When you eat excess amount of sugar, the body copes with it by turning it into fat cells, which then produce estrogen. The more sugar you eat, the more fat cells you create, and the more estrogen you produce.
Sugar, insulin and your blood glucose levels
Insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, attaches itself to glucose molecules and transfers them into your cells where they can be stored as glycogen and used later if need be.
The more sugar you eat, the more fat cells you create, the more estrogen they secrete. This estrogen adds to the estrogen your endocrine system produces. Add in xenoestrogens in our environment. You're set up for estrogen dominance, progesterone deficiency, and hormonal imbalance.
Red Meat
Consuming too much meat can disrupt hormonal balance as it increases the production of estrogen levels in your body. Good substitutes would be eating eggs and fatty fish like salmon and tuna, which are rich in omega 3 fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties.
What foods cause high estrogen? Foods that reportedly increase estrogen include flax seeds, soybean products, chocolate, fruit, nuts, chickpeas, and legumes.
Having a high percentage of body fat can lead to high estrogen levels. Stress: Your body produces the hormone cortisol in response to stress. Producing high amounts of cortisol in response to stress can deplete your body's ability to produce progesterone. The estrogen in your body is left unchecked by progesterone.
A 2007 study of postmenopausal U.S. Latinas found that avocado intake was associated with higher circulating estrone (E1), a type of estrogen. Elevated estrone levels have been found to be associated with increased breast cancer risk.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Packed within cruciferous veggies are phytochemicals that block the production of estrogen, allowing them to be an effective addition to an anti-estrogen diet. This group of vegetables includes kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and arugula.
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.
"The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," says Dr. Hu.
Soy milk and yogurt are excellent foods high in estrogen when you want to boost your body's estrogen levels naturally. These soy-based foods are loaded with protein and calcium, which is crucial for optimal bone health and preventing osteoporosis in women.
You'll Sleep Better
Eating too much sugar at this time can even cause night sweats. When you stop consuming sugar, your hormones function better, including the hormones responsible for healthy, restorative sleep. Stress hormones are the common culprits of poor-quality sleep.
Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.
Dried fruits such as dates, prunes, and dried apricots contain high amounts of phytoestrogens (chemicals similar to estrogen that may have estrogen-like effects in the body), making them some of the foods to avoid with high estrogen levels (3, 49).
In fact, if you're trying to balance your hormones, caffeine may be a no-go. Research shows that it can increase estrogen levels. While caffeine is known to give you a quick energy boost, it can also disrupt your hormones, particularly estrogen levels.
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.
Natural estrogen blockers are substances derived from plants or other natural sources that have the potential to block or reduce the effects of estrogen in the body. Some examples of natural estrogen blockers include wild nettle root, maca, chrysin, and grape seed extract.
When it comes to fruits, strawberries are considered one of the foods rich in estrogen. Strawberries are not only rich in phytoestrogens, but they also possess a multitude of health benefits that include healthy skin and hair, increased energy levels, and a lower risk of obesity.
The ovaries make most of the estrogen in your body. The adrenal glands and fat cells also make small amounts of estrogen.
The symptoms of menopause are in part driven by the imbalance and decline of estrogen. One way to combat this is to exercise. Getting your heart rate up for at least a half hour every day helps boost estrogen levels, which can help take the edge off of menopause symptoms.
Routinely consuming too much added sugar can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and liver disease.
Dr. Nigma Talib, a naturopath who works with celebrities, has popularized the term “Sugar Face” to describe the effects that excess sugar has on the skin. Supposedly, she can look at someone's face and determine if they have a sweet tooth by the appearance and the location of their blemishes and wrinkles.