How Does Food Affect Hormone Balance?

If you’re feeling tired all the time, battling stubborn weight gain, or noticing your mood and cycle are all over the place, it’s not just in your head.

These are often signs your hormones need support and what you eat can play a major role in how balanced or imbalanced they become.

Whether you’ve been told your blood tests are “normal” or you’re navigating perimenopause, PCOS, or post-pill symptoms, understanding how food affects your hormones is key.

In this post, we’ll explore:

• The connection between nutrition and hormone health

• Key nutrients and foods that support balance

• How blood sugar, gut health and detox pathways all play a role

• Simple, realistic changes you can make to feel more in control

Why Nutrition Matters for Hormones

Hormones are your body’s messengers. They control everything from metabolism and mood to sleep, appetite, and menstrual cycles. But they don’t operate in isolation, your diet, stress levels, sleep, and lifestyle choices all influence how well your hormones work.

When your nutrition isn’t supporting your hormones, you might notice:

• Fatigue or energy crashes, especially mid-afternoon

• Weight gain around the middle

• PMS, irregular cycles or missing periods

• Skin breakouts or hair thinning

• Mood swings or low motivation

• Cravings, bloating, or digestive discomfort

These symptoms are often brushed off as “normal”, but they’re signs your body is out of sync.

The 5 Ways Nutrition Affects Hormone Balance

1. Blood Sugar Balance: Your Hormones’ Foundation

One of the most important ways nutrition affects your hormones is through blood sugar regulation. Every time you eat a meal or snack high in refined carbohydrates or sugar, your body releases insulin.

When this happens repeatedly throughout the day, especially without enough protein or fat, your insulin levels stay elevated.

Chronically high insulin can:

• Worsen hormonal imbalances like PCOS

• Increase oestrogen dominance

• Trigger more fat storage (particularly around your middle)

• Contribute to energy crashes and cravings

What to do: Eat every 4–5 hours, and always include a source of protein, healthy fat, and fibre (like veg or whole grains) to keep your blood sugar stable. For example:

• Swap cereal for eggs and avocado on rye toast

• Add lentils, quinoa or wild salmon to your salads

Keep a handful of nuts or seeds with fruit as a snack

2. The Gut-Hormone Connection

Your gut and hormones are in constant conversation. Gut bacteria influence oestrogen metabolism, thyroid conversion, and even mood-related neurotransmitters. If your gut is sluggish, inflamed, or lacking diversity, hormone clearance becomes compromised, leading to symptoms like:

• Bloating or constipation

• Worsening PMS or heavy periods

• Skin breakouts or histamine sensitivity

What to do: Focus on plant diversity. Aim for 30+ different plant foods each week (fruit, veg, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, pulses). Include fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir if tolerated. Hydration is also key for regular bowel movements.

If gut issues are ongoing, personalised microbiome testing may help reveal deeper imbalances.

3. Liver Support for Hormone Detoxification

Your liver breaks down hormones like oestrogen so they can be excreted via the gut. If the liver is overwhelmed, whether due to alcohol, processed foods, toxins, or lack of nutrients, can recirculate, increasing symptoms like:

• PMS

• Breast tenderness

• Water retention

• Irritability or migraines

What to do: Eat more cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, rocket), which support oestrogen detox via the liver. Ensure you’re getting enough B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants, these act like fuel for your detox pathways.

Reduce alcohol where possible and opt for filtered water and glass or stainless steel instead of plastic bottles or Teflon pans.

4. Fats and Hormone Production

Your body needs dietary fats to make hormones. Low-fat diets or a fear of fat can contribute to low oestrogen, poor mood, and low libido. Fats also help you absorb key nutrients like vitamin D and A, both important for hormonal function.

What to do: Include healthy fats daily from foods like:

• Oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Avocados

• Flaxseeds and chia

• Organic eggs and full-fat natural yoghurt

Avoid trans fats (often found in margarine, fast food or processed snacks) as these are inflammatory and disruptive to hormone balance.

5. Key Nutrients for Hormone Health

There’s no single superfood for hormones, but certain nutrients are especially helpful:

• Magnesium – supports blood sugar, reduces PMS and calms the nervous system Sources: pumpkin seeds, dark leafy greens, black beans, dark chocolate

• Zinc – helps with skin, mood and progesterone production Sources: pumpkin seeds, lentils, beef, chickpeas

• Vitamin D – important for insulin sensitivity, mood, and oestrogen balance Sources: sunlight, oily fish, eggs, supplemented if needed

• B Vitamins – support energy, detoxification, and neurotransmitter function Sources: wholegrains, eggs, leafy greens, nutritional yeast

You don’t need to be perfect, just consistent. Small, regular improvements add up over time.

Real-Life Example: Nutrition Changes That Made a Difference

Emilia, 38, came to me with bloating, skin breakouts and erratic periods after stopping the pill. She was eating “healthy” but skipping meals, living on oat milk lattes, and overdoing high-intensity workouts.

We worked together to rebalance her meals with more protein and fats, reduced her caffeine to one per day, and included gut-supportive foods like kefir and flaxseed. Within six weeks, her energy improved, her skin calmed, and her cycle became more regular.

What You Can Do Next

If you’re feeling frustrated or stuck with hormonal symptoms, it’s time to get clearer on what your body needs.

• Download my free Hormone & Thyroid Symptom Checklist – start connecting the dots between symptoms and potential imbalances. 

• Book a 30-minute Hormone Health Snapshot – we’ll discuss your symptoms and explore if my Be Balanced Programme is the right next step. 

• Explore the 12-Week Be Balanced Programme – structured nutrition and lifestyle guidance, with optional testing and 1:1 support to help you take control of your hormones.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.