10 Foods That Support a Hormonal Balance & 10 That Throw it Off
The Right Balance
Nowadays, so many foods are full of pesticides and hormones that they’re known to throw off our body’s fragile balance. If you want to keep oestrogen production balanced or simply avoid these harmful foods, here are several ingredients to consider.
1. Bok Choy
One of the best foods for mitigating hormonal imbalance is undoubtedly cruciferous vegetables. There are plenty to choose from, but bok choy stands out for its other benefits as well. These veggies stem from the brassica family and are known to help clear out “spent” hormones.
2. Flaxseeds
Many dieticians recommend eating at least 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily. This is because flaxseeds are a key source for lignans, which directly aid in promoting oestrogen and balancing its level. The best way to incorporate this superfood is to simply sprinkle it on top of oatmeal or add it to your morning smoothies.
3. Organic Beef
If you’re a fan of steaks or burgers, just be sure to choose beef that is organic and grass-fed. This is important as the alternative is full of hormones that can imbalance your blood sugar and contribute to poor outcomes.
4. Turmeric
Of course, you need to season your food, and there are plenty of different sources to choose from. Turmeric may come across as both strong-tasting and strong-colored, but it promotes hormone harmony and has plenty of other health and nutrition benefits too.
5. Radishes
Radishes not only have a unique taste and are pretty versatile, but eating them daily is ideal for hormone detoxification. Not only do they produce Indole-3-carbinol for liver function, but they also help balance the entire hormonal system.
6. Ginger
Ginger is also known for its numerous health benefits. You can mix it into tea or have it in a soup to get over tough colds and fevers. But in addition to this, it also helps balance hormones while adding plenty of nutrients to lackluster meals.
7. Olive Oil
It’s equally important to get a tangible daily amount of good fats. While most people avoid fats, these are needed to build up our hormones and reduce inflammation, and one of the best ways to incorporate an easy amount is olive oil.
8. Avocados
There’s a love-hate relationship many people have with avocados. They’re very calorie-dense, but on the flip side, they are a great source for healthy fats and are quite filling. Another pro is that they too help increase hormone production.
9. Lentils
Many countries rely on lentil-based diets to promote longevity and health. However, these legumes are also beneficial as a source of magnesium. Magnesium is needed to regulate blood sugar and is ideal for treating both menstruation symptoms and ailments like PCOS.
10. Kefir
Kefir is a delicious yogurt-based drink that is great for your gut bacteria. This is important, as stronger gut bacteria help you maintain the diverse foods needed to strengthen your hormones and stay on top of them.
Now that we have talked about foods that support hormonal balance, here are 10 you’re better off avoiding!
1. Coffee
Giving up coffee may seem impossible, but the issue here is actually caffeine. In moderation, caffeine is totally safe, but it’s when you have too much that you’ll experience hormonal fluctuations and ill effects in the adrenal glands.
2. Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is just one example of the many different foods that are full of trans fats. Trans fats are known to increase insulin resistance as well as inflammation. In turn, this contributes to imbalance in the hormones.
3. Soda
The idea here is to avoid spiking your blood sugar, which sodas do with notorious ease thanks to their high sugar content. These drinks hence increase insulin, deregulate the hormones, and put your body’s entire balance out of whack.
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4. White Rice
You essentially want to avoid foods that are high-glycemic carbohydrates. These extra refined foods are known to lead to insulin imbalance, and that further worsens your hormones.
5. Some Fruits
Fruits and veggies are supposed to be healthy for you, but that isn’t the case when you’re eating foods laden with pesticides. These pesticides are linked to hormone disruption.
6. Whole Milk
Most whole milks aren’t of an organic nature, which means the cows producing them are given synthetic hormones. This in turn contributes to hormonal imbalances in the people that drink them.
7. Potato Chips
All processed foods and fatty snacks contribute to hormone fluctuations. This is because the artificial additives and fats directly combat hormone production and regulation, making them quite the gambit.
8. White Bread
There’s a reason people hate on white bread, instead encouraging people to try whole grain or whole wheat. This is another refined carb that increases your blood sugar and, in doing so, contributes to insulin imbalance.
9. Gluten
There are many people who go gluten-free, but even if you don’t have celiac disease, you might want to avoid this food as it’s known as a hormone disruptor. This is because many grain seeds are sprayed with hormones that make them grow better but are terrible for you.
10. Sugar
At the end of the day, sugar in a high quantity is dangerous for hormone balance. It raises insulin, leading to spikes in the pancreas and limiting production of progesterone. If you have PCOS, sugar can even worsen inflammation. So just be mindful about your daily intake, as it’s too easy to overindulge.
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