Top Foods To Balance Hormones Naturally- A Detailed Guide

Hormones are chemicals our body produces that regulate our body’s essential functions. They maintain growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, mood, and sleep cycle. When these are present too little or too much, it results in hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance results from a variety of factors including stress, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits. 

While it may seem daunting to overcome hormonal imbalance, a nutritious and healthy diet can be a good first step. No perfectly curated diet will help you restore your hormones, but there are various foods to balance hormones that, when incorporated into your diet, will help you achieve the ideal hormonal balance. 

Best Foods to Restore Hormone Balance

It may take you some time to achieve the right hormonal balance, but supplementing your diet with foods that regulate hormones will surely speed up the process:

1. Cruciferous vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and kale contain sulfur containing compounds called glucosinolates. They act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation in the body. 

2. Leafy greens

Veggies such as spinach and kale are bursting with nutrients such as iron, which is required for the synthesis of thyroid hormone.

3. Berries

Out of all the foods to balance hormones, the importance of berries can not be neglected. Blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries are all essential for providing your body with antioxidants like Vit A and Vit C. These protect the body against oxidative stress and help your body restore its hormonal balance. 

4. Green tea 

Green tea is always mentioned on the list owing to the fact that it improves the body’s insulin response. Green tea is known to decrease testosterone levels in women and helps with weight loss.

5. Whole grain carbohydrates

Quinoa and brown rice are some examples of whole-grain carbs that release sugar slowly into your blood. This has the advantage of regulating your blood glucose and insulin levels. Moreover, a diet high in fiber is good for the gut bacteria and helps in restoring your hormonal balance. 

6. Root vegetables

Veggies such as pumpkin and butternut squash are full of beta-carotene, which produces Vitamin A in your body. No wonder they’re always mentioned among foods to balance hormones. Vit A, in turn, regulates your thyroid and sex hormones.

7. Seeds and nuts

When considering hormone balancing foods for women, nuts and seeds should be your top choice. Not only do they contain healthy fats, but they are also rich in Vitamins like D and E. Some of the examples include chia seeds and flaxseeds. 

8. Probiotics

Yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha are probiotics that are important for your gut flora and supplement your immune system. 

8. Magnesium food sources

Avocado and almonds are magnesium-rich sources that improve blood regulation in the body and stimulate the nervous system as they make insulin sensitivity more efficient in the body.

8. Fatty fish

Omega 3 fatty acids are very beneficial in restoring hormonal balance and such are found in fatty fish such as salmon and trout. Omega acids play a key role in producing hormones and their functionality.

Natural Ways to Balance Hormones with Food

While it is abundantly clear how certain nutrients impact our hormonal balance, there are certain foods that maintain hormones, specifically in females.

• Some of the foods that balance hormones in females include cruciferous vegetables that help the liver produce estrogen, the main female sex hormone responsible for regulating reproductive and hormonal health. 
• Avocados also help facilitate ovulation, which regulates estrogen and progesterone. Moreover, they help keep our cortisol and cholesterol levels in check.
• Fats that consist of omega-3s produce sex hormones and also regulate our mood.
• Whole grains and vegetables also maintain our estrogen level whereas starch is responsible for controlling our melatonin and cortisol levels.
• Adequate water intake is also important for hormonal regulation, as dehydration increases cortisol and reduces the production of sex hormones in our bodies.

Tips for Building a Hormone-Balancing Diet

When discussing foods for hormone balance, the role of proteins can not be underestimated. 

1. Eat Protein at Every Meal

Protein contains amino acids that the body needs to make peptide hormones. These amino acids are considered essential, meaning that the body can not produce them, and they must be obtained through diet. The body requires Peptide hormones to monitor growth, energy, metabolism, stress, and appetite. Hence, when you incorporate foods that help balance hormones into your diet, make sure to consume at least 15-30g of protein in every meal.

2. Include Good Fats

Fats are often considered taboo for a healthy diet; however, healthy fats are essential for a hormone balance diet. Healthy fats can help decrease resistance and appetite, helping you become a healthier version of yourself. These healthy fats are also referred to as medium-chain triglycerides. Other fats that can be consumed as hormone balancing foods for females are omega-3s, as they decrease cortisol levels and inflammation. Such hormone regulating foods can be found in avocados, almonds, peanuts, and fatty fish. 

3. Feel Full with Fiber

Fiber is also on the list of foods to help balance hormones. Sufficient fiber is required in the diet to increase insulin sensitivity and induce satiety. It is important to get your daily fiber intake from various sources such as oats, vegetables, beans, chia seeds, and lentils.

4. Manage Sugar Cravings

Moreover, decreasing your sugar intake in your diet will contribute to more hormone balancing meals. Sugar intake, in the long run, leads to insulin resistance and disturbs your gut bacteria. It also reduces the production of the hormone leptin which means that you burn less calories and gain more weight. 

Diet Plan to Restore Hormone Balance Naturally

Creating a diet for hormone balance may prove to be a challenge, but these easy meal recommendations can make the process easier for you:

1. Breakfast

If you want to consume best foods for hormone balance in breakfast, aim for eating fiber, whole grains, and protein. Essentially try and aim for a recipe that is low in sugar to start your day on the right track. Drinking an apple cider gut tonic can also give your gut microbiome the kickstart it needs. 

2. Lunch and Dinner

If you are creating a diet for hormonal balance, macronutrients will provide you with the most balanced lunch and dinner. Lean proteins and healthy fats in the form of salads, chickpea bowls, and protein pasta are also great foods to balance hormones. Moreover, women who struggle with the symptoms of PMS are recommended to eat more whole grains before their cycle to compensate for the serotonin drop.

FAQs

1. What foods balance hormones quickly?

Whole grains, avocados, healthy fats, and flaxseeds are some of the foods that will help you balance hormones quickly.

2. How can I balance my hormones in a week?

While hormonal balance is not a magical fix and takes some time, getting quality sleep, eating nutrient-dense food, exercising, and managing stress are all factors that can speed up your journey toward hormonal balance. 

3. Are there specific foods for hormone regulation in females?

Foods that regulate hormones in females include avocados, omega-3s, and cruciferous vegetables.

4. What should I eat to restore hormone balance naturally?

A nutrient-dense diet that is high in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and whole grains is key to achieving a hormone balance naturally.

Conclusion

A nutrient dense diet is your key towards unlocking the treasure that is hormonal balance. Supplement your diet with foods to balance hormones such as protein, fiber, veggies, and whole grains to achieve hormonal balance without the hassle of trying artificial remedies. So cut out processed food from your diet and resort to healthier options to acquire hormonal balance.