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Foods that Regulate Hormones

Foods that Regulate Hormones

Hormones are crucial in regulating bodily functions, from menstruation to fertility and beyond. They are the chemical messengers that maintain numerous functions, such as growth, metabolism, and reproductive mechanisms. They also support the development of secondary sexual characteristics of women.
Maintaining hormonal balance is essential to regulate these functions in the female body. A little change in your diet menu helps you to do this task easily without any disruption. Let us explore the importance of foods that regulate hormones in your body.

Why Hormone Regulation is Crucial?

From your menstrual cycles to PCOS, thyroid, PMT, and endometriosis, fundamental hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone play a significant role in ensuring your overall health and wellness. You can again get back to your life if your hormones are balanced. In addition to your medication, nutrition supplementation may be an incredibly effective treatment strategy for hormonal disorders. I’ve compiled my top foods to help maintain and restore the natural balance in hormones.

Top Foods to Regulate Hormones in Your Body

Brassica Vegetables or Cruciferous Vegetables

Brassica vegetables are good for the vitamins and minerals they have; you can consume these regularly without any hesitation. To help you, here we can list out a few low-calorie and high-fiber vegetables as follows:

  • Cauliflower
  • Radish
  • Turnip
  • Cabbage

Portion Size

For better outcomes, adults and teenagers should consume at least 2.5 cups of cruciferous vegetables. Younger kids can consume slightly less food. Remember that a serving of one cup is regarded as

  • One cup of vegetables, either canned, frozen, cooked, or raw
  • One cup of 100% vegetable juice
  • Two cups of leafy greens

Their nutritional value is discussed here:

Food Item Water Protein Carbs Fat Fiber Vitamin C Calcium Iron
Cauliflower
92%
1.9 g
4.97 g
0.28 g
2 g
48.20 mg
22 mg
0.42 mg
Radish
95%
0.7 g
3.4 g
0.1 g
1.6 g
14.8 mg
25 mg
0.34 mg
Turnip
90%
1 g
6.43 g
0.1 g
1. 8 g
21 mg
30 mg
0.33 mg
Cabbage
92%
1.3 g
5.8 g
0.1 g
2.5 g
36.6 mg
40 mg
0.47 mg

Good Fats

Healthy fats are essential to reduce insulin resistance and your frequent appetite to eat more. Your liver can take the unique fat, medium-chain triglycerides, for immediate energy use. This fat can be stored in the fat tissue and also helps to burn more calories. You may find these good fats in the following foods:

  • Avocados
  • Almonds
  • Peanuts
  • Flaxseed oil
  • Nut butter
  • Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and lake trout.

Their nutritional value is as follows:

Food Item Fat Content (per 100g)
Avocados
15 g
Almonds
49 g
Peanuts
49 g
Flaxseed Oil
100 g
Nut Butter
50-60 g (varies by type)
Fatty Fish (Salmon, Sardine, Mackerel, Lake Trout)
10-20 g (varies by type)

Load Your Plate with More Vegetables and Fruits

Add a variety of fruits and veggies to your meal to make the food even healthier. You should be able to get all vitamins, minerals, and essential elements from a fist-size serving to regulate proper functioning by your hormones with this. It’s an easy approach to maintain an equilibrium in the body.

Add Some Spices and Herbs

Spices and herbs are known for their anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce any inflammations in your body. Ginger, turmeric, and garlic help achieve hormonal harmony. Here you can find some nutritional benefits of ginger, garlic, and turmeric in this table.

Food Item Water Protein Carbs Fat Vitamin C Iron
Garlic
62.80%
6.3 g
29.0 g
0.1 g
13 mg
1.3 mg
Turmeric
13.10%
6.3 g
69.4 g
5.1 g
-
18.6 mg
Ginger
78%
1.8 g
17.8 g
0.8 g
5 mg
-

Whole Grain Carbohydrates

Instead of taking plain carbohydrates, add some alternatives like quinoa, brown rice, and buckwheat to your food menu to get the required fibre. They have all the necessary B vitamins that help in balancing your hormones, especially regulating premenstrual syndrome, which can be experienced by most women one week before the menses. Try to consume at least one or two times a day for best results.

These are packed with 9 types of amino acids, protein, fibre, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. They regulate blood sugar levels and perfectly balance your hormone levels naturally.

For example, 100 grams of cooked quinoa contains nutritional benefits as follows:

Nutrient Amount
Calories
120
Water
72%
Protein
4.4 grams
Carbs
21.3 grams
Sugar
0.9 grams
Fiber
2.8 grams
Fat
1.9 grams

Have Enough Protein

Eggs and chicken breasts are rich in protein. Avoid deep frying these two items. Instead of that, boil and eat. You can also prepare soups and rolls from chicken breasts. They can support your body in producing and regulating your hormone levels.
You can see the amount of protein you get from eating eggs and chicken breast as follows:

Food Item Serving Size Protein
Chicken Breast
3 ounces
27 g
Eggs
1 large egg
6 g

Add Magnesium-Rich Foods

Magnesium strengthens your neurological system, stabilises blood sugar, and improves how well your body uses insulin. It is particularly helpful in controlling the symptoms of PCOS and PMS. It’s easy to incorporate these foods high in magnesium into your meals by adding some beans, green vegetables, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.

Food Item Magnesium Content
Beans
60-80 mg
Green Vegetables
30-60 mg
Almonds
268 mg
Pumpkin Seeds
535 mg
Sunflower Seeds
325 mg

Maintain Healthy Gut

Your gut bacteria may remain healthy by taking healthy fermented foods, prebiotics, probiotic yoghurts, etc. You can add pineapple, apple cider, curd, beans, whole grains, etc.
The nutritional of value taking curd in your daily meals as follows:

Nutrient Amount
Calories
61
Water
88%
Protein
3.5 g
Carbs
4.7 g
Sugar
4.7 g
Fiber
0 g
Fat
3.3 g

Conclusion

Women are affected with numerous health problems due to this hormonal imbalance. To regulate your bodily functions, your essential hormones should be at the right level. Even though you are taking proper medications under your physician’s guidance, changing your food habits to support fertility when trying to get pregnant may help maintain your hormone levels effectively. Improving your hormonal balance may promote your health in many ways.

FAQ’s

What are the natural ways to balance hormonal imbalance?

You can naturally balance your hormonal imbalance by following these simple steps:

  • Get enough protein
  • Exercise regularly
  • Maintain a moderate weight
  • Watch your gut health
  • Lower sugar intake
  • Reduce stress
  • Get enough sleep
  • Eat healthy fats
  • Eat plenty of fiber
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Dr Niveditha

Dr. Niveditha is the co-founder of The Hive Fertility and Research Centre. She is a young and passionate fertility expert who aims to provide high-quality fertility treatments to her patients. During her 10+ years of service as a fertility expert, she has helped several hundreds of patients overcome their infertility and become parents. She also specializes in the fields of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive endocrinology

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