Welcome back to another cycle-syncing episode. Today, we’re going to learn all about your body’s cravings during your period and throughout your cycle. We’re also going to dive into how to cycle-sync foods by honoring cravings and learning what to eat during each phase of your menstrual cycle. Want to know how you can start cycle-syncing food? After this post, you will learn how to optimize the nutrition your body needs on a cycle and start cycle-syncing your diet.

What are Cravings?

Have you noticed sometimes you know exactly what foods you want to eat? Maybe it’s a whole mess of tacos, a brownie, or even a salad. These food cravings are our body’s way of letting our brain and awareness know what our body needs as fuel. Having influence from your menstrual cycle on these cues is key since our body’s needs change every day, and we need different fuels in each season we’re in.

Our body will also crave things from external factors like weather, movement, social setting, day of the week, etc. Cravings have layers and layers of explanations of why they show up for us. Some rooted in habits and repetition, but others related to brain messages from nutritional needs, restrictions, and satiation requirements.

One of the first internal insights someone may notice when starting their cycle-syncing journey is cravings. Food cravings are more obvious to recognize body cues. So, as someone begins to live in alignment with their cycle, they may gravitate towards a more intuitive approach to eating by honoring cravings. We will explore an introductory explanation to why food cravings will differ in each season of your cycle and the mind and body benefits of intuitive eating.

How are Cravings Different for Different People?

Learning more about our cycles is like opening the door to a new world of self-awareness and appreciation. This leads us to the realization that our body is completely unique and thus has unique needs. Life becomes much more enjoyable when we embrace and celebrate our bodies and that sacred originality. Our bodies are reflections of our lifestyles and environments that house all of the resulting characteristics and, thus, cravings that we have. The point being, that even if you were to replicate lifestyles with other women, you would still have different cravings.

Our uniqueness can start at the surface with the things we do, eat, and think, but it’s rooted deep in our core, with ages of ancestry shaping the foundation of our essence. Sounds like something worth showing off, eh? On a more personal note: a new chapter of my life started when I stopped caring about what my body looked like in a bikini and started thanking my body for helping me do all of the things I love to do.

What to Eat During Each Phase of Your Cycle:

Menstrual Phase Cravings

Probably best known to you as your “period cravings,” our menstrual phases are infamous for triggering our brain to the urgency of our nutritional desires. Though the end of the luteal phase can be the culprit for many of these intense cravings, during menstruation, we feel some gut cues the strongest.

Iron is the mineral most women find deficient when their period comes and the bleeding begins. Vitamin C and magnesium can also be nutritional deficiencies during this season. Because of this, denser foods and diverse ingredients are craved in an attempt to replenish these necessities. Some foods that are commonly craved in this season are beans, dark leafy greens, tofu, dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, citrus, colorful veggies, and, for some, meat.

If you find that you often crave fast or processed food during your period, I do encourage you to honor what your body is asking for, but I also challenge you to look a step deeper and see if your body is actually asking for something new that you may not yet have introduced. I love coffee, but drinking too much during your menstrual season can affect your hormone balance. Try incorporating a ceremonial grade matcha or some caffeinated teas into your routine as a swap and see if your mind and body thank you for it. Tune into your body’s signals during your next menstrual season and learn how to honor those needs from the inside out.

Follicular Phase Cravings

This season may be the shortest, but it is definitely the most time-efficient. During the follicular season, your body’s estrogen levels increase to prepare for egg release during your ovulatory season.

Carbs are what your body will want here to prepare those eggs for battle, and fermented foods will help your gut with those activity changes. If your body is craving a specific carb, I encourage you to honor it. However, if you’re not sure what destination the craving is directing you toward… some good natural carb options are sweet potatoes, dates, apples, oats, lentils, rice, and bananas. I’m a big potato and sourdough girl, so I definitely get a fair share of those during this season. For an additional boost in minerals like zinc and magnesium, reach for chia, flax or pumpkin seeds. Chia seeds are a super food packed with omega-3s and fiber. A great way to get your chia in is to make chia pudding with plant milk or add chia seeds to your water and allow them to form tapioca-like clumps.

Ovulatory Phase Cravings

Your body shifts into new energy in this season. Most likely, your estrogen is at its highest, you’re lighter on your feet, and your body wants light fuel that won’t hold you back from feeling your best.

Foods that are high in fat and vitamin D or have a low glycemic index are the ultimate fuel for this season. Those food descriptions may be unfamiliar to you, which is another reason why your cravings can tell you more about what your body needs than any external factor. You may want to incorporate cruciferous vegetables, fish, artichokes, avocados, berries, tomatoes, ginger, and olives during this season. Try cooking with oils and adding salad greens to your meals. Fruit in the morning could also be a good addition which makes berries my go-to. Your body is capable of creating its own vitamin D naturally when you spend time in the sun, so spend at least 15 minutes outside each day and replenish that vitamin D.

Luteal Phase Cravings

This season, your body may opt into the quantity over quality mindset. The luteal season can be tough, with notable body, mood, and energy changes occurring, so there’s no reason to beat around that bush. You may notice some bloating, puffiness, and an overall sluggish feeling, especially in the last few days of this phase. Honoring how your mind and body want to show up in this season is a great way to show yourself some validation and grace.

The essentials you’re going to aim to incorporate should include omega-3s, potassium, zinc, vitamin B6, and magnesium. These can be found in foods like starchy veggies, beans, fish, chocolate, eggs, flax seeds, greens, roots, and avocados. Make sure to hydrate throughout the day. Hydration takes effect 24 hours after you drink water. The water you drank yesterday is the water that’s hydrating you today. Warm mint tea and walks after meals help to relieve some of those seasonal bloating pains. If you find that your body wants more or less food throughout the day, honor it, and let it ask for what it needs because all it wants for you is nothing but the best <3

What Happens if You Ignore Your Body’s Cues?

If you’re following a diet, meal plan, or a strict training regimen, chances are some of the time, you’re eating something that your body isn’t asking for. Diets may promise health and body “results,” but they are not capable of honoring your unique nutritional needs at the time your body needs them. Ignoring these needs can lead to a disconnect with your body and a reliance on outer influence to guide your health. In reality, all the guidance you need is found within. I completely understand the extenuating circumstances that may prevent someone from making their own food choices, but hopefully, this post still allows room for empowerment in the flexible areas.

I’m not the biggest astrology person, but I do embody my Libra sign. I’m rooted in balance, and I’m going to advocate for it. I truly believe that true health and wellness come in balance. Our world is one encompassed in abundance, so being able to find a rhythm with your body and the foods you have access to in your world is the golden egg in this whole blog post. You should also find empowerment in breaking out of the restraints you may find yourself in. If your current world is limiting you, discover new ways of cooking and fueling your body within your reach, and then discover what else the world can offer you. 

Whole vs Processed Foods

One of the most harmful things we can do to our health and hormones is to eat an excess of processed foods. There are additives and oils found in most processed foods that damage our health way more than just physically, though that is all we are taught to assume. At a micro level, these additives harm our gut microbiome, which can lead to nervous and digestive disorders. These harms can further form brain damage and hormone disruption and can accumulate into cancer and diseases.

This can all be avoided by reading the ingredients in processed foods. While eating intuitively, opt for the whole-food options of what you are craving. The more organic and natural foods you eat, the more your body will heal and begin to crave whole-food ingredients. A well-operated gut microbiome is the key to a healthy immune system and brain function.

Start Your Journey, Ditch the Birth Control

If you’re currently on hormonal birth control but are interested in getting off of it to dive into your cycle-syncing journey, consider 28 Wellness’s product “Toxic Breakup.” It detoxifies, replenishes, and balances your body from the harmful effects that hormonal birth control can leave. For 10% off of each box you buy, use my link or promo code “Emma28” at checkout.

To close, cycle syncing along with intuitive eating changed my life, and listening to my cravings was my first glance into my intuition. Listening to my hunger cues and food cravings opened up a new world for me, and I’m so excited to see what it does for you. If this post was insightful for you, share it with a friend who could also benefit from reading!

Comment the “period craving” you get every month without fail… mine’s peanut butter cups:)

References

“15 Healthy High-Carb Foods,” January 8, 2020.

Australia, Healthdirect. “Foods High in Iron.” Text/html. Healthdirect Australia, May 23, 2024.

Avenue, 677 Huntington, Boston, and Ma 02115. “Cravings.” The Nutrition Source, April 27, 2021.

Forbes Health. “What To Eat During Each Stage Of Your Menstrual Cycle,” April 12, 2024.