Does Any Food Affect Women's Hormones?

Some foods can hurt or enhance women's hormonal health.

Some foods can hurt or enhance women's hormonal health.

Your body contains a broad range of hormones, tiny substances with big responsibilities. As your body's chemical messengers, hormones travel through your blood, tissues and organs, affecting everything from physical growth and metabolism -- the conversion of food into energy -- to your moods, reproductive health and sexual function. Imbalances of hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and insulin can come from stress, menopause and medical conditions, such as thyroid disease and diabetes. The foods you eat can also impact your hormone levels in positive and negative ways.

High-Glycemic Foods

The glycemic index measures the impact of carbohydrate-containing foods on your blood sugar -- a factor that can play a significant role in hormone levels. High-glycemic foods, such as white bread, fruit juice and sugar, for example, increase levels of the hormone insulin and change the way estrogen, a female sex hormone, is metabolized, according to Dr. Christiane Northrup, a women's health expert and physician. These foods also increase inflammation and production of the stress hormone cortisol, making way for health problems, such as uterine fibroids, excess weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

Low-Glycemic Alternatives

Chronic inflammation from your diet can cause significant hormonal imbalances. It can cause your cortisol levels to soar, for example, weakening immune function and making you more vulnerable to infections and disease. Lowering the glycemic impact of your diet can help restore hormone balance and make reaching and maintaining a healthy weight easier, including for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) -- a common endocrine disorder marked by hormonal imbalances, ovarian cysts and weight gain. Replace high-glycemic foods, such as sweets and refined grains, with low-glycemic fare, such as apples, pears, beans, lentils, other vegetables and whole grains. As good fiber sources, these foods also guard against inflammation.

The Power of Protein

Eating protein with each meal is important for balancing your hormones, including insulin, estrogen and eicosanoids, says Northrup, who recommends nutritious sources such as eggs, fish, lean meats and soybeans. Avoid sources high in saturated fat, such as red, fried and processed meats and whole milk, which increase inflammation. This is particularly important for hormonal imbalances closely linked with inflammation, such as PCOS. Cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring and mackerel, guard against these effects by providing rich amounts of the anti-inflammatory fats known as omega-3s.

The Importance of Produce

In addition to providing fiber, which promotes blood sugar and insulin control, fruits and vegetables are prime sources of antioxidants -- nutrients that guard against inflammation and other signs of stress in the body, improving cortisol levels. As relatively low-calorie, filling foods, fruits and vegetables can also enhance weight control. Eating a variety routinely promotes estrogen balance as well. Particularly antioxidant-rich varieties include citrus fruits, tomatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, winter squash, broccoli and bell peppers. For healthful living, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends eating at least 2 cups of fruits and 2-1/2 cups of vegetables per day.

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