Every month, the week before my period follows the same pattern: limited to zero patience and an overwhelming desire to eat every carbohydrate in sight. All healthy intentions go out the window and I’m left hungry, tired and stressed. Needless to say, it’s not my favourite.
What could sound like a lack of discipline is really just biology at work. The luteal phase – which describes the time after you ovulate and before you start bleeding – can exacerbate these symptoms as your body continues to prepare the uterine lining.
What is the luteal phase?
“During this week (though symptoms can appear for the entire 12 to 17 days), your body pumps out a hormone called progesterone to prep your uterine lining for a potential pregnancy,” embryologist Dr Tanaya Narendra explains. “Your metabolism actually speeds up during this phase (by around 100-300 calories a day), and your core body temperature rises slightly. This results in you feeling hungrier, warmer, or more exhausted, but is actually just your body doing its thing.”
Like my cycle tracking app, Flo, my Instagram algorithm seems to know when I’m in my luteal phase too, serving me a relentless stream of glossy chocolate cakes and delicious burritos. “As progesterone rises serotonin dips, and your brain loves serotonin, which is released quickly by carbs and sugar,” Dr Narendra explains. “This is why those cravings feel so intense.”
How the luteal phase affects blood sugar
Blood sugar regulation (eating foods that are rich in protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrates) is what can help with these hormonal fluctuations. “In the luteal phase, hormonal changes can affect mood, energy levels and sleep quality,” Dr Hazel Wallace, nutritionist and female health expert, says. “Blood sugar regulation also tends to be a bit less stable in this phase. Relying heavily on foods that are high in sugar (like sweets, cakes and chocolate) can lead to quick spikes and subsequent crashes in energy.”
Her advice? Try to prioritise complex carbohydrates (slow-digesting carbohydrates that slowly release sugar into the system), pairing them with protein and healthy fats to “stabilise energy, support mood and avoid worsening already heightened symptoms”. In other words, it’s not about trying to suppress luteal phase cravings, rather aiming to satisfy them more strategically.
What to eat during the luteal phase
Here, nutritionist Deepsikha Jain explains how best to support your cycle through your diet. Of course, there’s always room for the sweet things that bring us joy (aforementioned chocolate cake included), this is about placing them in a wider, healthy, cycle-supporting ecosystem.
Especially important in this phase of your cycle, fibre can help to ease constipation and bloating, as well as help with stabilising blood sugar.
What to eat: oats, brown rice, wholemeal bread, fruits and vegetables, nuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, beans and lentils.
As progesterone rises, appetite and energy needs increase. Complex carbohydrates digest more slowly than sugary snacks, providing you with a steadier source of energy. This can help to reduce the crash-and-crave cycle. An expert tip is to pair it with sources of protein and fibre for better blood sugar balance.
What to eat: butternut squash, quinoa, sweet potatoes, sourdough bread.
Protein helps manage hunger by promoting satiety, boosting energy levels (and thus reducing fatigue) and supporting progesterone production, which controls mood swings.
What to eat: cottage cheese, curd, Greek yoghurt, tofu, tempeh, a good quality protein powder, chicken, eggs, oily fish.
Healthy fats also aid with progesterone production and help balance fluctuating oestrogen levels. They’re also anti-inflammatory and support both brain and heart health.
What to eat: nuts, seeds (especially pumpkin and flax), olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish, like salmon.
These nutrients may support PMS symptoms, including mood fluctuations and menstrual cramps.
- Omega-3: salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed
- Calcium: yoghurt, milk, fortified plant milks, calcium-set tofu
- Magnesium: wholegrains, leafy greens, 70 per cent dark chocolate, bananas, pumpkin seeds
- Zinc: red meat, shellfish, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas
To help manage the impending iron loss that occurs during menstruation, iron-rich foods can help avoid deficiencies and combat fatigue. It’s a good idea to pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C, as it can help with absorption.
What to eat: red meat, organ meats, lentils, beans, spinach, black raisins.
These foods can help reduce systemic inflammation and alleviate common PMS symptoms like tender breasts, as well as support a stable mood.
What to eat: turmeric, ginger, berries and fermented foods like kefir, kombucha and kimchi.
Hormonal imbalances
For people with conditions like PCOS or PCOD (polycystic ovary syndrome and polycystic ovarian disease), or endometriosis, Jain recommends starting the day with healthy fats and anti-inflammatory foods. “Eating dinner at least four hours before bedtime can also help to tamp down on insulin spikes and reduce a surge in cortisol,” she adds.
Her best advice is to “dress carbs up”, which simply means pairing a complex carbohydrate with a fibre or protein source. “This approach helps with blood sugar stability, which, in turn, can reduce hormonally-induced symptoms.”
If the period before your period feels hard, remember there are so many physiological processes happening inside your body. So, cut yourself some slack on this week and the following. Eat well – more, if needs be – rest and know that it’s very normal to struggle a little more at this time.
