power over your heart health. Small changes can create a positive compounding effect over time.

The long-term goal is to build resiliency and flexibility in the cardiovascular system.

Big Picture Goals:

• Prioritize 7–9 hours of sleep each night.

• Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.

• Eat a high-fiber diet rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats — which naturally boosts polyphenol intake (more below!).

• Reduce or eliminate smoking.

• Practice stress reduction and social connection (your nervous system affects your heart).

These are “big picture” goals, and big changes don’t happen overnight. Think of it as working to build a heart-healthy lifestyle one brick at a time. Working with a health coach can help break these larger goals into smaller, manageable steps.

Need a place to start? Here are some simple, actionable tips:

• Improve sleep: Wear blue-light glasses before bed.

• Move more: Pick one day a week to add an extra walk or workout.

• Eat more fiber: Add a serving of vegetables to breakfast.

• Reduce smoking: Spend one hour this week learning about support resources.

• Lower stress: Practice “no phone” mornings.

Polyphenols for the Heart

Plants produce "phenolic compounds" as a defense against stress, infection, and injury. In humans, these plant-based compounds exert powerful effects when we consume them. Polyphenols are a type of phenolic compound. Polyphenols include flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, stilbenes, and tannins. We know of more than 8,000 phenolic compounds, almost half of which are flavonoids.

Polyphenols are found in almost all plant foods. They come in many forms and vary in how well they are absorbed by the human body.

Polyphenols have been shown to: 

• Reduce oxidative stress, 

• Lower inflammation, 

• Promote blood vessel flexibility and healthy blood flow, 

• and lower cholesterol when consumed with dietary fiber.

Several studies highlight these benefits:

• A review article found that eating fruits and vegetables (high in polyphenols) is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (Yamagata, 2019).

• A meta-analysis reviewing 15 prospective studies found that diets highest in flavonoids were significantly associated with lowered risk of coronary heart disease (Jian et al., 2015).

• A prospective cohort study measuring lignan intake over time found that long-term lignan consumption was associated with lower coronary heart disease risk, especially when combined with high fiber diets (Hu et al., 2021).

A Spice for Life: Polyphenols in the Kitchen

One of my favorite/easiest ways to add more polyphenols to my diet? EAT MORE SPICES. Many spices you already have in your kitchen are high in polyphenols, including clove, sage, and thyme.

The Mediterranean diet is well-known for heart health because it’s high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and uses olive oil. But the one thing many Mediterranean dishes have in common that isn’t typically talked about? Lots of spices!

Try these functional blends that are high in polyphenols to spice up your life and heart health:

Masala Chai Powder

Adapted from Swathi’s Recipes

2 ½  teaspoons green cardamom pods

1 teaspoon whole or ground cloves

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick 

¾ teaspoon whole or ground fennel seeds

¾ teaspoon ground ginger 

½ teaspoon ground or whole black peppercorns

1 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 whole star anise petals or ½ teaspoon ground star anise 

Add spices to a blender and powder. Add ½ to ¾ tsp per cup - add to brewed black tea, with milk, and a small amount of honey to taste. 

Homemade Italian Seasoning by Savory Nothings

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried marjoram

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried sage

½ tablespoon dried thyme

½ tablespoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Add to season protein, homemade salad dressings, roasted vegetables, soup broths, tomato sauce, sprinkle over popcorn, nuts, and seeds, or on eggs!

Polyphenol-Rich Foods 

• Spices: clove, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, dill, mint, parsley, basil, star anise, curry, ginger

• Dark-colored berries and fruits: elderberry, hibiscus, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, black currants, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, prunes

• Mint family plants (Lamiaceae): peppermint, spearmint, holy basil

• Whole grains and flaxseed meal

• Beverages: tea, coffee, yerba mate

• Herbs: chamomile, schisandra, ginger, Japanese knotweed, sarsaparilla

• Dark chocolate

• Nuts and seeds: chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds

• Other: olives, artichokes, red onion (with peel)

RESOURCES

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