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Why Am I So Hungry Before My Period?
Last week, your regular breakfast was enough to get you through until lunch. Now, you might find yourself wanting toast again by ten. Maybe dinner doesn’t fill you...
Last week, your regular breakfast was enough to get you through until lunch. Now, you might find yourself wanting toast again by ten. Maybe dinner doesn’t fill you up as much, chocolate seems more tempting, and you start to question why your appetite has shifted.
It’s normal to feel hungrier before your period. In the luteal phase, which is the time between ovulation and your period, hormone changes can affect your appetite. Your body might use a bit more energy at rest, and changes in sleep or mood can also influence how hungry you feel and what you crave.
Knowing about these changes can help you feel empowered to choose more satisfying meals and feel less frustrated.
Why Your Appetite Changes Throughout the Month
Estrogen and progesterone affect more than just your reproductive system. They also play a role in how your body manages hunger and energy.
Estrogen usually goes up before ovulation. After that, progesterone rises along with a smaller increase in oestrogen. If you don’t become pregnant, both hormones drop before your period starts.
Studies show that people tend to eat less just before ovulation and more during the luteal phase. But this pattern isn’t the same for everyone, and it can even change from cycle to cycle.
Does Your Body Need More Energy Before Your Period?
A 2024 review found that, on average, women ate about 168 more calories per day during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase. (1)
There’s also some evidence that your body burns a bit more energy at rest during this time.
For example, a 2026 review found that some studies showed people burned about 30 to 120 more calories a day during the luteal phase, but the results weren’t always consistent. (2)
The main point is to be flexible. You might need a bigger lunch, a heartier breakfast, or an afternoon snack. There’s no need to count exact calories before you eat when you’re hungry.
Why Chocolate and Carbohydrates Become So Appealing
Sometimes you just feel hungrier overall. Other times, you crave something specific like chocolate, bread, crisps, or sweets.
Hunger and cravings can happen together, but a craving means you really want a certain food. In a small 2018 study, women said they wanted chocolate, desserts, and salty snacks more before their period, even though they didn’t eat more overall compared to other times in their cycle. (3)
Food can also have emotional meaning. Chocolate might remind you of comfort, pleasure, or relaxing after a busy day.
Sleep and Mood Can Make the Week Feel Harder
Changes in appetite often come with other premenstrual symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and trouble sleeping. All of these together can make everyday tasks feel more exhausting.
Sleep can affect how you eat, even outside your menstrual cycle. In one study, 80 adults who usually slept less than 6.5 hours a night ate less when they got more sleep over two weeks. While this wasn’t about premenstrual hunger in particular1, it shows that sleep is important to consider.
Think about what could make this week easier for you. Maybe it’s bigger meals, going to bed earlier, simpler recipes, or fewer evening plans. You might have a few different needs at the same time.
How to Nourish Yourself When You’re Hungrier
1. Make your usual meals more substantial
Before you try to manage your hunger, consider whether your meals are filling enough for you.
A salad with just a bit of feta might not be enough, you could add chickpeas, avocado, and more protein to help you stay full through the afternoon. Oats can be more satisfying with Jennah Organics Protein Power, nuts, and hemp seeds.
Try to include a good balance of protein, carbs, vegetables or fruit, and some fat in your meals.
2. Keep carbohydrates on your plate
Foods like oats, potatoes, rice, bread, beans, and fruit all help make a healthy diet. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends eating foods rich in complex carbs for PMS, as they may help with mood and cravings.
Pick meal combinations you like, such as eggs on toast, a baked potato with beans, or rice with tofu and vegetables.
3. Plan for predictable hunger
If you always get hungry around four, plan for a snack. Yoghurt with fruit, toast with peanut butter, or crackers with hummus are all simple choices.
Can Herbs or Supplements Help?
From a herbalist’s perspective, the first question is what needs support: hunger, low mood, poor sleep or a wider pattern of premenstrual symptoms.
Saffron is one of my favourite plants as a herbalist to use in these situations, since it’s been studied for PMS. For example, in a placebo-controlled trial, women taking 30 mg daily for two menstrual cycles experienced greater improvement in overall premenstrual symptoms than those taking a placebo.
Jennah Organics Hormone Support contains saffron, magnesium glycinate, vitamin B6 and other research-backed plant extracts to support hormonal harmony throughout the month. It’s a great option to consider as part of your overall routine.
