Why you Crave Chocolate & Carbs Before Your Period (And Why You Should Listen)

You know the drill. One minute you’re cool, calm, and sipping herbal tea. The next, you’re crying over a dog in an advert and rummaging in the cupboard for chocolate, carbs, or anything salty. Welcome to your luteal phase (the week or so before your period) when your hormones are on the move and your body’s trying to tell you exactly what it needs.

The trouble is, most of us have been taught to ignore or shame these signals. We’re told cravings mean weakness and PMS is “just part of being a woman”. But here’s the thing: your body isn’t trying to sabotage you. It’s sending signals, often loud and clear, about what it needs to stay balanced, supported and sane.

Let’s decode them.

Your Luteal Phase: The Backstory

The luteal phase is the second half of your cycle, roughly the 2 weeks after ovulation, before your period. This is progesterone’s time to shine. Progesterone is the calming, grounding, sleep-supportive hormone that balances oestrogen and prepares the body for a potential pregnancy.

To make enough progesterone, your body needs raw materials: nutrients, calories and rest. This is not the time for under-eating, high-stress HIIT, or pretending you're a productivity robot. Your metabolism actually increases slightly in this phase, meaning you may feel hungrier, more tired and more emotional. This isn’t weakness. This is biology.

Craving Chocolate? Your Body Might Be Low on Magnesium

Ah, the chocolate cravings. It’s not just a cliché, there’s real biochemistry behind it.

Chocolate (especially dark chocolate) is a rich source of magnesium, a mineral your body uses in large amounts during the luteal phase and menstruation. Magnesium can help to calm the nervous system, reduce cramps, regulate blood sugar and support healthy progesterone levels.

When magnesium is low, you may notice:

• Irritability or low mood

• Anxiety or sleep issues

• Cramps

• Sugar cravings

• Headaches

So if you’re reaching for chocolate, your body might be asking for more magnesium-rich foods. Great sources include:

• Dark leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach)

• Pumpkin & Chia seeds

• Almonds and cashews

• Black beans & Butter beans

• (And yes, dark chocolate. Ideally 70%+.)

Why You’re Craving Carbs (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

If you feel like a bottomless pit for toast, pasta, or rice in your luteal phase, you're not broken, you’re smart. Your body needs starch in this phase to support rising progesterone.

Starchy Carbs:

• Help the brain make serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that naturally dips before your period

• Provide energy, which the body uses to produce progesterone

• Help you feel full and satisfied

In fact, eating too little carbohydrate in this phase is a fast track to PMS hell, think mood swings, insomnia, fatigue and intense cravings.

But not all starches are helpful in large amounts, we want to aim for complex carbs that are still high in fibre to help support balanced blood sugar:

• Sweet potatoes

• Brown rice or quinoa

• Root veg (carrots, parsnips, beetroot)

• Oats

• Brown sourdough toast (especially if slathered in nut butter or avocado)

Pro tip: Aim to combine your carbs with protein and healthy fats, think roasted veg with tahini, or oats with seeds and yoghurt, to help keep your blood sugar (and mood) stable.

Listen, Don’t Fight

The luteal phase is a time of heightened sensitivity. Rather than powering through with green juices and willpower, what if you actually listened to what your body was asking for?

Nourish it with magnesium, good starchy carbs, rest and kindness and you may find your PMS softens, your sleep deepens and your cycle feels a little less like a war zone.

After all, your symptoms aren’t the enemy. They are the messengers.

Try This: A Luteal-Phase Friendly Meal Idea

Black Bean & Chicken Bowl

• Black beans

• Paprika spiced chicken

• Steamed kale

• Avocado

• Lime, garlic and olive oil dressing

• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds

• Optional: A square (or two) of dark chocolate for dessert

Packed with magnesium, complex carbs, fibre and protein - this is luteal gold.

If you'd like more tips on how to eat and live in sync with your cycle, sign up for my newsletter or check out my seasonal hormone reset programmes.

Your cycle has wisdom. Let’s start listening.