Survey study, 2025
Which foods increase or decrease PMS risk?
Nuts, seeds, and legumes appear protective against moderate/severe PMS. Sugar and sweets appear to increase moderate/severe PMS risk.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 606 white women aged 18-35 who reported what foods they ate and PMS symptom severity.
What they found
21.8% had no PMS, 50.2% had mild PMS, and 28% had moderate/severe PMS. For moderate/severe PMS: each serving of nuts, seeds, or legumes had odds ratio 0.59, while each serving of sugar or sweets had odds ratio 1.33. For mild PMS: nuts/seeds/legumes and fish/seafood reduced odds. Vegetables unexpectedly increased the odds of mild PMS.
What it means for you
Several foods appear linked to PMS, but this is observational research and cannot prove diet causes changes in PMS. The unexpected vegetable finding needs clarification.
28%
women with moderate/severe PMS
0.59
odds ratio for nuts/seeds/legumes
1.33
odds ratio for sugar/sweets
About the study
- Original title
- Dietary predictors of premenstrual syndrome: protective role of nuts, seeds, and legumes, and adverse role of sugar and sweets
- Authors
- Granda D, Szmidt MK, Jarmuzek-Orska P et al.
- Journal
- Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 606
- What was tested
- None - study observed food consumption
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2025.112835
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2025
Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS?
Systematic review, 2025
How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?
Review, 2001
What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated?
Review, 2001
What are PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated?
Survey study, 2026
Does eating a Mediterranean diet reduce premenstrual symptoms?
Survey study, 2023
What factors make some women more likely to have PMS or PMDD?