Food and your period: what to eat during menstruation?

Since we know that eating well has a direct impact on the menstrual cycle, it seemed essential to us at Louloucup to take a closer look at this topic. We’ve already explored nutrition during the follicular phase, but what about during your period itself? We already know that eating disorders and certain eating behaviors (bulimia, anorexia) have direct, concrete effects on your period, especially its regularity.

So what about diet? Are there foods you should prioritize during your period, for example? And on the flip side, which foods are best avoided? Do you really need to follow a specific diet?

Our hormones are working flat out during our period. So it’s no surprise that we experience certain cravings. During your period, you may also feel various menstrual pains. Can some of the solutions to ease these cramps and pains be found on your plate? Menstruation is a very specific phase of the menstrual and hormonal cycle. To avoid bloating, fatigue, and pain, there are certain habits worth adopting.

Today, we’re zooming in on the interesting relationship between food and your period. Let’s debunk a few myths together. Let’s stop feeling guilty about a square of chocolate and build a plate that’s healthy and delicious so we can experience calmer periods—always, of course, with beautiful, affordable, organic menstrual panties!

Before going any further, let’s do a quick health check. During your period, some issues may arise: headaches, acne, bloating, water retention, digestion issues, lower abdominal pain, or even extreme fatigue. To some extent, your diet can reduce these symptoms and help you better cope with these somewhat difficult days.

Your body will then be happy to receive foods rich in certain nutrients it lacks during this phase of the cycle. 

• Foods rich in certain vitamins to fight fatigue 
• or foods rich in iron to help make up for any deficiency, for example.

Eating to make up for a deficiency, yes, but not only that. Let’s never forget that food is above all a source of pleasure and life. So listen to yourself, adapt, and take care of yourself by preparing delicious meals.

Saturated fats are not ideal during your period. Foods that are too rich, too fatty, or too sugary are not great when you’re menstruating. Highly processed, salty, and sugary ready meals and snacks are best avoided.

Top of the list—and this is good news—is chocolate. Besides being rich in magnesium (great for migraines and cramps), chocolate—dark chocolate in particular—is the ultimate comfort food. By boosting serotonin production, dark chocolate puts us in a better mood. We feel less irritable and sulky.

You can boost your magnesium intake with tuna, spinach, or nuts. These are excellent foods with multiple benefits.

When it comes to bad sugars, opt instead for complex and slow-release carbs that give you energy and a real feeling of fullness. Lentils, wholemeal bread, seeds, chickpea hummus, or oat-based cookies—there’s plenty to choose from.

Stopping everything overnight is likely to cause frustration and tension. It’s better to cut back and limit certain foods. Go from several times a day to twice, then once. The goal isn’t to deprive yourself! If you feel deprived, you’re much more likely to binge.