If you’re a woman in your reproductive years, your body goes through four distinct hormonal fluctuations every month (also known as the four phases of your menstrual cycle).

These changes affect literally everything else going on in our bodily systems and biology, from our energy levels to our metabolism to our body temperature and brain function — and each shift relies on specific macro and micronutrients to support it.

This is why food is such a powerful tool, as it not only powers hormone production and regulation, but can make all the difference in how we feel and experience each phase of our menstrual cycle as a result, ultimately helping us mitigate and completely reverse hormonal imbalance symptoms such as pms, period pain, fertility challenges, weight gain, bloat, fatigue and acne. 

While eating a wide variety of nutrients to support each phase of the menstrual cycle is important, in this post we’re focusing on the menstrual phase, also known as your period. Replenishing nutrients lost during your flow during will help pave the way for a healthy, symptom-free remainder of your cycle!

Below you’ll find the most delicious and beneficial menstrual phase foods grocery shopping list with ingredient and meal ideas to help you naturally balance your hormones and feel your best. Snag all of the details below!

WHAT IS THE MENSTRUAL PHASE?

The menstrual phase is one of the four phases of a menstrual cycle. It begins the first day of your period, and lasts approximately 3-7 days, when a quick drop in estrogen and progesterone triggers the shedding of the endometrium and bleeding begins. This happens when our body gets the signal an embryo has not been implanted in the uterus (aka we’re not pregnant) and therefore the cushy lining it prepared in preparation for a baby is no longer needed and breaks down as a result. 

 

WHAT HAPPENS DURING YOUR MENSTRUAL PHASE

All of your sex hormones are at their baseline during this phase, and with it your energy, libido and motivation. Biologically, this drop in hormones affects your brain and body in various ways, including a downshift in your immune system and heightened stress response (making you more susceptible to colds and burnout).

You also experience the greatest communication between your two brain hemispheres, the left analytical side and the right feeling side. This means you are best able to synthesize how you feel while also taking into account the facts.

Additionally, your body is working extra hard and losing nutrients with the loss of blood, making this an essential phase to rest and replenish, similar to the essence of the winter season. 

 

BENEFITS OF EATING FOR YOUR MENSTRUAL PHASE

One of the best ways we can combat hormonal imbalances and symptoms during menstruation is through food, especially by consuming nutrient-dense foods that are deeply restorative to the blood and kidneys. When we do this, we naturally support healthy hormone levels, which can lead to benefits in the menstrual phase including:

• +  MINIMAL CRAMPING

• +  STABLE ENERGY & MOOD

• +  REDUCED BLOATING/WATER RETENTION

• +  IMPROVED DIGESTION/GUT HEALTH

• +  LESS PAINFUL PERIODS

• +  OPTIMAL FERTILITY 

• +  BOOSTED IMMUNE SYSTEM

• +  CYCLE REGULARITY

• +  REGULATED MENSTRUAL FLOW

• +  IMPROVED SLEEP QUALITY

• +  LESS BREAKOUTS/HORMONAL ACNE

• +  REDUCED SWELLING/BREAST TENDERNESS

 

MENSTRUAL PHASE FOODS GROCERY LIST

Due to the hormonal fluctuations that take place during this phase, it’s important to consume plenty of nutrients that boost circulation and blood flow, reduce internal stress and inflammation, and replenish lost nutrients your hormones need to support a healthy period, upcoming ovulation and symptom-free menstrual cycle. See below for a list of ideal menstrual phase foods to incorporate into your routine. 

PLANTS (FRUITS + VEGGIES)

Hormone supportive minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc are excreted with our uterine lining, and can easily become depleted as a result. Incorporating plants rich in these minerals (such as sea veggies and leafy greens) works to replenish micronutrients, while dark colored berries and citrus are rich in vitamin C, which helps your body dissolve and absorb iron, especially from non-heme sources (i.e. plant-based). My favorite plants to incorporate during the menstrual phase include: 

FRIDGE/FREEZER ITEMS

This section is a bit of a hodge podge of foods I like to store in my fridge and freezer during my period for a variety of reasons. Tart Cherry Juice can help with melatonin production and sleep quality, and rest is essential during this phase to combat fatigue! Bone broth is loaded with minerals, protein and gut-healthy amino acids, and it tastes so cozy and delicious in bone broth hot chocolate. Cottage and ricotta cheese are rich in B vitamins needed to keep energy levels up, while fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and olives provide gut-boosting probiotics and flavor to meat-forward dishes. A2 grass-fed whole milk is easier to digest and adds protein and minerals to beverages, while raw cheddar adds amazing flavors to all of the protein-rich meat and chilis I crave during this phase. 

 

PROTEINS

Consuming enough protein is always important for hormone health, but it can make an especially huge difference during your menstrual phase! Because your body is involved in an intense process of shedding the buildup of the uterine lining, it’s important to prioritize the most nutrient-dense sources of protein, especially those that are rich in heme iron (the most bioavailable form), which is deeply restorative to your blood and kidneys. Additionally, many of these sources are loaded with minerals, amino acids, B vitamins (needed for energy) and omega-3 fatty acids, which work to reduce inflammation and period pain. My favorite protein sources during the menstrual phase include: