6 Foods to Eat During Ovulation
Ovulation usually takes place at the mid-point of your cycle, it is the halfway point between 2 consecutive menstruations. During ovulation, your hormones are the highest. After your period your estrogen starts to rise during the follicular phase, the first half of your cycle. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) increases during the follicular phase to tell your ovaries to produce an egg and right before you ovulate you have an LH surge (luteinizing hormone) to tell your ovary to release the egg. Once you have ovulated your progesterone should kick in, rise, then peak. Just after ovulation your hormones peak. This is the time when your energy is the highest, you may feel like doing more things, maybe you’re more social during this time. To support this time of the month, it is important to be consuming the right foods to eat during ovulation.
Here are 6 foods to eat during ovulation
1. FIBER FOODS
Fiber foods help build up fecal bulk and they make the excretion process go much smoother. Fiber is one of the foods to eat during ovulation. It is important to eat fiber-rich foods because this is one of the mechanisms our body does to eliminate hormones. If we don’t eliminate the hormones, they can build up and recirculate the body to cause hormone imbalances, a common imbalance is estrogen dominance. There is no fiber in animal products so incorporate plant foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
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2. HORMONE DETOX FOODS
Another one of the foods to eat during ovulation is cruciferous vegetables. Increasing cruciferous vegetable intake is a great way to increase your health status and lower estrogen naturally after a high peak after ovulation. Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) is the main compound in many cruciferous vegetables. A study found that participants who were given the I3C, had decreased concentrations of metabolites that would activate the estrogen receptor, which shows that it can lower estrogen naturally.
Sulforaphane is another compound found in cruciferous vegetables. At high levels, estrogen has been shown to be carcinogenic by converting into estradiol and estrone, and this process can occur in two different pathways. The promotion of this process will damage the DNA which will cause the carcinogenic effects. A study found that sulforaphane has protective effects against these pathways to inhibit estrogen-induced DNA damage and will lower estrogen naturally through detoxification. Examples: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, arugula, bok choy, broccoli sprouts.
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3. ANTIOXIDANT FOODS
Antioxidants are part of another group of foods to eat during ovulation. Antioxidants support liver detoxification and they reduce inflammation by combatting free radicals that can accumulate from stress, poor food quality, and alcohol. Liver detoxification is important because this is another mechanism for eliminating estrogen to prevent estrogen dominance. These antioxidants are not found in animal products, only in plants. An easy way to know if a food is high in antioxidants is by looking at its color, if it is bright and colorful then it has antioxidants. Here are some examples: mango, watermelon, carrots, red pepper, berries, broccoli, citrus, peaches, kiwi, sweet potato, cabbage, red beans, and avocado.
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4. ZINC FOODS
Another one of the foods to eat during ovulation is zinc foods. Zinc is a mineral and it helps to preserve egg quality and promote ovulation. Researchers have found that when an egg is released, zinc discharge follows the egg into fertilization and promotes cell growth. Examples include: sunflower and sesame seeds, shellfish, meat, beans, eggs, and whole grains.
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5. LEAN PROTEIN FOODS
Lean proteins are great foods to eat during ovulation. This is because they have a good effect on balancing blood sugar. In an unbalanced blood sugar state, our insulin, the hormone carrier of sugar to our cells, will be released in high amounts when we eat carbohydrates and then will be super low after it brings all the sugar to the cells. This causes large peaks and lows of our blood sugar.
Insulin is a hormone and needs to be produced in a balance just like every other hormone. When insulin is left in the bloodstream it can accumulate and lead to other hormone imbalances like estrogen and testosterone. During ovulation is not preferred considering our hormones should peak at this time.
Lean proteins can mend the situation by slowing down the blood sugar spike. Avoid eating naked carbohydrate snacks or meals, this means avoid just eating a bowl of plain oatmeal or just a piece of fruit. Instead, add a lean protein source with your carbohydrate to stabilize your blood sugar levels. Examples include greek yogurt, fish, lean poultry, nuts, and soy products.
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6. SLOW CARBOHYDRATE FOODS
In addition to lean proteins, slow carbohydrate foods help with not only blood sugar, but they are great foods to eat during ovulation. Energy levels are typically highest during this point of the cycle so its beneficial to be fueled with carbohydrates because these foods are our preferred fuel source. Slow carbohydrates are indicative of their absorption in the body. Take oatmeal and sugar as an example, oatmeal has much more bulk to it, it has fiber, more mass, and many vitamins and minerals in it. The oatmeal is going to be slower to digest and absorb in order to feel the energy effects. Now look at table sugar, if you eat the same amount of carbs in sugar as you did in the oatmeal, this sugar will absorb and digest so much faster. Your blood sugar will increase a lot higher, but in about 20 minutes it will decline again. The energy you get from the sugar is quick but short-lived. Examples of slow carbohydrates are: oatmeal, lentils, beans, berries, rice, quinoa, and multigrain breads.
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TAKE AWAY MESSAGE:
There are several foods to eat during ovulation that provide nutrients for healthy hormone function. If you’re looking to understand the root causes of your hormone symptoms, check out my hormone testing packages HERE.
Be sure to check out my FREE hormone guide & 5-day meal plan below for more hormone balancing tips. And my online course Heal Your Period: Everything you need to know to achieve a regular, pain-free period.
