The Truth about Carbs: Friend or Foe After 40 - Nurturing Your Life with Leah

By Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC, Health and Wellness Coach

Let’s talk about one of the most misunderstood food groups out there: carbohydrates.

As a health and wellness coach for women navigating perimenopause and menopause, I get this question all the time: “What about macros: should I be cutting out carbs?”

And my answer? Not all carbs are created equal—and not all carbs are bad.

In fact, during this stage of life, our relationship with carbohydrates becomes even more important. Let’s unpack why.

What are Macronutrients?

Macronutrients are the largest nutrients we should be eating that provide nourishment and fuel for our body. There are 3 types – carbohydrates (carbs), proteins, and fats. Today, let’s dig into carbs.

Why Carbs Matter in Midlife

Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of fuel—especially for your brain. They turn into sugar or glucose in your bloodstream. We all need carbs because they help with:

Energy production
Mood stability
Hormone regulation
Sleep quality
Gut health

During perimenopause and menopause, our hormones are shifting—estrogen drops, progesterone fluctuates, and cortisol (your stress hormone) often climbs. These changes can lead to increased blood sugar swings, cravings, belly fat, and brain fog.

As we get older, especially if we start having weight issues (around your belly area), often we cut way back on our carbs – thinking that’ll help us lose weight the fastest.

That might work briefly, but what else happens? We can’t think clearly, don’t sleep well, become irritable and moody, and often don’t even lose weight! Not to mention our stress levels increase, our energy tanks, and we mess up our hormones!

Remember that the food you eat now and how your body handles it is going to be different than when you were 20 or 30!

So instead of cutting carbs completely, we need to get smarter about the types of carbs we eat.

The Problem Isn’t Carbs – It’s the Wrong Carbs

Highly processed and refined carbs (AKA simple carbs) — like white bread, pastries, cookies, cakes, pasta, sugary cereal, soda, and chips — spike your blood sugar quickly. This leads to energy crashes, mood dips, and more cravings (especially for sugary and salty snacks).

But whole, slow-digesting carbs (AKA complex carbs) are your hormone-supporting friends. They provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and help regulate digestion and estrogen detox. Healthy carbs also help serotonin production which is one hormone that helps you remain relaxed and happy.

Hormone-Friendly Carbs to Choose More Often:

Quinoa, brown rice, and wild rice
Sweet potatoes and squash
Lentils and beans
Berries, apples, and pears
cauliflower, zucchini, and asparagus
Root vegetables like carrots and beets
Gluten-free whole grains like buckwheat or millet

These carbs fuel your body without feeding inflammation. They support your gut microbiome, help balance estrogen, and keep you feeling full longer which helps you control your weight and shed that belly fat.

The Role of Fiber: Your Midlife Secret Weapon

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body doesn’t fully digest—but it’s essential in this stage of life.

Why? Because fiber:

Supports healthy digestion and regularity
Binds to excess estrogen and helps eliminate it
Feeds good gut bacteria
Helps manage cholesterol and blood sugar

Aim for 25–35 grams of fiber daily, and increase slowly to avoid bloating. Most women over 40 aren’t getting enough.

Simple Carb Swaps You Can Make Today

Instead of…	Try this hormone-friendly option
White bread	Sprouted grain or almond flour bread
Chips	Roasted chickpeas or plantain chips or Siete chips
Sugary cereal	Gluten-free granola with flax and chia seeds
Pasta	Lentil or zucchini noodles
Crackers	Seed crackers or sliced veggies with hummus

What the Bible Says About Nourishment

As women of faith, we don’t need to fear food—we need to use wisdom.
God created food to nourish us: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:31

Being intentional about how we fuel our bodies is part of good stewardship.

Your Next Step: Know Your Carbs

You don’t have to count every gram. But becoming aware of the quality of your carbs is a powerful shift. The two types of complex carbs include starchy and non-starchy carbs. You need some of each type daily, but if you’re watching your weight, needing to lose weight, have pre-diabetes or diabetes, or other metabolic problems, you probably want to eat more of the non-starchy veggies. They’re low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients.

Non-starchy vegetables include zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, and asparagus. Starchy vegetables include sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and beets.

Need help figuring out which carbs work best for your body? And if you’re struggling with energy, cravings, or gut issues, it might be time to adjust your plate—not just your mindset. If you need help from someone who has been there herself and also helped others, reach out and we can talk. Click here for a free 20-minute consult.

What’s your go-to carb these days? Have you noticed changes in how your body reacts to certain foods in midlife?
Share with me by messaging me on Instagram @leah_cheshire!

You can thrive – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – when you learn how to nourish and nurture your body, mind, and soul with healthy food, lifestyle practices, and consistent daily habits.

Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and helps women in midlife use nutrition and lifestyle to help them stabilize hormones, decrease fatigue and digestive issues, and learn how to fuel their body and mind for their God-given purpose. She’s helped herself and other women over the years and would love to help you, too. Click here for a free 20-minute consult. You can do this! You just might need some help, guidance, and support from someone who has been there herself and helped others, too.

www.nurturingyourlife.com
Instagram: @leah_cheshire