Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries can all help to increase estrogen levels. As well as being rich sources of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, berries contain high levels of phytoestrogen lignans.
Dried fruits are potent sources of phytoestrogens. Dried apricots, dates, and prunes are some of the dried fruits with the highest phytoestrogen content.
Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all hormone balancing foods packed with great nutrients. Berries are rich sources of vitamin C, which regulates your progesterone levels, particularly during the luteal (PMS) phase of your cycle [1].
The foods you need to avoid include: flax seeds, dried fruits, sesame seeds, garlic, peaches, berries, wheat bran, tofu, tempeh, dairy products, meat, alcohol, grains, and legumes.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Eating a varied diet can provide the body with the nutrients it needs for progesterone metabolism. This includes foods such as cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Keeping a healthy weight, staying on a consistent sleep schedule, and managing stress can help to keep hormones balanced as well.
Losing excess body fat is an excellent way to reduce circulating estrogen. Plus, weight loss can help protect against many chronic diseases, including hormone-sensitive breast cancer ( 13 , 35 ). Limit refined carbs and processed foods.
Helps urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Just as cranberries are known to lessen the chance of acquiring a UTI by preventing bacteria binding to the wall of the bladder, blueberries are believed to act in the same way, particularly for women who get repeat infections.
For those who can't tolerate salicylates, blueberries might cause a rash, headaches or a host of gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, reflux, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Blueberry juice is especially high in salicylates.
“Once women go through menopause, this puts them at an even greater risk for it. Our findings suggest that the addition of a single food, blueberries, to the diet may mitigate the negative cardiovascular effects that often occur as a result of menopause.”
Research shows that avocados can help reduce the absorption of estrogen and boost testosterone levels. They also improve heart health and aid in satiety. We need enough healthy fats to make hormones, and avocados are a great source of hormone building blocks.
Nuts, like peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pistachios, are one of the most effective foods that increase estrogen levels in the body. They are also a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, offering a myriad of health benefits.
Green tea consumption, but not black tea, was also associated with reduced levels of estrone and estradiol among postmenopausal women20. Green tea's estrogen reduction activity may result from tea polyphenols inhibiting aromatase, the key enzyme converting androgens to estrone or estradiol21.
Another source of estrogen in foods is animal estrogen. Products like eggs or milk contain high estrogen levels because they are produced in parts of the animal's body that regulate its hormones. Eating high estrogen foods can help people who suffer from various conditions related to low estrogen levels.
Tomatoes, kiwi, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, peaches, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, corn and cauliflower all boast great levels of vitamin C and they possess the phytoestrogen power you might be looking for to boost your estrogen.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are also great sources of phytoestrogens. “Phytoestrogens may be beneficial in regulating menopausal symptoms. For example, studies show that diets high in phytoestrogens result in reduced hot flushes in menopausal women,” says Burgess.
Almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, oats, corn, wheat and apples all showed estrogenic activity.
Magnesium helps with testosterone, estrogen, and DHEA production. B vitamins are involved with everything including metabolism, mood, and much more. Vitamin D3 deficiencies may cause estrogen imbalance. Omega-3 fatty acids help produce hormones that cause blood clotting, inflammation, and reproduction.