We’ve all been there, crying into a bowl of chocolate ice cream on our period while binge-watching a favorite TV show. Sometimes, the show and chocolate help. Sometimes, a sugar overdose makes period cramps worse.
Over time, many of us have found the right foods and rhythms that work for the ebb and flow of our cycles—even if it took finding Natural Womanhood to point us in the right direction! And while navigating food and habits for a healthier menstrual period can be an ongoing process, it’s possible to help teen girls—who are just getting started on that journey—start laying a solid foundation.
Many moms want to know: what nutrients and nourishing foods will help my daughter flourish during adolescence, especially once cycles are thrown into the mix? And, critically, for when those period cravings hit: is chocolate on the menu? In this article, we’ll answer both questions for teens and moms looking to make smart nutrition choices for healthy cycles now—and in the future.
Nutrients to support a healthy cycle
For adolescent girls navigating menstrual periods for the first time, the nutritional advice is largely the same as for any woman prior to her first pregnancy: increased iron, protein, healthy fats (especially Omega-3s), magnesium, B-vitamins, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, and electrolytes, balanced with primarily fiber-packed, whole-food carbohydrates [1] [2] [3] [4].
Iron for blood loss
For teen girls, paying particular attention to iron intake is important, primarily because of the new onset of monthly blood loss. A teen girl needs to boost iron intake, especially if she’s an athlete and/or if she has a history of anemia [1].
For teen girls, paying particular attention to iron intake is important, primarily because of the new onset of monthly blood loss.
Author and Physiologist Stacy T. Sims, PhD, writes that, as a woman, “You’re at higher risk of becoming anemic because your body may not be able to pump up your blood-iron stores fast enough to keep pace with your blood loss. Your risk is even greater if you are an athletic woman, since you have more muscle stress, damage, and inflammation following hard efforts” [2].
Calcium for growing bones
Calcium and the “Alphabet Vitamins” (A,B,C,D,K) are also key for continuing to grow girls’ bones and setting up their skeletons for good health and stability into adulthood. For athletes especially, intake of calcium and vitamin D is essential for strong bones and maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle [2].
Protein for muscle mass
The new USDA dietary recommendations also suggest a daily intake of 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, but author Dr. Sarah Gottfried recommends much more than that: “For instance, a woman weighing 130 pounds, with 100 pounds of lean body mass, should eat about 85 to 100 grams of protein each day, or enough to preserve lean body mass. Athletes may need more protein to maintain or increase muscle mass” [4].
Carbs for (necessary!) calories
Carbohydrates have been villainized in many fad diet plans over the past few decades (looking at you, Keto!), but an appropriate amount of carbs actually plays a vital role in the female cycle. For example, moderate carb intake ensures that enough calories are being consumed to maintain a healthy cycle. In the book Real Food for Fertility, author Lily Nichols, RDN, recommends that 15-30% of all calories come from carbs for the average woman [3]. For athletes, that number should be on the higher end of the spectrum.
Without an appropriate, balanced amount of carbohydrates in the diet, it is difficult for girls and women (especially those who are athletes) to consume enough calories to ovulate [3]. Physiologist Stacy Sims also emphasizes the need for athletes to consume additional carbs, especially when undertaking high intensity activity during the pre-menstrual phase of a cycle, “since your body is also building your uterine lining, which uses carbohydrates and raises your metabolic rate (aka how many calories you’re burning at rest)” [2].
Without an appropriate, balanced amount of carbohydrates in the diet, it is difficult for girls and women (especially those who are athletes) to consume enough calories to ovulate.
But moderation is key
However, moderation with carb intake is still key, and nutrition science supports a balanced approach to carbohydrates. As noted by Dr. Gottfried, too many refined carbohydrates flood the bloodstream with sugar, which spikes insulin. Over time, persistent insulin elevation can throw female hormones—and the menstrual cycle—out of balance [4].
Charting to keep track of it all
Without enough essential nutrients, some teen girls stop menstruating entirely, or never have a regular menstrual cycle [2]. If this is the case, regular cycle tracking (using one of the many methods available) may help girls and their doctors identify potential underlying health issues. By working with a medical professional trained to read cycle charts, a teen girl can get truly restorative help for underlying nutritional deficiencies or other health complications, such as PMOS (formerly PCOS), hypothalamic amenorrhea, anemia, endometriosis, and more.
So what do all of these nutritional needs actually translate to at meal times? Fortunately, there are many excellent, delicious, natural sources of all the above nutrients. And while no teen’s diet is going to be perfect, starting to guide your daughter towards good choices now will provide a great foundation for regular, healthy cycles into her adult years.
While no teen’s diet is going to be perfect, starting to guide your daughter towards good choices now will provide a great foundation for regular, healthy cycles into her adult years.
Protein-rich meats and beans: Beef, poultry, lentils, beans, whey protein, fish high in Omega-3s (such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring), eggs, shellfish, and high-quality pork. Additionally, organ meats from good sources offer additional vitamins and minerals, including iron [4].
Heavy on the iron: Lean red meats, chicken, fish, lentils, dried beans, peas, tofu, leafy greens such as spinach, and dark chocolate [2].
Colorful vegetables: Leafy greens, such as arugula, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, and lettuces. Additional vegetables include cauliflower, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, onions, garlic, eggplant, cucumber, celery, summer squashes, zucchini, radishes, cabbages, mushrooms, and winter squashes (i.e. pumpkin and butternut squash) [4]. In short: eat all the colors of the rainbow to get the most variety of vitamins and essential nutrients!
Hydration station: Electrolytes, salt, and particularly magnesium, help regulate hormones and balance the body during and after blood loss. Salted chicken or beef bone broth, salted lemonade, coconut water, or a prepared electrolyte drink are all good options [2]. (Pro-tip: don’t opt for sugar-free electrolyte drinks, as those contain sugar substitutes, which may increase insulin resistance and diabetes risks.)
Omega-3s and healthy fats: Avocadoes, nuts (almond, pecan, pistachio, macadamia, walnut, pine nut, hazelnut), seeds (chia, pumpkin, flax, sunflower, sesame, hemp), and healthy oils (avocado, coconut, olive, MCT) provide the female body with much-needed fats. [4] Fish low in mercury also provide Omega-3 fats (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring), and a good fish oil supplement can provide Omega-3s if fish isn’t a preferred food. [4]
Probiotic-rich foods: Probiotics, especially in the lactobacilli family, help the gut regulate estrogen. Food sources include unpasteurized kombucha, greek yogurt, kimchi, miso, sourdough bread, and sauerkraut.
Carbohydrates, in moderation: Whole grains are good for the female body; highly processed, refined carbohydrates are not. Focus on fiber-rich whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat, while balancing more processed options such as breads, white rice, and tortillas in moderation. [1]
For additional reading on female nutritional needs
While many books on women’s health and nutrition focus on the big changes of a woman’s life such as pregnancy, lactation, and menopause, much less is available on puberty and the early onset of female fertility.
Books such as Real Food for Fertility provide guidance to any woman prior to conception, but the audience is not directed to teens, whose bodies are experiencing these hormonal changes for the first time. That said, the chapters on vegan and vegetarian diets, polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS, now known as PMOS), and hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) may prove helpful to a teen who is navigating any of those specific challenges.
Additionally, a female teen athlete may benefit from reading ROAR for a deep-dive on what to expect from her body during peak performance demands, while also looking out for the health risks female athletes are most likely to face.
A balanced, nutrient-dense, whole foods-based diet can help any teen girl during this important period of whole-body development, and put her on the path for good health and fertility into adulthood.
Thankfully, high-quality dark chocolate (think 80+% cacao, with minimal added ingredients) actually provides a variety of nutrients, including iron and magnesium, so you can feel good about recommending (and perhaps even sharing in) a few pieces with your teen daughter when that time of month comes around.
