If you’re among the 75% of women who experience PMS symptoms, then you might feel like your body is working against you, month after month.
Whether your symptoms are physical (such as cramps, acne, bloating) or emotional (such as mood swings, anxiety) you can get quick and reliable relief by drinking smoothies for PMS.
In this post, you will learn:
- how smoothies can improve PMS and your menstrual cycle.
- which ingredients to use in smoothies for PMS.
- the 2 smoothie recipes to use before and after your period.
So, without further delay, let’s get into it!
5 REASONS WHY SMOOTHIES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR PERIOD
Before we dive into how you can benefit from smoothies for pms relief, it’s important to understand that the underlying cause of PMS is inflammation, usually resulting from excess estrogen.
High estrogen levels (aka estrogen dominance) occur for one of two reasons:
- Exposure to synthetic estrogen: this can be estrogen from birth control, pesticides and so on.
- Low progesterone levels: if progesterone production is low, this creates an imbalance the body’s natural estrogen to progesterone ratio. Ultimately, this leads to estrogen being higher (i.e. estrogen is dominant).
When there is excess estrogen in the body, your internal stress levels go up.
The resulting stress triggers inflammation, which means the adrenals start pumping out anti-inflammatory hormones.
When the inflammatory response and estrogen dominance becomes chronic, it can lead to intrusive premenstrual symptoms.
So, what’s the best way to get relief from inflammation and estrogen dominance?
Consume more nutrient-dense foods.
And this is where smoothies come in.
Now, here are a few reasons why smoothies are a perfect fit for that time of the month.
1. Convenient
The last thing you want to do during your period is spend tons of time in the kitchen.
Smoothies are just what you need because you can whip them up in as little as 5 minutes!
2. Easy to absorb
It’s always easier for the body to absorb liquids, which means you can experience the benefits of smoothies faster.
3. Gut-friendly
The raw fruits and veggies in smoothies are essential for promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
And since gut bacteria play a part in hormone production and detoxification, this means gut health is also important for reversing PMS.
4. Support liver health
The liver is responsible for the detoxification of excess estrogen and other toxins.
By adding healthy fats, raw foods and herbs into smoothies, you provide the liver with the nutrients it is longing for.
5. Nutrient-dense
Not only do smoothies contain nutrient-rich ingredients, but you can also blend in lots of different types of ingredients.
This mean you can really pack a lot into one glass (compared to what you’d normally be able to eat).
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SMOOTHIES FOR PMS
Now that we’ve looked at how smoothies can improve premenstrual symptoms, let’s breakdown the ingredients that we’ll be using in our pms smoothie recipes.
Avocados
- This tropical fruit is loaded with healthy fats that are necessary for hormone production and gut health. In addition, avocados contain potassium which prevents cramps and also reduces bloating (source).
Cacao Powder
- Thanks to its high magnesium content, cacao powder (not to be confused with its processed counterpart, cocoa powder) is an excellent cramp-buster and mood booster. In addition, cacao contains iron, which means it helps replenish the iron lost as a result of heavy bleeding (source).
Greens (kale or spinach)
- Greens like kale and spinach contain the green pigment, chlorophyll, which detoxes the body like a boss! Greens also promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria and boost energy.
Bananas
- Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6 and potassium, both of which are known to reduce cramps and eliminate bloating (source).
Oranges
- Oranges contain vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that can help reduce inflammation. Oranges also contain magnesium (great for mood and sleep), potassium (beneficial for cramps) and vitamin D (anti-inflammatory).
Sweet potatoes
- Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, which has been shown to improve PMS symptoms like mood swings, irritability and depression. In addition, sweet potatoes contain fiber which the body uses to bind excess estrogen (and other hormone-disrupting waste) so that they can be eliminated.
Flax seeds
- Flaxseeds contain a type of fiber called lignans, which is effective for detoxing excess estrogen. By helping the body maintain healthy levels of estrogen, flaxseed also improves the delicate balance between progesterone and estrogen (source).
Raw Honey
- Raw honey contains antioxidants that boost the immune system and help to alleviate stress (and inflammation). When combined with cinnamon (another one of the ingredients on this list) raw honey helps the body maintain healthy blood sugar levels (source). And healthy blood sugar levels means less inflammation!
Turmeric
- Turmeric is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods you can get your hands on. And it’s also one of my personal favorite supplements for liver health and hormone balance. Turmeric nourishes the liver, making it easier for your body to detox inflammatory compounds.
Cinnamon
- Research shows that cinnamon reduces cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea and vomiting. In fact, one study concluded that cinnamon “can be regarded as a safe and effective treatment for dysmenorrhea” (i.e. menstrual cramps) (source).
Ginger
- Relieves cramps and is also known to help with heavy menstrual flow. In addition, ginger has been shown to improve mood-related PMS symptoms, as well as physical symptoms of PMS (source).
PMS SMOOTHIE RECIPES AND HOW TO USE THEM
This section contains 1 green smoothie for PMS plus an orange/sweet potato smoothie that is sure to delight to you 🙂
Here’s how to get the best results from these smoothies:
Before your periods starts:
- Start drinking the smoothie of your choice 5 days before your period is supposed to start.
- Incorporate the seed cycling protocol into these smoothies. That means add 1 to 2 tbsp of sunflower or sesame seeds into the smoothie.
After your period starts
- Once your period starts, switch the seeds you’re using: 1 to 2 tbsp of ground flax or pumpkin seeds.
Also, you can amplify your results by adding a superfood powder to your smoothies.
Superfood powders have a high concentration of detoxifying and anti-inflammatory ingredients that are perfect for relieving PMS.
To learn more about which powder to use, see my favorites in this post on supplements for female hormonal imbalance.
Now on to the recipes!
Avocado and Cacao PMS Drink
Serves 2
Ingredients
½ large avocado
2 1/2 cups plain almond milk
2 frozen bananas (peel and chop before freezing)
1 tbsp cacao powder
3 tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey
2 cups mixed baby spinach/baby kale (or just baby spinach)
How to Make
- Place ingredients in a blender (in the order listed).
- Blend on high until smooth and well combined.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Sweet Potato and Orange PMS Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup steamed and pureed sweet potato
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (I used 2 cara cara oranges; use any variety of your choice)
1/4 cup plain almond milk
1 frozen banana (peel and chop before freezing)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1 ½ tsp raw honey
1 ½ tsp ground flax seed (optional)
How to Make
- Place ingredients in blender (in the order listed).
- Blend on high until smooth and well combined.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
RELATED QUESTIONS
What should you drink on your period?
Aside from smoothies, other PMS drinks you can enjoy are green tea, herbal teas (such as red raspberry leaf tea or peppermint tea) and fermented drinks (like kefir and kombucha).
For more tips on drinks that support hormone health, read this post on hormone-balancing drinks.
Does matcha help with cramps?
Yes, matcha is very beneficial for menstrual cramps.
In fact, since matcha is a green tea it’s full of antioxidants that reduce systemic inflammation.
Plus, matcha contains an amino acid called L-theanine that helps muscles and blood vessels relax.
This means you ultimately experience fewer pain-inducing uterine contractions (source).
CONCLUSION
With the right ingredients, smoothies are a convenient and way of taking in more nutrients, reducing inflammation, as well as supporting the gut and liver. This combination ultimately leads to a healthier and more enjoyable cycle.
I hope this post inspires you to start using smoothies to improve your premenstrual symptoms.
Combine these smoothies with my hormone-balancing diet plan and you’ll be on your way to saying goodbye to PMS for good!
If you have any questions or comments on this topic, don’t hesitate to leave your feedback below 🙂
Related Posts
Healthy Smoothies for Low Iron (For Energy, Weight Loss, Natural Glow)
4 Natural Remedies For PMS Symptoms
Home Remedies For Menstrual Cramps: 7 Tips You Probably Don’t Know About (That Actually Work!)
6 Scientifically Proven Essential Oil Blends For Menstrual Cramps
Ginger Root for Heavy Periods: 3 Ways To Use It Effectively
A Beginner’s Guide to Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance
How To Make The Best Smoothie for Period Cramps (That Actually Works!)
The Truth About PMS & Top Tips To Get Rid of PMS Symptoms
The Best Teas for Menstrual Cramps Relief
HI, the smoothies are delicious but I want to check I’m not doing something wrong because the spinach smoothie is brown from the cacao powder and not green. Maybe I’m not putting enough spinach in? There’s lots of space between the leaves so not much spinach in one cup? Thanks
You’re doing it right! It’s a green smoothie because any smoothie that contains greens is technically called a green smoothie. But the actual color changes based on ingredients. I’ve updated the post to make it clear that the color of that particular smoothie is brown.