The word ‘estrogen’ is not straight out of science fiction. It is a sex hormone (no shying, please) which plays an important role in the reproductive health of women – whether it is uterus, breasts, or pituitary gland.

Now, the purpose to tell you about estrogen is not to take you on a medical trip. But, to familiarize you with the foods rich in estrogen. So, that you don’t land up into a problem ever. Ya, you guessed it right, the problems most of us women land in like breast cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. So here we go.

Did you know; estrogen brings a natural glow to your hair and skin? It even prevents premature ageing…

How Much Intake Of Estrogen Per Day Is Good

To answer that, you should first know the “form” in which you can take estrogen. It can be taken through natural foods and OTC pills. On an average, menopausal women should ideally take estrogen at a dosage value of 0.3 mg per day.

Secondly, you should supplement your daily estrogen intake by taking a good amount of calcium and vitamin D. This will help maintain bone density in women who are more than 65 years old.

Here is a breakdown of the ideal levels of estrogen that should be present in women, age wise.

Age (women) Level
20-29 149 picograms
30-39 210 picograms
40-49 152 picograms
50-59 130 picograms

Let us find out all those foods we should take to increase our estrogen levels in the body.

Rich Estrogen Foods List

Following is the list of foods that increase the estrogen quotient in women:

  • Dried Fruits: Well, you can easily call dried fruits (or dry fruits) as a healthy snack. Whether it is dried apricots, prunes or dates, they help maintain the estrogen levels fantastically. Plus they are good in fiber.
  •  Nuts: Ah…with walnuts, cashews and pistachios, this is going to be a ‘nutty’ affair. Packed with Omega 3 fatty acid and phytoestrogens, nuts are a good thing to have if your estrogen levels are low.

  • Flaxseed: Call it the No. 1, the king, when it comes to getting you more estrogen in your body. High in fiber, you can add flaxseeds to your meals, salads, soups or eat them directly. They are good in weight loss too. See, how much you can benefit from a small and tiny seed. And yes, flaxseeds are a superb source of omega 3.
  • Sesame Seeds: Loaded with fiber and phytoestrogens, sesame seeds might be small in size but they are a great source of minerals.
    Take a wild guess, how much 1 tbsp of SS gives you? Almost 1/10th of what you need on a daily basis – when it comes to iron, calcium, and magnesium intake. Plus, 4% of your total fiber. Wow, sounds awesome!
  • Sunflower Seeds: They are packed with phytoestrogens…which gets you higher levels of estrogen in the body. Apart from this, sunflower seeds are high in fiber and minerals. So if you are running low of estrogen, then you can get the seeds or the oil of sunflower in your eating habits.
  • Chickpeas: Go “chick” on chickpeas…It’s a natural source of phytoestrogen, which you need to mix with other food items and spices to get that mast flavor. As always, they are high in fiber and proteins.
  • Beans: When you cook beans (meatless main dish), you get the advantage of high fiber and low cholesterol. Beans are high in phytoestrogen, they fill you up, and for diabetics, they are a good choice for carbohydrate. Serves the purpose of main dish and side dish.
  • Peas: If you are looking for an estrogen boost, then peas are there by your side. They also bring plenty of fiber, vitamin C and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium and some protein to the table.
  • Tempeh: This is an offshoot of soybeans and has its estrogen content intact. Treats menopausal symptoms, if you have been diagnosed of estrogen deficiency. It is loaded with magnesium, protein and iron. Tempeh is a great ‘meat’ alternative, like tofu.
  • Alfalfa Sprouts: Rich in phytonutrients; and low in carbohydrates and calories, alfalfa sprouts have plant phytoestrogen (which are safe as compared to other estrogen forms). They reduce cholesterol levels and are great as a salad!
  • Bran Cereals: Reliable source of phytoestrogen, fight out low estrogen levels in the body. Very much high on fiber. Heard of “bran cereals”; and “bran muffins”? Go for them.
  • Soy Milk: Made from soy, of course! Gives you the same benefits as tofu, tempeh, and soybean vis-a-vis the phytoestrogens it gives. Drink soy milk to reduce the symptoms of post-menopause. And get loads of calcium! Use soy milk in place of normal cow’s milk when it comes to cooking or baking.
  • Tofu: Helps balance the estrogen levels because of the isoflavones in it. Tofu has high protein and iron in it, used as a “meat replacement” by vegans. Packs in more estrogen as against chicken and beef.
  • Soybeans: Considering soy milk, tofu, and tempeh are derived from soybeans, seeing soybeans in the list of estrogen foods is no big surprise. Add them to a meal, and see iron, potassium, calcium and
  • Fruits: Apples, plums and cherries are high in estrogen and promote breast growth. Therefore, it makes sense to include such fruits to “up” your estrogen quotient and increase bustline.
  • Beverages: For all the ‘soda’, and ‘fruit beverage’ lovers, it would be nice to know that here are the beverage options – Red Wine, White Wine, Green Tea and Black Tea which warm the cockles of your heart and body with high estrogens!
  • Multigrain Bread: Guess how much of estrogen is present in 100gm of multi-grain bread? About 4,800mcg of phytoestrogen comprising of lignans, oats, barley, rye and wheat.
  • Herbs and Spices: Plants like thyme, sage, anise seed, parsley and herbs like primrose oil and ginseng make their positive contribution in increasing estrogen levels.
  • Hummus: When you boil and mash chickpeas, you get hummus. It can be used as a spread or dip. Make a note that 100gm of hummus gives your body 993mcg of phytoestrogen.

  • Legumes: So you thought lentils, mung beans, and black bean sauce is boring and passe’? You are in for a major surprise when you find out that 100gm of sprouted mung bean has 94mcg of phytoestrogen, whereas 100gm of black bean sauce has 1,119mcg of phytoestrogen. Shocked?

Benefits Of Estrogen

Whether it is regulating the menstrual and reproductive cycle of a woman, estrogen is very crucial. Don’t panic when your med practitioner tells you of lower estrogen levels in your body. The foods gifted by nature will help you come out of this problem. Believe in yourself, rest will follow! Write in and tell us your views on this subject. Which of these estrogen foods are you taking?

Source: fashionlady.in