Lifestyle · Period-Friendly Food
Why Period Cravings Happen
By the eva team · · 2 min read
Changes in appetite and food cravings are recognised premenstrual symptoms. They may appear during the days or one to two weeks before a period and can vary between people and cycles. Researchers are still studying exactly why cravings change, but shifts in reproductive hormones, appetite, energy needs, mood and food reward may all contribute. Having cravings does not mean that you lack discipline or that you must follow a restrictive “period diet.”
1. Why Do Cravings Feel Stronger Before A Period?
You may suddenly want chocolate, crisps, sweets, bread or another specific comfort food before your period. Appetite changes and food cravings are common PMS symptoms, although the timing, strength and preferred foods can be different in every cycle.
2. Hormone Changes May Affect Appetite
Estrogen and progesterone change throughout the menstrual cycle and may influence appetite and eating behaviour. Research suggests that food intake and cravings may increase during the luteal phase the time after ovulation and before a period but this pattern is not experienced by everyone.
3. Your Body May Need A Little More Energy
Some research has found that energy intake and energy expenditure can rise during the luteal phase. This may help explain why you sometimes feel hungrier or want more substantial foods before your period. The change is usually individual and does not mean you need to calculate or tightly control your intake.
4. Mood And Tiredness Can Shape What You Want
PMS can also involve low mood, irritability, tiredness, poor sleep and difficulty concentrating. When you feel emotionally uncomfortable or exhausted, familiar foods with enjoyable tastes and textures may feel especially appealing. A craving can therefore involve physical appetite, emotion, habit and availability at the same time.
5. Skipping Meals Can Make Cravings Feel More Urgent
A period-related craving may feel stronger when you have also gone several hours without eating. Regular meals and satisfying snacks can help you respond to genuine hunger before it becomes urgent. Restricting food to “make up” for a craving may increase preoccupation with food rather than solving the pattern. Research has linked food deprivation and dietary restraint with stronger cravings.
6. Enjoy The Food And Make It More Satisfying
You do not have to replace the food you want with something you do not enjoy. Try including it alongside foods that make the snack or meal more substantial for example, chocolate with fruit and yoghurt, crisps with a paneer sandwich, or toast with nut butter and banana. A balanced eating pattern can include enjoyable foods without guilt.
7. Track The Timing Not Every Bite
For two or more cycles, notice when cravings begin, which foods you want and whether they appear with tiredness, low mood, bloating or missed meals. PMS symptoms usually follow a repeated premenstrual pattern and improve after bleeding begins. Tracking can help you plan satisfying snacks and recognise whether the pattern needs professional attention.
8. Cravings Shouldn’t Control Or Frighten You
Speak with a trusted adult, doctor or qualified dietitian if cravings are accompanied by severe premenstrual mood symptoms, frequent loss-of-control eating, secretive eating, strong guilt, regular meal restriction or major disruption to daily life. Repeated episodes of eating large amounts while feeling unable to stop can be signs of binge-eating disorder and deserve proper assessment.