Snacking Your Way to Pain Relief: 5 Foods That Can Alleviate Period Cramps

It’s no secret that experiencing the unpleasant symptoms isn’t always rainbows, butterflies, and lavender-scented bubble baths. The bloating, painful cramping, food cravings and frequent trips to the bathroom can throw a wrench into your plans for the day. Luckily, there’s a way that you can leverage your hunger cues to provide some pain relief. Certain nutrients can help carry our menstruating bodies through some of the more unpleasant period symptoms.

If painful period cramps are dragging you down, you may be able to eat your way to a solution. Here are a few craving-worthy foods that can help you kick your period pain to the curb.

Yogurt

Dairy products such as yogurt and milk contain excellent sources of calcium, a mineral that is integral for muscle contraction. Consuming too little calcium can lead to cramping in general and may make period cramps even worse. If your time of the month is coming up, and you’re looking into how to get rid of cramps, making an effort to include yogurt in your diet could minimize this monthly-flow discomfort. If you’re lactose intolerant, you’ll probably want to steer clear of this option to avoid making an already painful situation worse.

Banana

Your favorite yellow fruit is a cheap and tasty snack packed full of potassium, a powerful electrolyte. Electrolytes make our cells more efficient at bringing in water, helping us stay hydrated throughout the day. We also lose electrolytes through sweating and going to the bathroom. Some people sweat more than others, meaning that individual hydration needs may vary. Electrolytes play a significant role in preventing and treating muscle cramps, making them good to have on hand when Aunt Flo decides to pay a visit.

Nuts or nut butter

Whole nuts and nut butter are full of healthy unsaturated fats, which aid in attenuating inflammation. During menstruation, the body releases a lot of inflammatory compounds to shed the endometrial lining. This inflammation is part of what makes cramps so painful and contributes to other symptoms such as headaches. The unsaturated fat in nuts and nut butter can help curb inflammation more quickly, which can lessen the severity and duration of cramps—all the more reason to put peanut butter on your waffles in the morning.

Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is the quintessential craving of just about any on their period. The good news is that dark chocolate that is 70% cacao or greater is an excellent source of magnesium. This mineral has a relaxing effect on both our muscles and our mood. Period cramps are strong and prolonged muscle contractions, making magnesium the perfect mineral to tackle the pain. Dark chocolate acting as cramp prevention is an entirely valid excuse to treat yourself to your favorite bar every once in a while.

Salmon

Fatty fish like salmon are one of the few sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These powerful unsaturated acids are essential in our diet, though most Americans typically don’t consume enough. Omega-3s are well known and researched for their effect on lowering systemic inflammation. Making sure you’re getting enough omega-3s by consuming fish or seafood like salmon once per week may help reduce your overall inflammation and decrease period cramping.

Final takeaway

Periods are almost always a bad time, especially when you have to break out the pain medication and heating pad. By consuming foods like yogurt, nuts, salmon, bananas, and dark chocolate, you may be able to eat away the painful symptoms of your monthly visitor. After all, there’s nothing better than satisfying your chocolate craving and stomping out cramps at the same time.