--- title: Does what you eat affect PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes. Eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dairy is linked to fewer PMS symptoms. Eating coffee, fried foods, sweets, fast food, and refin url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-impacts-of-diet-on-premenstrual-syndrome-an-integrative-review-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does what you eat affect PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 # Does what you eat affect PMS symptoms? Yes. Eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dairy is linked to fewer PMS symptoms. Eating coffee, fried foods, sweets, fast food, and refined grains is linked to worse symptoms. Moderate study design Adult women (from reviewed studies) ## What they did A literature review of studies from the past ten years. Researchers searched seven databases and analyzed 21 studies about how diet affects PMS symptoms. ## What they found Studies showed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and dairy were linked to fewer PMS symptoms. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks, fried foods, sweets, snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and refined grains were linked to worse symptoms. Unprocessed and minimally processed foods were linked to lower PMS, while processed and ultra-processed foods were linked to worse symptoms. ## What it means for you Diet appears to affect PMS symptoms. Eating whole foods instead of processed foods might help. Limitation: the studies reviewed had quality issues, and more rigorous research is needed to be certain. 1,713 Initial articles found 21 Articles analyzed 10 years Time period reviewed ## About the study Original title The impacts of diet on premenstrual syndrome: an integrative review Authors Virna Ribeiro Feitosa Cestari, Raquel Sampaio Florêncio Journal Acta Paulista de Enfermagem Year 2026 Study design Survey study What was tested None - literature review of existing studies Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.37689/acta-ape/2026ar1882i](https://doi.org/10.37689/acta-ape/2026ar1882i) Original abstract Abstract Objective To gather and critically analyze the available scientific evidence on the relationship between food consumption and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Methods An integrative literature review was conducted, including studies published in the last ten years on the effects of dietary intake on PMS symptoms in adult women. The search was carried out in seven databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Web of Science, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), ScienceDirect, Virtual Health Library (VHL), and National Library of Medicine (PubMed)). The selected studies were categorized according to a previously structured checklist. Results The initial search identified 1,713 articles, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. The studies indicated an inverse association between the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and dairy products, and the presence of PMS symptoms. Conversely, the intake of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, as well as fried foods, sweets, snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and foods made from refined grains, was associated with an intensification of symptoms. Regarding dietary patterns, diets composed predominantly of unprocessed and minimally processed foods were related to a lower occurrence of PMS symptoms, while dietary patterns rich in processed and ultra-processed foods were associated with a worsening of the clinical condition. Conclusion Consuming unprocessed and minimally processed foods shows potential to alleviate PMS symptoms, while consuming processed and ultra-processed foods appears to intensify them. However, more methodologically rigorous studies are needed to better elucidate this relationship. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women? Survey study, 2026 How do pain, sleep quality, and appetite change across the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2025 Do certain nutrients and body weight affect PMS? Survey study, 2023 Does eating more fiber help reduce PMS symptoms? Case-control study, 2022 Do hunger hormones and eating patterns differ between women with and without PMS? Survey study, 2020 Does diet affect PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗