Why Am I So Hungry Before My Period? Understanding Appetite, Cravings & the Luteal Phase

If you've ever found yourself standing in front of the pantry, wondering where this sudden urge for chocolate came from or why you're craving carbs like you've never eaten before, you're not alone. And you're not "lacking willpower." What you're experiencing may be connected to some very real physiological changes happening throughout your menstrual cycle.

For many people with menstrual cycles, the days leading up to a period come with a noticeable shift in hunger, appetite, and food cravings. This isn't a flaw. It's biology. Let's explore what's happening hormonally, why your body may actually need more energy during this time, and how you can nourish yourself with compassion rather than restriction.

Our hormones influence much more than our menstrual cycles. They interact with our metabolism, appetite, mood, sleep, and even the foods we find appealing.

What's Happening Hormonally in the Luteal Phase?

The luteal phase is the second half of your menstrual cycle; the time between ovulation and when your period starts. It typically lasts about 12–14 days, though this can vary from person to person.

Here's the hormonal dance happening in your body:

Before ovulation, follicular-stimulating hormone (FSH) helps eggs mature within ovarian follicles, while a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation.

 After ovulation, the follicle transforms into a temporary structure called the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone and estrogen. Progesterone rises significantly to prepare the uterine lining for a potential pregnancy. Progesterone is the dominant hormone of the luteal phase, and its effects go beyond reproduction. Estrogen reaches a smaller secondary peak, then both hormones decline in the late luteal phase if pregnancy doesn't occur. 

These hormonal shifts don't only influence your reproductive system. They can affect everything from mood and sleep to hunger, fullness, and cravings.

Progesterone has a thermogenic effect, contributing to the slight rise in core body temperature after ovulation. In fact, your basal body temperature typically increases by around 0.3–0.5°C during the luteal phase! Research also suggests that resting metabolic rate may increase modestly during this time, meaning your body may be using slightly more energy, even at rest.

Meanwhile, estrogen is generally associated with appetite-suppressing effects, and its changing levels may influence hunger and food preferences.

The result? For some people, increased hunger, stronger cravings, and sometimes mood shifts or fatigue.

For others, these changes are barely noticeable. Our bodies don't all respond to hormonal fluctuations in the same way.

Does the Body Actually Need More Energy?

Interestingly, your body may actually use slightly more energy during this phase!

Your body uses energy constantly, even when you're resting. This is known as your resting metabolic rate, or the energy required to support essential functions such as breathing, circulation, and maintaining body temperature. A 2020 systematic review found a slight increase in resting metabolic rate during the luteal phase, though findings varied across studies.

Interestingly, a separate 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nutrition Reviews found that participants consumed approximately 168 additional calories per day during the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase.

It's important to distinguish between how much energy your body uses and how much food you consume. Research suggests that metabolism and appetite may change throughout the menstrual cycle. Studies have found that people tend to consume more calories during the luteal phase, and their bodies may also be using slightly more energy.

However, the amount varies from person to person, and the 168 calories observed in the study represent an average increase in food consumption, rather than a specific amount everyone needs to eat.

Why might this happen? During the luteal phase, your body is preparing for the possibility of pregnancy. Hormonal changes influence body temperature, metabolic processes, and systems involved in appetite regulation.

What does this mean for you?

Increased hunger before your period may reflect real physiological changes rather than a lack of self-control. If your usual meals aren't leaving you satisfied, eating a little more may be an appropriate response to what your body is telling you.

Why Do We Crave Sweets, Carbs, and Chocolate?

If you've ever found yourself dreaming about chocolate, pasta, or something sweet before your period, you're certainly not alone.

Research has found that cravings for chocolate, sweets, and salty foods can increase during the late luteal phase.

But why?

First, it's helpful to understand that hunger and cravings aren't quite the same thing.

Hunger is the body's drive to eat, while a craving is a strong desire for a particular food. You can experience one without necessarily experiencing the other. Though specific cravings aren't entirely random. They may be influenced by a combination of hormonal, neurological, psychological, and environmental factors. 

Our hormones also interact with the brain’s reward system, including pathways involving dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in motivation and reward. These interactions may influence how appealing or satisfying certain foods feel, helping explain why particular foods sound especially tempting during different phases of your cycle, even when you're not physically hungry.

1. Serotonin and Mood

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, sleep, and appetite.

Estrogen helps regulate serotonin activity in the brain, while progesterone and its metabolites interact with other mood-regulating systems. As these hormones fluctuate and eventually decline toward the end of the luteal phase, they may influence serotonin signalling and how we feel.

Researchers have explored whether these changes contribute to increased carbohydrate cravings, particularly when mood dips or stress feels higher. Carbohydrate consumption may affect the availability of tryptophan, an amino acid the brain uses to make serotonin. However, the relationship is more complex than simply having low serotonin or needing sugar to boost it.

2. Hunger and Fullness Signals

Our bodies rely on several hormones to regulate appetite, including ghrelin, often called the "hunger hormone,” and leptin, which signals energy availability and fullness.

Estrogen and progesterone interact with these appetite-regulating systems. However, research examining how ghrelin and leptin change throughout the menstrual cycle has produced mixed results. We do know that hormonal fluctuations can influence appetite and food reward, potentially changing how hungry or satisfied we feel.

3. Blood Sugar Fluctuations

Some studies suggest that insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation may fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, although findings aren't entirely consistent.

These changes may be particularly relevant for people who already have difficulty regulating blood glucose. Stress, sleep, meal timing, and overall food intake can also influence our energy levels and appetite.

So, while blood sugar may play a role for some people, it isn't necessarily the explanation behind every premenstrual craving.

4. Why Chocolate?

Ah, chocolate!

Chocolate combines sweetness, fat, flavour, and a pleasurable sensory experience. It's also a source of magnesium, a mineral involved in numerous physiological processes. However, craving chocolate doesn't necessarily mean you're deficient in magnesium.

Our desire for particular foods can be influenced by pleasure, reward, learned associations, cultural influences, and emotional experiences. Sometimes chocolate sounds good simply because chocolate is delicious!

How Can Nutrition Support the Body During This Time?

Rather than fighting your body's signals, the goal is to work with them. Here are some gentle, practical ways to nourish yourself during the luteal phase.

1. Honour Increased Hunger

If you're noticing increased hunger, it may be worth giving your body a little more fuel.

Trying to stick rigidly to the same portions every day, regardless of how hungry you feel, may leave you unsatisfied. Give yourself permission to eat more when you need to. Test out building satisfying meals that include protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fibre.

This might mean having an extra snack, adding a little more to your meals, or eating more frequently.

2. Include Complex Carbohydrates

Carbs aren't the enemy! They're an important source of energy for both the brain and body. Think rice, oats, sweet potatoes, quinoa, legumes, and whole grains. These foods can provide a fulfilling source of energy, fibre, vitamins, and minerals that support overall health.

Including satisfying carbohydrate sources throughout the day may help support steadier energy levels and keep you feeling nourished.

3. Pair Carbs with Protein and Fat

Combining carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats can help slow digestion, support blood glucose regulation, and keep you feeling satisfied longer.

Think: apple with peanut butter, oatmeal with nuts and seeds, or rice with salmon and avocado.

These combinations can be especially helpful if you find yourself getting hungry again shortly after eating.

4. Prioritize Nutrient-Rich Foods

Calcium and magnesium are involved in numerous physiological processes, including muscle and nervous system function. Both have been studied for their potential roles in managing PMS, with stronger evidence suggesting adequate calcium intake may help reduce physical and emotional symptoms.

Consider including magnesium-rich foods such as dark chocolate, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

For calcium, foods such as calcium-set tofu, fortified plant milks, yogurt, and certain leafy greens can help support adequate intake.

Including these foods as part of a varied diet can support overall nutritional wellbeing, although they aren't guaranteed to eliminate cravings or PMS symptoms.

5. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is important throughout the menstrual cycle.

Try drinking water regularly throughout the day, and enjoy herbal teas or other beverages you find satisfying. While thirst and hunger can sometimes feel similar, remember that drinking more water isn't a substitute for eating when you're genuinely hungry.

6. Make Room to Enjoy Your Food and Stay Curious

There's a place for chocolate, cookies, or whatever brings you joy.

Restriction can sometimes intensify preoccupation with food and make cravings feel more difficult to navigate.

Enjoy the foods you love without unnecessary guilt.

Some days, your body may need a larger meal, an extra snack, or a little more flexibility with your usual routine. Instead of automatically questioning your hunger, try getting curious about it.

Are your meals satisfying? Have you been sleeping well? Are you experiencing more stress?

Where are you in your menstrual cycle?

These questions can help you better understand your body's patterns. The goal isn't to create perfect eating habits. It's to develop a supportive, flexible relationship with food.

What Else Can Help Beyond Food?

Nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle. Our wellbeing is influenced by many interconnected actors, including sleep, stress, movement, and emotional health.

Sleep: Progesterone's thermogenic effect contributes to changes in body temperature, and some people experience disrupted sleep during the late luteal phase. Research suggests that insufficient sleep can influence hunger, food preferences, and the brain's response to rewarding foods. If you're sleeping poorly before your period, you might notice stronger cravings or feel less satisfied by your usual meals. Prioritize rest, create a calming bedtime routine, and be gentle with yourself if you're more tired than usual.

Stress Management: Stress can influence appetite, food preferences, and how we respond to hunger and cravings. Gentle movement, breathwork, time in nature, or connecting with loved ones may help support your nervous system and emotional wellbeing.

Movement: You might feel more drawn to rest during this phase, and that's okay. Other times, movement may help you feel better. Consider adapting your activities to your energy levels and symptoms, whether that means walking, yoga, stretching, strength training, or simply taking a rest day.

Self-Compassion: Your body isn't betraying you. Changes in hunger and cravings aren't personal failures. They're experiences worth approaching with curiosity rather than criticism.

A Gentle Reminder

If there's one thing to take away from this, let it be this: experiencing increased hunger and cravings before your period is common, and there are real physiological factors that may contribute.

They don't mean you're out of control. They don't mean you need to "fix" anything. Our bodies are constantly responding to changes in hormones, energy demands, stress, sleep, and daily life.

This luteal phase, instead of resisting what you're feeling or craving, try leaning in with compassion and curiosity.

Nourish yourself. Rest when you need to. And remember that your nutritional needs don't have to look exactly the same every day.

Even when you're craving a little more chocolate.

…

If you're navigating cycle-related symptoms, hormonal concerns, or challenges with your relationship with food, you don't have to do it alone.

At Lilac & Leaf, we offer a gentle, non-restrictive approach to nutrition and wellness that honours your unique needs and lived experience. Reach out to learn more about how we can support you. If premenstrual symptoms are severe, significantly affect your mood, or interfere with everyday life, consider speaking with a healthcare professional. Conditions such as PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) may benefit from additional support.

References

1. Tucker, J. A. L., et al. (2025). The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Energy Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 83(3), e866–e876. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuae093
2. Benton, M. J., Hutchins, A. M., & Dawes, J. J. (2020). Effect of menstrual cycle on resting metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0236025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236025
3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/Premenstrual-Syndrome
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2023). Management of Premenstrual Disorders. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2023/12/management-of-premenstrual-disorders
5. Dietary energy intake across the menstrual cycle: A narrative review. (2023). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10251302/
6. Nijboer, A. C. S., Sellitto, M., Ruitenberg, M. F. L., Kerkkänen, K. I. L., & Schomaker, J. (2024). Food-related exploration across the menstrual cycle. Appetite, 196, 107261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107261