Feeling stressed, moody, or like menopause is running the show more than you are? What if there were a single food group that could lift your mood, steady your blood sugar, calm your mind, and help you handle the unpredictable waves of menopause—all while tasting amazing?

Here’s the good news: tubers are the unsung heroes your body has been waiting for. These humble root vegetables do far more than fill you up—they can support weight loss, nourish your nervous system, and bring balance back to a hormonally shifting body. Let’s explore why working tubers into your routine might become your favorite daily ritual for emotional stability and hormonal harmony—especially for women over 40. (Inspired by the insights of Dr. Mindy Pelz.)

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Key Takeaways

• Tubers include root vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, turnips, turmeric, and jicama—each color and variety offers unique nutrients and benefits.

• They naturally boost brain chemicals like GABA and serotonin, helping you feel calmer, happier, and more grounded.

• Tubers support stable blood sugar, nourish the gut microbiome, and help your body detoxify harmful estrogen metabolites.

• A colorful variety gives your body the broadest spectrum of antioxidants and gut-supporting fibers.

• They’re incredibly easy to cook and add to meals—making them one of the simplest menopause-support strategies you can start today.

Keep reading to discover why tubers deserve a permanent place in your kitchen—and how they can help you glide through menopause with confidence and clarity.

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1. Tubers Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

Hormone fluctuations during menopause often trigger wild swings in blood sugar, leading to irritability, cravings, fatigue, and energy crashes. Tubers, packed with fiber and slow-burning carbohydrates, naturally slow down glucose absorption. If you’ve ever used a CGM or even a simple glucose monitor, you may notice gentler rises in blood sugar when a tuber is part of your meal.

This translates to steadier energy, fewer mood swings, improved focus, and even easier long-term weight management. Instead of feeling like you’re on a hunger or emotional roller coaster, tubers help bring everything back to center.

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2. They Feed Your Microbiome—Which Plays a Huge Role in Mood

Your gut isn’t just about digestion—it’s practically a second brain. Gut bacteria produce many of the same neurotransmitters that regulate happiness, calm, and emotional stability. During menopause, as estrogen drops (a hormone that naturally stimulates serotonin), mood can take a hit.

Tubers contain prebiotic fibers that nourish your beneficial gut bacteria, helping them produce serotonin more efficiently. If your gut has been affected by poor diet, stress, antibiotics, or long-term birth control use, tubers can help rebuild a resilient, mood-supportive microbiome from the inside out.

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3. They Support Natural GABA and Serotonin Production

Progesterone and estrogen play crucial roles in producing calming and mood-lifting brain chemicals like GABA and serotonin. After age 35, as these hormones decline, many women experience anxiety, irritability, sleep issues, and emotional overwhelm.

Tubers provide the nutrients, fibers, and resistant starches your body needs to naturally synthesize and regulate these neurotransmitters. Unlike hormone therapies—some of which don’t always convert efficiently—tubers support the entire production chain, from raw building blocks to healthy breakdown and elimination.

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4. Tubers Help Detoxify Excess Estrogen

Many women assume menopause is simply about losing estrogen, but it’s equally important that the body can efficiently eliminate toxic estrogen metabolites. When these build up, they can contribute to weight gain, mood disturbances, and even increased cancer risk.

Tubers contain antioxidants, minerals, and plant fibers that support the liver and colon—your body’s primary detox pathways. By improving estrogen clearance, tubers help keep your hormonal environment stable, safe, and balanced.

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5. They Calm Your Nervous System for Better Sleep and Less Stress

Sleep disturbances, anxiety, and nervous system sensitivity are some of the most common menopause symptoms. Tubers help supply your body with the nutrients needed to produce more GABA, the brain’s “calm-down” chemical. When GABA levels rise, your mind and body relax more easily.

Less stress means less cortisol—important because excess cortisol not only disrupts sleep but also encourages stubborn belly fat. Adding a serving of sweet potato, turnip, or even jicama to your evening meal can help you wind down naturally and wake up more refreshed.

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6. What Counts as a Tuber—and How Do You Choose the Right Ones?

Tubers are the underground energy storage organs of plants. Common examples include:

• Sweet potatoes (all colors)

• White and yellow potatoes

• Turmeric root

• Yams

• Turnips

• Jicama

The key is variety. Different colors indicate different antioxidants and fibers, each feeding distinct layers of your gut bacteria. Purple sweet potatoes, for example, are excellent for nurturing microbes in the lower intestine, while orange and yellow varieties nourish others.

Whenever possible, eat the skins for maximum fiber and minerals—and choose organic if you can.

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7. Tubers Are Incredibly Easy and Versatile

One of the best things about tubers is that they slot effortlessly into nearly any meal. Think:

• Roasted sweet potatoes

• Mashed or baked potatoes

• Colorful potato salads

• Fresh jicama sticks with lime and chili

• Turmeric grated into sautés, soups, or juices

For optimal menopausal support, aim to include tubers several times per week, rotating through different types to maximize nutrient diversity.

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8. A Hero Food for Women Over 40

Tubers aren’t a modern trend—they’re rooted in ancestral eating patterns. In many traditional societies, postmenopausal women relied heavily on tubers for steady energy, minerals, and the nutrients required for neurotransmitter balance and detoxification.

Modern research now supports what women have intuitively known for generations: tubers help sustain energy, stabilize mood, and support hormonal transitions in midlife and beyond.

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9. Want More Support for Thriving Through Menopause?

If this topic sparks your curiosity, Dr. Mindy Pelz’s new book, “Age Like a Girl,” offers a deeper dive into nutrition, fasting, lifestyle, and mindset strategies that help women flourish after 40. On page 107, you'll even find a full list of hero foods—tubers included—plus delicious, functional recipes to make this journey easier and more enjoyable.

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Conclusion

If you're searching for a simple, powerful way to support your mind, mood, metabolism, and hormones during menopause, look no further than the humble tuber. These nutrient-dense roots help stabilize blood sugar, support neurotransmitter production, optimize gut health, and keep your hormones in healthier balance.

Next time you're planning your meals, toss some sweet potatoes, jicama, turnips, or turmeric into the cart. Your body—and your mood—will thank you.