Sweet, salty, sour, fatty - who doesn't know the cravings before and during the period? You are attacked by many cravings. But why is that and what does the body really need?
Many women know the feeling when you could just eat anything on certain days. Pizza, fries, pasta, donuts, chips - you're hungry, craving food and numerous cravings.
The reason for this is the period.
If she could speak, she'd probably say: just give me the food! Feed me!
But why do you actually have cravings before your period? We have the answers!
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Study shows: Women react differently to eating stimuli before their period
The biochemical changes that occur during the menstrual cycle are largely associated with premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and food cravings, especially cravings for sweets.
This was revealed by a study conducted by a group of researchers at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU).
The colleagues from psychotherapy, neuroscience, differential psychology and biological psychology looked at the reactions to food stimuli before the period in the EEG.
For this purpose, 35 young women not using a hormonal contraceptive method were repeatedly invited to the laboratory over a period of three months.
The dates were in the first half of the cycle, at the time of ovulation and just before menstruation.
In the lab, participants were asked to rate how tasty photos of high-calorie and low-calorie meals looked.
Cravings before the period due to the hormone progesterone
The researchers used EEG to measure the women's brain waves and progesterone levels to determine their attention and sensitivity to the images.
Finally, participants shared information about problems and impairments related to the menstrual cycle based on their own experiences.
Some reported feeling unwell or in pain, while others complained of problems in their social relationships, such as work or hobbies, and of food cravings.
The study found that women in the premenstrual phase respond significantly more strongly to images of high-calorie meals than at other times in their cycle.
Why do I feel more hungry before my period?
Being hungry before or during your menstrual cycle is natural. There are a number of causes, including hormonal fluctuations, mood swings and metabolic disorders.
But let's take a closer look at the causes.
Hormone fluctuations
If you feel hungry often in the week before your period, hormones may be to blame.
The female cycle lasts approximately 28 days and is divided into three distinct phases.
- Follicular phase: An egg follicle matures in the first 14 days.
- Ovulation (ovulation): Around day 14, the follicle bursts and moves from the ovary to the fallopian tube.
- Luteal phase: The luteal phase lasts an average of 14 days. The corpus luteum is formed from the remains of the follicle and produces progesterone and estrogen.
While estrogen has an appetite suppressing effect, progesterone has the opposite effect.
Your estrogen levels peak just before the start of your menstrual cycle and then drop until you get your period.
Your progesterone level is highest just before your period. If the egg is not fertilized, the progesterone level drops and menstruation starts.
Frustration (fr) eating
When we're emotionally upset, we often seek comfort in something delicious. Sweets and high-carbohydrate meals are particularly tempting. A big plate of pasta with a slice of cheesecake for dessert - yes please!
You are probably a bit more emotional before and during your period. This is typical. Premenstrual syndrome, which regularly dominates our lives, causes these strong feelings.
If you react to emotional changes with cravings, this could be the cause of your hunger pangs before your period.
My Tip: Try our PMS Brownies. In the chocolate cakes are ingredients that help against various PMS symptoms.
Make these brownies against PMS today!
Deficiency symptoms
Did you know that your body does not necessarily need sugar, but wants to tell you something completely different with cravings? It wants to signal to you that it lacks something else entirely.
Magnesium, for example. Magnesium is produced more frequently during and shortly before menstruation than cortisol, which increases insulin levels.
The body then demands this mostly in the form of sweets. While cortisol levels rise, serotonin levels fall.
This is a messenger substance in the brain that is important for the correct sleep rhythm. When the body has enough serotonin, there are no cravings during this time. As a result, one is calmer and reacts less to stress.
However, if you generally consume too little serotonin, the body cries out for foods containing cocoalike chocolate.
However, the serotonin content in chocolate is far too low to have a long-term effect. Rather, one should then Consciously eat foods rich in serotonin put on the menu.
In the long run, it may make sense to change your diet. This will save you some food cravings and provide more balance.
When do you have cravings before your period?
About a week before your period, your metabolism starts to speed up. This means that you consume many more calories than usual during this week.
Because your body works extra hard during the luteal and menstrual phases, you feel hungrier.
But you should not satisfy this hunger with sugar, fatty or salty food. Go for a balanced diet.
What can you do about cravings before your period?
Now you know what causes the cravings before your period. But to help you deal with the constant hunger pangs in the future, we have a few tips for you.
Exercise and sport
Sports, especially endurance training and exercise in nature, increase serotonin levels. At the same time, you release dopamine because your reward center is activated.
So you get a double effect on your cravings before your period.
You can shorten your period with these tips!
Meditation against cravings
Meditation has been found to reduce stress and increase serotonin production. If you meditate regularly, it can help you manage your premenstrual cravings.
But other activities that trigger a sense of well-being and help you relax and reduce stress can also prevent cravings.
These may include going for a walk, reading, taking a warm bath, cuddling, or even sleeping.
These meditation exercises will help you!
Give in to your cravings
If you feel particularly hungry before your period, eat more! Your body is telling you that it needs fuel.
If you deny yourself food now, the negative feeling will only increase and you will feel bad.
It's quite possible that the dish or food you're craving contains something your body particularly needs right now.
Your body needs it - eat what you want, when you want. There is no reason to feel bad about PMS!
Adjust your diet to the cycle
As your hormone balance, mood, and metabolism change during your menstrual cycle, so should your Change diet.
You can make sure your body always gets what it needs by eating foods that match your cycle. Whether it's during ovulation, PMS or your period. This way you can prevent cravings during your period.
The right diet for cramps
You suffer from cramps and want to eat everything within your reach?
Then choose smart. Because with certain foods you can satisfy your hunger and relieve your discomfort at the same time.
These include dark chocolate*peanut butter, eggs, green leafy vegetables, ginger, pineapple, bananas and salmon.
Dishes that contain a lot of complex carbohydrates and proteins are also good. These nutrients ensure that less severe fluctuations in blood sugar levels occur.
As a result, the hunger attacks become less or even disappear completely.
Sugar, on the other hand, can significantly increase period pain.
What should you eat before your period?
It is not easy to change your diet from one day to another. However, the following tips can help you get rid of most problems before and during menstruation:
- Your diet should consist of 60 percent complex carbohydrates and no more than 20 percent fats and 20 percent proteins.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and potatoes. These foods contain plenty of minerals and vitamins.
- Instead of meat and dairy products, eat fish.
- Satisfy your sugar cravings not with light products. These foods contain a lot of calories and artificial additives. They are also Suspected of triggering cravings.
- Stay away from fast food, sweets, cold cuts and pastries.
- Avoid salt and replace it with fresh or dried herbs. Many Herbs also help you lose weightbecause they boost the metabolism!
- Drink enough. Preferably water or unsweetened fruit and herbal teas.
- If you have period pains, you should avoid coffee and alcohol in the days leading up to your period.
Our conclusion
Our body is influenced by the menstrual cycle in many ways. The hormones in the body go crazy. While some women suffer from Suffer from mood swings or Pain in the lower back others have cravings before their period. But there is no need to worry here. The period symptoms will pass and your cravings are not a permanent condition.
With tricks such as getting enough exercise, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding anything that causes your blood sugar levels to rise and fall too much, you'll be well prepared for your next period!
All the best for you 🙂
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