All types of milk (irrespective of whether it comes from a cow, goat, sheep or human) contains natural hormones including oestrogen and progesterone. These are found in low concentrations in dairy foods including milk, cheese and yoghurt.
While dairy is usually an area I tell women to avoid for hormone balance due to excess estrogen found in dairy, there is one exception. That one special exception is nonfat, organic Greek yogurt. Why? Well, for starters, just 6 ounces a day of dairy can actually help balance your estrogen, instead of harm it.
Because hormones like estrogen are fat-soluble, the level of hormones is higher in whole milk than in skim milk. Organic milk, however, contains about the same amount of hormones as conventionally produced milk.
The main source of animal-derived estrogens (60–70%) in the human diet is milk and dairy products (83). Recently, free and conjugated forms of estrogens including 17β-oestradiol, estrone and estriol (Fig. 1), have been detected and quantified (90).
Another source of estrogen in foods is animal estrogen. Products like eggs or milk contain high estrogen levels because they are produced in parts of the animal's body that regulate its hormones. Eating high estrogen foods can help people who suffer from various conditions related to low estrogen levels.
Tomatoes, kiwi, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, peaches, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, corn and cauliflower all boast great levels of vitamin C and they possess the phytoestrogen power you might be looking for to boost your estrogen.
Dairy products contain traces of estrogens from cows, and as milk is converted to cheese, the estrogens are more concentrated. While they are only traces, they appear to be biologically active in humans, increasing breast cancer mortality.
Almond milk isn't full of hormones.
Even cows who aren't given rBGH still produce hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which come out in their milk. Almonds don't have udders, and there are no hormones or antibiotics in almond milk.
Almond milk is pretty simple—it comes from soaked almonds. It's also hormone-free and in unsweetened form, contains less saturated fat and calories than milk, explains Patel—which makes it one of the safer options in the context of hormonal disruption.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Packed within cruciferous veggies are phytochemicals that block the production of estrogen, allowing them to be an effective addition to an anti-estrogen diet. This group of vegetables includes kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and arugula.
Yogurt. Gut-healthy foods like yogurt are vital to hormone production, according to Connors.
Dried fruits such as dates, prunes, and dried apricots contain high amounts of phytoestrogens (chemicals similar to estrogen that may have estrogen-like effects in the body), making them some of the foods to avoid with high estrogen levels (3, 49).
When you consider turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to diminish excess estrogen, it's a go-to in my practitioner's toolkit for managing hormones. Curcumin has been shown in study after study to help manage just about every common chronic disease in the modern world.
Nuts. Nuts, like peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pistachios, are one of the most effective foods that increase estrogen levels in the body. They are also a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, offering a myriad of health benefits. They can be easily added to your diet.
“Drinking caffeine can increase estrogen levels in women, sometimes leading to an estrogen dominant state,” says Odelia Lewis, MD, a medical contributor to ABC News Medical Unit. “Estrogen dominance is associated with premenstrual syndrome, heavy periods, fibrocystic breasts, and even certain breast cancers.
Bread which contains wholegrains, such as flax, rye, wheat, barley or oats, have naturally high levels of lignans, a kind of phytoestrogen, and depending on the concentration in an individual loaf, can be an excellent way to help boost estrogen levels through food.
Diet-related causes of elevated estrogen levels
Your overall diet can impact your hormone levels. Research shows that Western-type diets high in ultra-processed foods, added sugar, and animal foods (like red meat and eggs) are associated with high estrogen levels.
Estrogen consumption is a primary concern, because the compound is identical in a chicken's body as it is in a human's body. Elevated levels of estrogen through consumption of chicken products has been connected to health problems later in life, like breast cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome.