Menstruation refers to a woman's monthly period. During this time, a woman's physical resistance is lower than usual. If dietary precautions are neglected, it can significantly impact her physical and mental health. Consuming unhealthy foods during menstruation may trigger various gynecological issues and even lead to infertility. So, what foods should be avoided during menstruation?
Foods to Avoid During Menstruation
1. Raw and Cold Foods
Raw and cold foods slow blood circulation, impairing uterine contractions and menstrual flow. This hinders blood discharge and may cause dysmenorrhea. Avoid cold beverages, ice cream, and cold-natured foods like persimmons, crabs, pears, and watermelon during menstruation.
2. Foods with Excessive Yang Energy
Many people consume large amounts of foods like red dates and donkey-hide gelatin during menstruation to replenish blood.However, experts emphasize that consuming warming tonics during menstruation is highly inadvisable, especially foods with a warming nature. During menstruation, women experience a downward flow of yin blood and an excess of yang energy. Therefore, excessive intake of yang-enhancing foods like red dates or donkey-hide gelatin is contraindicated; only moderate consumption is permissible.
3. Tea and Alcohol
Women lose significant iron during menstruation and should replenish it. Tea contains over 30% tannic acid, which readily binds with iron ions in the intestines, forming precipitates that hinder intestinal mucosa absorption of iron ions. It can cause breast tenderness and deplete stored vitamin B, disrupting carbohydrate metabolism.Alcohol depletes vitamin B and minerals. Excessive drinking disrupts carbohydrate metabolism and increases estrogen production, potentially causing early menstruation and heavy flow.
4. Caffeine High-caffeine foods stimulate the nervous and cardiovascular systems, leading to menstrual pain, prolonged periods, and heavy bleeding. Examples include coffee, strong tea, and cola.
5. Sweets
Consuming high-sugar sweets not only fails to alleviate menstrual discomfort but may also disrupt hormonal balance due to unstable blood sugar levels, intensifying discomfort.Chocolate can cause greater emotional instability and sugar cravings. Beyond contributing to weight gain, it increases the body's demand for vitamin B. Simultaneously, sugar depletes the body's stores of vitamin B and minerals, further fueling sugar cravings.
6. High-Salt Foods
Excessive salt intake before menstruation increases salt and water retention in the body, leading to irritability and mood swings. Combined with elevated progesterone levels during menstruation, this can also cause edema and headaches. Adopting a low-salt diet 10 days before your period can prevent these symptoms.During menstruation, consume light, neutral-flavored, nutrient-rich foods.
7. Spicy Foods
Avoid consuming spicy foods during menstruation to prevent health issues. Spices like cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, cloves, and black pepper are highly stimulating. Opt for mild, neutral-flavored, nutrient-rich foods instead. Avoid strong, spicy foods to prevent early menstruation or excessive flow.
What to Eat During Menstruation
During menstruation, women experience reduced immunity and emotional fluctuations. Some may suffer from poor appetite, lower back pain, or fatigue. Appropriate supplementation with foods that promote menstrual flow is recommended, such as warming tonics like lamb, chicken, red dates, tofu skin, and apples.
Women with a cold constitution may experience cold hands and feet, profuse cold sweats, or even fainting during menstrual cramps. In such cases, consuming warming foods that dispel cold is beneficial. Examples include dog meat, lamb, chestnuts, lychees, brown sugar, and ginger. Brown sugar ginger tea, in particular, helps expel cold absorbed during menstruation and maintains normal body temperature.
Dysmenorrhea often stems from poor blood circulation or abnormal uterine positioning hindering normal menstrual flow. Foods that promote blood circulation and disperse stagnation—such as spinach, celery, cilantro, carrots, bananas, and apples—can help activate blood flow, clear stasis, unblock meridians, and alleviate menstrual pain.
If menstrual periods are accompanied by poor appetite or lower back pain, opt for nutrient-rich, spleen-nourishing, and easily digestible foods like red dates, noodles, or coix seed porridge.