Are dates good for PCOS? What about Endometriosis? How do they affect hormones? Can dates help balance your hormone levels?

Have you ever scrolled social media and saw a claim about adding a specific food to your diet, scrolled a bit further just to find out that “nevermind, that food is being canceled”? Or have you ever searched the internet to learn about solving your hormone problems and ended up more confused than when you started out? Well, we’ve been there and we know how overwhelming and frustrating that can be, which is why  we’ve done the research to answer your questions. There are many factors for what foods and ingredients can impact and influence so many different parts of the body’s system, and it can be overwhelming to find the real answers we’re looking for.

 

What is PCOS and endometriosis?

What are these hormonal conditions anyway? Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is so named for the cysts that can form on the ovaries when the condition is present (10). When there’s not enough of the proper hormones to ovulate, cysts build up and create androgens, which are male sex hormones (10). When the female body has too many androgens, it throws off the natural cycle and hormone balance, which can then cause many other symptoms and issues (10). Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that normally grows inside the uterus starts growing outside of it—on other internal organs where it doesn’t belong (11). This can cause many issues and side effects, as that tissue grows and impacts other bodily processes and can be quite painful (11).

While there aren’t a lot of studies and research out yet specifically on how dates can be good for PCOS, there are definitely a few factors we can look at to make an informed decision about how the nutritional value of dates can support our bodies in balancing hormones. Dates have several minerals and properties that play important roles in supporting a healthy body, and many of them overlap with supporting hormone levels.

 

How dates support women's hormonal health

In one study, the pollen from dates was shown to help in fertility and hormonal issues and management (1). Other studies have suggested that dates can help support the entire reproductive system and process in women from fertility, ovulation, and hormone balance to the birthing process (5). Dates also have antioxidant properties which can support reproductive health in both men and women (3). But specifically, let’s break down the recommendations for diets that are supportive of our system when dealing with things like endometriosis, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and hormone imbalances and compare those nutritional recommendations with the information we have on dates.

 

Are dates good for endometriosis? 

Some diet recommendations for those with endometriosis include foods that are anti-inflammatory and possess antioxidant properties, are high in vitamins D, A, E, and C, as well as the B vitamins (4). Incorporating high fiber, monounsaturated fats, Omega-3s, folic acid, magnesium, and potassium into an endo-focused diet is also highly encouraged (4). Each of these vitamins and minerals play their own part in helping support the body’s system against endometriosis and the painful symptoms that come with it. Vitamin D reduces the risk of inflammation that can happen from too many cytokines (the things that control your immune system) (4, 9), while the B vitamins and fiber help support healthy digestion and reduce blood sugar spikes which can promote inflammation (4). It has been a common finding for endometriosis patients to be low in vitamins A, E, and C, so ensuring that you are eating foods that contain these vitamins can help support your system as well (4). Magnesium helps support healthy blood sugar levels (7) and helps your body process and absorb potassium, which is important for healthy blood pressure regulation and balancing sodium levels (8). This is where you can start to see the balancing act of multiple factors—magnesium helps support healthy potassium levels which helps support healthy sodium factors.

 

Are dates good for PCOS?

Factors in the recommended diet for those with PCOS are very similar to that for endometriosis: foods that are high in omega 3s, low in sugar, and, importantly, avoid those blood sugar spikes (5). Spikes in your blood sugar can be a promoting factor for inflammation, which can lead to PCOS and endometriosis symptom flare-ups—and those flare-ups can be painful and inconvenient, as well as often being debilitating for so many (4).

 

Best diet for hormonal balance

A diet for general hormonal balance includes vitamins D, C, Bs, and Omega-3s (6). Vitamin D has been shown to help balance out estrogen and progesterone levels, while vitamin C helps balance cortisol and adrenaline (6). Keeping these hormones leveled out can help reduce inflammation and symptoms associated with any of these being either too high or too low.

One of the primary repetitive things in all the research we’ve read into this topic was avoiding things that caused or promoted inflammation and encouraging those anti-inflammatory measures. Whether that be through incorporating those supportive vitamins and minerals or finding dietary options that did not contain inflammatory-inducing ingredients.

Ultimately, finding a balance of food and snack options that are high in these recommended vitamins and minerals and can help balance your intake will also help your hormone levels stay balanced out by supporting your system in the way it functions to keep you healthy and on your feet. We know how challenging it can be to find options that fit a well-balanced diet, especially if you have extra restrictions on what you can include. That’s why it’s important to find simple little ways to incorporate those balances in your life, and that’s what we’re here to help you with. Our products are made with quality ingredients and sweetened only with dates so you can be sure you get those benefits without the additional issues of added ingredients. 

 

Other specific foods recommended as part of a healthy and balanced diet for managing endometriosis include (but are not limited to):

• Spinach, kale, broccoli
• Berries, apples, and oranges
• Salmon, herring, sardines
• Lean meats, like chicken or turkey (without the skin)
• Eggs from free-range chickens
• Beans and legumes, like black beans and chickpeas

Something to keep in mind as well is to limit red meats to only 1 or 2 servings per week and go for grass-fed and organic as much as possible to avoid those hormone upsetters and imbalances (4).

 

While you won’t find everything you need to balance out those hormones in dates alone, simply adding a few into your regular daily diet structure can help you hit those balancing goals with their potassium and magnesium levels. They are also a lower sugar option while still being great for that sweet treat without spiking your blood sugar levels. Read more about dates and their glycemic index here.

Dates have incredible benefits that fit the dietary recommendations for those with endometriosis, PCOS, or those just wanting to help support their hormone regulation process. Our chocolate spread is made from organic ingredients and has both potassium and magnesium, making it a delicious way to boost those levels in your diet with just 1 tablespoon!

 

1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2023.2191285
2. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/optimal-diet-for-women-with-polycystic-ovary-syndrome/337D7C84D801B5313C83505E168FD7EA
3. https://ijramr.com/sites/default/files/issues-pdf/873.pdf
4. https://slucare.com/ob-gyn/center-for-endometriosis/endometriosis-diet-booklet.pdf
5. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/pcos-diet
6. https://www.northvalleywomenscare.com/blog/4-essential-vitamins-for-hormonal-imbalance
7. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/#:~:text=Magnesium%20is%20a%20nutrient%20that,protein%2C%20bone%2C%20and%20DNA.
8. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/potassium/#:~:text=Potassium%20is%20found%20naturally%20in,and%20supports%20normal%20blood%20pressure.
9. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22700-cytokine-release-syndrome#:~:text=Cytokines%20are%20part%20of%20a,overdrive%2C%20resulting%20in%20cytokine%20storm.
10. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
11. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11154-021-09666-w