Written by: Dr. Amy Beckley, PhD, Founder and Inventor of the Proov test — the first and only FDA-cleared test to confirm successful ovulation at home.
The holidays are almost here! For us, this means lots of incredible food and time with family. In honor of holiday cooking we pulled together a few of our favorite recipes that are rich in ingredients that support healthy PdG levels!
PdG is a metabolite of progesterone, a hormone that does a lot! By increasing PdG levels, progesterone is boosted. Increasing levels if you have low PdG is critical when it comes to confirming healthy ovulation.
Check out these easy 5 recipes that will keep your tastebuds happy and your family satisfied, all while supporting PdG. And don’t worry - for those not in the market to support levels, these recipes are delicious and have healthy stuff in them too!
1. Breakfast of Champions: Chocolate Chip Sunflower Butter Muffins
Make everyone happy by starting off the day right - with chocolate, of course! These breakfast winners are delicious while being sneakily nutritious too.
Sunflower seed, and therefore sunflower butter, is high in selenium and Vitamin E, which helps support progesterone production during your luteal phase. If you are seed cycling, these muffins can be a great, delicious way to pack in the sunflower seeds during the second half of your cycle. Plus, an increase in progesterone can boost your metabolism a bit which can lead to more cravings during the luteal phase. What better way to satisfy them than with some chocolate?!
2. Mid Day Snack: Kale Chips
Kale chips are one of our favorite savory snacks to help get us through all that holiday cooking. Plus you can throw on some salt or some lemon vinaigrette for a little extra flavor!
Kale contains a natural chemical called Indole-3-carbinol. This has been known to help the body metabolize estrogen more effectively, which actually helps promote healthy progesterone production. Plus, balanced estrogen can lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety - something we could all use a little help with during the holidays!
3. First Course: Vegan Pumpkin Lentil Curry with Spinach
Impress your family with this delicious pumpkin lentil curry with spinach. Not only does it contain progesterone supporting ingredients like pumpkin and spinach, it’s also vegan which means it’s totally dairy free. Avoiding dairy can be important, as it can have an inflammatory effect, which can negatively impact hormones!
The zinc in pumpkin helps boost progesterone which is important for supporting overall hormone balance, but can also help reduce anxiety and stress as well, since progesterone is associated with general stress reduction and improved mood. Pumpkin also helps boost the immune system - another perfect side benefit during cold and flu season!
Get the recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Lentil Curry With Spinach
4. Side Dish: Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Full disclosure, we used to hate brussel sprouts...but once we learned to cook them, they fast became a favorite food! Besides being a truly tasty vegetable, Brussels are great for boosting progesterone and a whole slew of other advantages.
Brussel sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable and are in the same family as cauliflower, broccoli, and kale. These contain contain folic acid and di-indolylmethane which help calm down estrogen levels, thus helping you maintain low levels of cortisol. Since cortisol and progesterone operate on the same hormone pathway, keeping cortisol levels in check can help make way for healthy progesterone!
5. And Finally...Dessert! Gingerbread Chia Seed Pudding
We saved the best for last - dessert of course! This gingerbread chia seed pudding is perfect to wrap things up with a sweet treat. A little crunchy and a little nutty, this pudding is a well-deserved end for a hardworking cook. Impress your dinner guests by dressing it up in a mason jar for that cute, rustic feel.
Chia, meaning “strength” in ancient aztec, forms as a sort of gel once digested. This gel can help you feel fuller longer and control sugar cravings. It also packs a punch to the gut to boost your immune system. Most importantly to us, it also helps balance out extra estrogen in the body, thus allowing for a progesterone boost - and all promoting an overall healthy hormone balance.
