Foods Good For Hormones

Learn which foods are good to eat and when to eat them to help naturally balance hormones.

There are more than a few hormones, but I’ll focus on estrogen and progesterone in this article.

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The main inspiration for this article is the book Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz. I will also provide various online articles with additional details for you to cross-reference.

Men and women both have estrogen and progesterone. They are produced differently and in varying amounts. In this article, when we refer to these hormones, they are relative to women.

Women Who Fast content is for informational purposes only. This article is not health or medical advice. It does not replace health or medical advice or treatment from a physician. Readers should consult their doctor or a qualified healthcare professional for specific health concerns or questions. The information provided in this article is to be used by users at their own risk.

Hormones Seem Complicated

If you’re an endocrinologist, you might not think so. But this is for those with little to no knowledge about hormones and are interested in learning basic information about estrogen and progesterone.

Here are simple definitions of estrogen and progesterone to explain how our bodies secrete these hormones, the importance of each hormone, and the effects of having low or high levels in our system. 

Estrogen

Estrogen is mainly secreted by the ovaries. The adrenal glands and fat cells also make small amounts of estrogen. Estrogen affects the development of female sexual characteristics and reproductive development, is important for the functioning of the uterus and breasts, and also protects bone health.

Our body’s production of estrogen decreases beginning at perimenopause. A few symptoms of low levels of estrogen can be hot flashes, mood swings, and incontinence.

Estrogen dominance is the increased estrogen levels relative to progesterone levels in the body. When we have estrogen dominance, it can produce symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and hair loss.

Multiple factors can cause estrogen dominance. One cause is exposure to chemicals found in plastics, food additives, and medications that disrupt or mimic estrogen in our system.

Progesterone

Progesterone is also mainly secreted by the ovaries. Your adrenal glands and placenta also make progesterone. Progesterone stimulates the lining of the uterus for fertilization and prepares the breasts for milk production. It also helps improve our mood.

Low levels of progesterone can cause symptoms such as weight gain, depression, irregular periods, and decreased sex drive.

High levels of progesterone are usually associated with the time just before your period or during pregnancy.

Everywell offers a home test for Women’s Health a hormone panel test for women of all stages of life. Among testing levels of estradiol and progesterone, it will test cortisol, thyroid, and others.

Two Main Approaches to Consider to Support Hormones

Consider these two ways of eating (or not eating certain things) to support your hormones naturally.

#1. Limit exposure to plastics and food additives (such as preservatives and artificial sweeteners)

#2. Add in foods that support hormones (a list of some of these foods will be provided below)

Foods that are Good for Hormones

In Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz, chapters 6 through 9 are mainly dedicated to the types of food to eat to support our health.

The foods to support estrogen and progesterone are listed here by the timing of a 30-day cycle, as suggested in Fast Like a Girl.

We are all different, so our cycles may vary and be shorter or longer than 30 days. Read Fast Like a Girl for more details about personalizing what works for you.

If you do not have a menstrual cycle, Mindy Pelz suggests following this eating pattern the same way you would if you did have a cycle.

Estrogen

Eating these foods to support estrogen is best done the first ten days of your cycle and again on days 16-19.

Good Fats:

• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Sesame seed oil

Legumes:

• Beans (lima, kidney, pinto)
• Black-eyed peas
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Peas

Seeds and Nuts:

• Brazil nuts
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Sesame seeds

Fruits and Vegetables:

• Sprouts
• Onion
• Garlic
• Zucchini
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Progesterone

Eating these foods to support progesterone is best during the ovulation days of your cycle, typically days 11-15 and again on days 20-30.

Root Vegetables:

• Sweet potatoes
• White potatoes
• Red Potatoes
• Yams
• Beets
• Pumpkin
• Squash (butternut, acorn, honeynut, spaghetti)

Cruciferous Vegetables:

• Brussel sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli

Tropical Fruit:

• Bananas
• Mangoes
• Papaya
• Citrus Fruit:
• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Limes

Seeds:

• Sunflower
• Flax
• Sesame

Legumes:

• Chickpeas
• Kidney beans
• Black beans

In addition to a list of suggested foods in Fast Like a Girl to support estrogen and progesterone, Dr. Mindy Pelz suggests foods to avoid and how to eat to support testosterone and gut health.

Plan Your Meals To Make Sure You Have Hormone-Supporting Options

Fast Like A Girl also has a more extensive list of foods and 60 recipe ideas, including the foods Mindy Pelz recommends for optimal health.

I now keep Mindy’s Fast Like A Girl book in my recipe drawer. Then I can flip between the lists of suggested foods, and suggested recipes. Planning meals with the appropriate foods at the right time is super helpful.

I hope this is a good resource for you as you plan and implement eating foods that are good for your hormones.

Related Article: Ladies, This Is For Us! Finally. We Can Fast Like A Girl.