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You’ve probably seen women all over the internet modifying their diet according to their menstrual cycle – from eating iron-rich foods during menstruation to low glycemic carbs during ovulation.
Is this another social media fad, or is there some science to back up these practices?
Currently, research is limited on whether altering your diet around your menstrual cycle is beneficial. But if it makes you feel good, then go for it! There’s no harm in trying it out.
In this article, we will explore how modifying your dietary habits during your luteal phase may positively benefit you. We will cover what to eat during the luteal phase and what you should avoid.
To better understand what dietary changes to make in the luteal phase, we first need to review what happens during this time.
Key Takeaways
- Cycle syncing involves making lifestyle modifications that align with your menstrual cycle. This includes modifying your dietary choices.
- Eating certain foods during your luteal phase may help you regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce PMS symptoms.
- Foods to eat during the luteal phase should be high in specific nutrients like vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and protein.
- During your luteal phase, avoid foods that are high in refined carbohydrates and sugar. Limit or avoid alcohol and caffeine.
What Changes Happen in the Luteal Phase?
The luteal phase includes the days following ovulation until your next period begins. This menstrual phase is when your body ramps up progesterone production to prepare for a potential pregnancy.
Here is the breakdown of the four phases of your menstrual cycle to better illustrate this timeline:
- Menstruation: This marks the beginning of your menstrual cycle. The uterine lining sheds, resulting in your menstrual period.
- Follicular phase: Your brain secretes Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) to stimulate your ovaries to grow follicles. Each of these follicles contains an egg. These follicles also secrete estrogen, increasing estrogen levels.
- Ovulation: One dominant follicle releases a mature egg in response to a surge in LH (Luteinizing Hormone). The mature egg is then swept into your fallopian tube to be potentially fertilized by sperm.
- Luteal phase: The corpus luteum (the structure left behind by the dominant follicle) secretes progesterone to prepare for a potential pregnancy. Progesterone levels start rising, allowing your uterine lining to build and the embryo to implant. But if pregnancy has not occurred, progesterone levels fall and your next period begins.
Read more: Progesterone and Early Pregnancy
About halfway through the luteal phase, your progesterone levels peak. Due to high progesterone levels, you may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Breast tenderness
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Appetite changes
- Sleep disturbances
Certain foods can help with some of these symptoms. But are there other reasons you might consider changing your diet according to your cycle?
Why Should You Eat According to Your Menstrual Cycle?
Adjusting your diet to sync with your cycle may help you feel more in tune with your body. There’s not much scientific evidence to prove the benefits of cycle syncing, but many women report feeling better when they do this.
Modifying your diet according to your hormonal fluctuations may help you feel better and more in control. Since your mood, appetite, energy levels, emotions, and cognitive function vary throughout the month, a change in diet can help you balance these fluctuations.
For instance, switching up your diet can decrease PMS symptoms like headaches, mood swings, changes in appetite, bloating, and tummy pain.
If you want to start eating according to your menstrual cycle, you’ll need to figure out when you ovulate. Remember – the luteal phase begins after ovulation.
One way to track your menstrual cycle to determine your fertile window and ovulation day is to use the Inito Fertility Monitor.
Inito measures LH, estrogen, FSH, and PdG to track and confirm ovulation.
It allows you to monitor your progress with cycle syncing using the Inito app. By tracking your signs and symptoms, you can identify your cycle phases and patterns in your mood, appetite, and energy levels!
If you want to get started with cycle syncing you probably want to know what foods to eat during the luteal stage. Keep reading to find the best foods to try!
Know your chances of Ovulation!
Take our ovulation quiz to understand how your hormone patterns and
lifestyle factors may affect your chances of ovulating
What Are the Best Foods for the Luteal Phase?
The best foods to eat in your luteal phase are high in protein, complex carbs, vitamin B6, magnesium, and calcium. These vitamins and nutrients will help regulate your progesterone levels and reduce Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms.
Here’s why:
The rise in your progesterone levels in your luteal phase can make you feel hungrier. Additionally, since your energy requirements increase during your luteal phase, you feel compelled to eat foods high in protein and carbohydrates.
To ensure you snack on food that meets cravings but is nutrient-dense, check out this table:
You can see that the recommended protein and carbohydrate sources are minimally processed. The cravings may come in strong, but try not to give in to the temptation to eat highly palatable and processed foods.
As mentioned, your progesterone levels fluctuate during your luteal phase, rising and falling. Eating foods that help regulate your progesterone is beneficial during this stage. Therefore, include foods rich in magnesium and vitamin B6 to help regulate progesterone levels.
Additionally, when your progesterone levels fall toward the end of the luteal phase, you may experience PMS. To reduce premenstrual symptoms, focus on eating foods high in magnesium and calcium.
Here are some examples of foods high in magnesium, vitamin B6, and calcium:
Another thing to keep in mind is that your serotonin levels may take a dip during your luteal phase. This is why you may have heightened feelings of depression or low mood. Focus on eating foods that boost serotonin to counteract this.
Here are some examples:
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Tofu
- Leafy greens
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Dark chocolate
Remember – Nutrition plays a role in hormone health and fertility, but there’s no scientific correlation between your menstrual cycle and what you eat.
A good rule of thumb is to make healthy choices throughout your menstrual cycle and find healthy alternatives to hyperpalatable foods.
Try seed cycling
Seed cycling is a natural remedy that involves consuming specific seeds at various stages of your menstrual cycle. It helps balance hormones and uimprove overall reproductive health.
Here are a couple of recommendations for seeds to include:
- Sesame seeds: These are rich in zinc (which increases progesterone) and lignans (which regulate estrogen levels)
- Sunflower seeds: These are a great source of vitamin E which may ease PMS symptoms and improve progesterone levels
Read more: Seed Cycling: What It Is, Benefits & How it Impacts Fertility
Which Foods Should Be Avoided in the Luteal Phase?
Just as there are foods to add to your diet, there are foods you’ll want to avoid. Since your luteal phase can be accompanied by symptoms such as decreased mood, decreased energy, and disturbed sleep, you should avoid foods that could worsen these symptoms.
We know how tempting it can be to reach for convenient and highly palatable foods when your cravings are high! But it’s best to consume such foods in moderation to feel your best and have a healthy luteal phase.
Here are some foods to avoid in the luteal phase:
- Refined carbohydrates
- Conventional meat and dairy
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Added sugars
- Processed foods
Here are some healthy swaps when you’re knee-deep in a gnarly craving. Plus an explanation for why you’re craving specific foods so much:
As always, it’s all about moderation. Don’t restrict your diet to the point where you feel miserable. Use the tips above to practice mindfulness and feel your best during your luteal phase.
So how do you know if you should modify your diet according to your cycle?
Who Benefits From Eating According to Their Cycle?
Anyone can benefit from eating according to their cycle. You may experience more drastic changes if you have certain conditions.
You may experience significant benefits from cycle syncing if you have one of the following conditions:
- Hormonal imbalances such as PCOS or a thyroid disorder
- Weight issues
- Chronic stress or fatigue
You may also benefit if you’re trying to conceive. This is because a nutritious diet can help alleviate PMS symptoms and promote hormonal health, which may indirectly support your TTC journey.
So, if you’ve tried other methods while TTC with no success, give it a shot!
FAQs
Foods that can support you in your luteal phase include those that are high in complex carbs, protein, vitamin B6, magnesium, and calcium. These nutrients can help with regulating your progesterone levels as well as keep Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms to a minimum.
Specific examples of luteal phase-friendly foods are eggs, beans, chickpeas, salmon, quinoa, bananas, spinach, sweet potatoes, oats, and whole wheat pasta.
Foods that you’ll want to avoid during the luteal phase include:
- Refined carbohydrates
- Foods with a lot of added sugars
- Too much caffeine
- Dairy
- Alcohol
Magnesium-rich and potassium-rich foods can help you reduce bloating that is typical of the luteal phase. Examples of foods that fit the bill include: banana, sweet potato, spinach, avocado, nuts, and seeds. Foods that act as natural diuretics can help reduce bloating as well. This includes foods like watermelon, cucumber, and ginger,
Ways you can support yourself during the luteal phase include:
- Getting plenty of sleep
- Eating foods that are rich in protein, complex carbs, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium
- Engaging in practices that help you manage your stress
While you can get a lot of key nutrients from the foods you eat, supplements that can support you during your luteal phase are vitamin B6, magnesium, and calcium. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D are also associated with reducing the effects of PMS symptoms.
The way you eat and work out during your luteal phase can play a big role in managing PMS symptoms. To help keep your hormones balanced and lessen luteal phase symptoms, you’ll want to eat nutrient-dense foods. In particular, focus on eating foods that boost your levels of vitamin B6, magnesium, and calcium. As for working out, you may wish to opt for more gentle exercises (like swimming, yoga, and stretching) during this phase. The caveat here is that for some women who get bad anxiety or more intense mood swings, more intense exercises like running could be supportive. So it all depends on your unique body, what feels most supportive for you and the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Gentler workouts that require less energy like walking, swimming, and yoga can be a good option for your luteal phase. This is because most women experience lower energy levels in this phase of their menstrual cycle. But if going for an intense run helps you manage stress and mood changes, then that’s fine too! Either way, it’s best to move your body in some capacity as it can help limit the intensity of PMS symptoms. The key is to pay attention to your body’s cues and what feels best for you.
Eggs are a good food to eat during the luteal phase. This is because they’re high in lean protein as well as serotonin. This is doubly helpful because lean protein supports your nutritional needs as your hunger may increase in the luteal phase, and serotonin can help boost your mood.
The best meals for the luteal phase are ones that are rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and serotonin. Each of these vitamins and nutrients plays a supportive role in balancing your hormone levels and reducing PMS symptoms.
During the ovulatory phase of your cycle, good options for foods are ones that help regulate your estrogen levels and support your increased energy levels. This includes foods like whole grains, eggs, berries, spinach, chickpeas, and lentils.
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- Menstrual cycle and appetite control: implications for weight regulation
- Cognitive, sensory, and emotional changes associated with the menstrual cycle: a review
- Progesterone for premenstrual syndrome
- Changes in macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy, premenopausal women
- Activities of Serum Magnesium and Thyroid Hormones in Pre-, Peri-, and Post-menopausal Women
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Luteal blood flow and luteal function
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- Food craving, cortisol and ghrelin responses in modeling highly palatable snack intake in the laboratory
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