When your hormones are balanced, life flows pretty smoothly. However, when there's imbalance, you may feel out of sorts, disconnected, and, at times, pretty uncomfortable. Our hormones regulate many essential functions such as metabolism, mood, sleep, and libido. During the menopause transition, these imbalances become more pronounced, leading to a wide range of symptoms that, for some of us, may disrupt daily life.

Nutrition offers a powerful way to support your body's hormones through life's changes. In this article, we'll explore 12 hormone-balancing foods that every woman should consider incorporating into her diet. Whether you're navigating perimenopause or postmenopause, these foods can help you maintain a healthier, more balanced you.

Choosing nutritious foods rich in essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats is key for supporting hormone health, improving metabolism, and preventing hormone-related health issues, especially when compared to processed foods that lack these benefits.

Importance of Diet in Hormone Regulation

What you eat plays a powerful role in regulating your hormones and supporting your body's natural balance. A balanced diet filled with whole foods, healthy fats, and essential nutrients provides the building blocks your body needs for hormone production and function. Including hormone-supporting foods like leafy greens, flaxseeds, salmon, and cruciferous vegetables can help maintain hormonal balance by reducing inflammation, promoting insulin sensitivity, and supporting a healthy gut microbiome. These foods are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which are crucial for supporting hormone health and reducing the risk of hormonal imbalances. By focusing on a diet that prioritizes nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, you can help your body regulate hormones naturally and maintain overall health.

1. Avocado

Avocados are not just a creamy, delicious addition to your meals; they are also a powerhouse of nutrients that support hormonal health by helping to support the production and balance of certain hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and stress hormones.

How do avocados support hormone balance?

Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are essential for hormone production, especially for sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone. They also contain B vitamins, Vitamin E, and potassium, all of which play a role in maintaining overall hormonal balance. The healthy fats in avocados also help stabilise blood sugar levels, which is crucial for preventing insulin resistance—a common issue that can disrupt hormone levels.

2. Leafy Greens (e.g., Spinach, Kale)

Leafy greens like spinach and kale are nutrient-dense and play an important role in supporting hormone balance, particularly by reducing stress and supporting detoxification. Leafy greens, especially those rich in magnesium, help support a balanced stress response and hormone health by aiding in cortisol regulation.

How do leafy greens support hormone balance?

These greens are packed with magnesium, a mineral that helps lower cortisol levels (aiding in cortisol regulation), the body's primary stress hormone. High cortisol levels can disrupt other hormones, so keeping cortisol in check is vital

if we want to feel calmer and more balanced. Additionally, the fiber in leafy greens supports healthy digestion and helps eliminate excess hormones from the body, particularly estrogen, reducing the risk of estrogen dominance

3. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are tiny seeds with impressive hormone-balancing properties, especially for estrogen. They are particularly effective in supporting hormonal balance during periods of hormonal fluctuation, such as menopause and menstrual irregularities.

How do flaxseeds support hormone balance?

Flaxseeds are one of the richest sources of lignans, plant compounds that your body converts into phytoestrogens with estrogenic properties. These lignans help regulate estrogen levels by binding to estrogen receptors, either mimicking or blocking the hormone as needed. This can be particularly helpful for women during perimenopause, when estrogen levels can fluctuate wildly. Flaxseeds can also help balance oestrogen levels, especially during menopause and menstrual irregularities. Flaxseeds are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids—essential fats that our bodies can't produce on their own—and high in fiber, which aids in eliminating excess estrogen through the digestive system. This study involving 140 women with menopause symptoms found that those who added flaxseed to their diet for three months experienced fewer symptoms.

4. Salmon

Salmon is a fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (as an oily fish, it plays a key role in supporting hormone production, lowering cortisol levels, and reducing inflammation), which are essential for reducing inflammation and supporting hormone production.

How does salmon support hormone balance?

Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon help reduce inflammation in the body, which can disrupt hormone production and balance. These fats are also needed for the production of hormones that manage stress, such as cortisol and adrenaline (specifically, the stress hormone cortisol). Additionally, omega-3s support brain health

 

and enhance mood, which can help ease emotional swings and other symptoms many women experience during perimenopause and menopause.

5. Ginger

Ginger is a powerful root with anti-inflammatory properties that support overall hormonal health by reducing stress on the body. Additionally, ginger contains compounds that may help restore hormonal balance by influencing hormone receptors.

How does ginger support hormone balance?

Ginger helps to lower inflammation, which is a key factor in hormonal imbalances. It also supports adrenal function by reducing cortisol levels, helping to keep stress in check. Additionally, ginger aids in digestion and helps to regulate blood sugar levels, both of which are important for maintaining balanced hormone levels. These combined effects can help promote hormonal balance.

6. Berries (e.g., Blueberries, Raspberries)

Berries are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C, making them excellent for supporting adrenal health and hormone balance. They also promote hormone health by supporting hormone production and reducing oxidative stress.

How do berries support hormone balance?

The high antioxidant content in berries helps protect the body from oxidative stress, which can negatively impact hormone production and balance (oxidative stress can also negatively affect overall hormone health). Vitamin C, found abundantly in berries, is essential for adrenal gland function, supporting the production of stress hormones like cortisol. By stabilising cortisol levels, berries can help prevent hormonal imbalances caused by chronic stress,

which many women experience during menopause their menopause journey.

7. Nuts and Seeds (e.g., Almonds, Walnuts, Brazil Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds)

Nuts and seeds provide a wide range of nutrients that are essential for hormone production and balance, making them an important part of a hormone-friendly diet. They supply the building blocks for peptide hormones, which regulate key physiological processes such as growth, metabolism, and stress response.

How do nuts and seeds support hormone balance?

Nuts and seeds are rich in healthy fats, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Peptide hormones play a crucial role in regulating energy metabolism, growth, and reproductive health, and these nutrients support the production of peptide hormones necessary for these physiological processes. These nutrients are needed for the production of hormones like progesterone and thyroid hormones. For instance, selenium, found in Brazil nuts, supports thyroid health, which is key to maintaining overall hormonal balance. Zinc, found in pumpkin seeds, is essential for supporting progesterone levels, maintaining adequate levels can help manage symptoms and support overall hormonal balance.

8. Eggs

Eggs are a complete source of protein and provide essential nutrients that are fundamental for hormone production. They also support reproductive health by supplying nutrients necessary for fertility and hormone balance.

How do eggs support hormone balance?

Eggs contain cholesterol, which is a precursor to all steroid hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are also rich in Vitamin D, which plays a significant role in hormone regulation, particularly in maintaining balanced levels of sex hormones. Both vitamin D and the high-quality protein in eggs are important for supporting optimal hormone function. Additionally, the high-quality protein in eggs supports muscle maintenance and overall metabolic health, which is needed for hormone balance.

9. Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice known for its potent anti-inflammatory effects, which can positively influence hormone balance. Its anti-inflammatory and liver-supporting properties help promote hormonal balance by supporting the body's natural hormone regulation processes.

How does turmeric support hormone balance?

The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation in the body, a common contributor to hormone imbalances. Curcumin also supports liver function, which is essential for the detoxification of excess hormones, particularly estrogen. By promoting healthy liver function, turmeric aids in maintaining a balanced hormonal environment and may help prevent or address hormonal imbalance.

10. Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables are excellent for supporting estrogen metabolism and detoxification. These vegetables also support hormone health by aiding in the regulation and detoxification of estrogen.

How do cruciferous vegetables support hormone balance?

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which supports the liver in metabolising estrogen and helps to detoxify excess estrogen from the body. These vegetables can also help stabilize hormone fluctuations, particularly during the menstrual cycle or menopause, by supporting balanced estrogen levels. This is particularly beneficial for women experiencing estrogen dominance (

when you have too much estrogen in relation to progesterone), which can occur during perimenopause. The high fiber content in these vegetables also supports digestive health and helps in the elimination of toxins, further promoting hormonal balance.

11. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a nutrient-dense carbohydrate source that helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is essential for keeping hormones balanced. They also provide nutrients that support healthy thyroid function.

How do sweet potates support hormone balance?

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, which plays a key role in hormone production, particularly for progesterone. They also provide nutrients that support the production of growth hormone, which is important for energy metabolism and overall health. Their high fiber content also aids in stabilising blood sugar levels, helping prevent insulin resistance, which often leads to hormonal imbalances. Additionally, sweet potatoes provide antioxidants that reduce inflammation, further supporting a balanced hormonal environment.

12. Quinoa

Quinoa is a complete protein and complex carbohydrate that supports balanced energy levels and hormone production. Including whole grains like quinoa in a fiber-rich diet is important for promoting hormone balance and fertility.

How does quinoa support hormone balance?

Quinoa is one of the few plant-based foods that contain all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Adequate protein intake is important for hormone synthesis (the process by which the body produces hormones), especially for sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Quinoa's complex carbohydrates provide steady energy, which helps maintain stable blood sugar levels and hormone regulation. Its magnesium content also supports adrenal health, reducing stress hormone levels like cortisol, and helps maintain effective hormone signals for energy, metabolism, and reproductive health.

Supplements for hormone balance

Supporting your hormones can be as simple as adding the right supplements to your routine. By incorporating herbal actives, adaptogens, and key vitamins and minerals into a well-balanced diet, you can enhance your body's natural ability to maintain hormonal equilibrium and reduce and relieve many menopause symptoms. Our Foundation supplement, taken daily, supports healthy hormone balance, reduces stress, and boosts your immune system. Pair with other supplements from our range for tailored symptom support and faster relief.

Discover our range of evidence-based supplements, developed with mind and body nutrients to support your body and your needs before, during, and after this transitionary life stage.

This article has been reviewed by our expert advisory team.