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4 Hormone-Balancing Breakfasts, Plus Nutrition Principles

By Ethan Boldt

February 6, 2024

Your hormones are constantly sending information to and from your brain that help to control a variety of important processes. For example, your overall outlook, energy, metabolism, libido and menstrual cycle are affected by whether or not your hormones are “in balance.” 

Adding certain hormone support supplements to your healthy diet and lifestyle routine — including essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, probiotics and herbs — can help support your energy levels, give yourself a boost in mental clarity and concentration, and make strides towards getting more restful sleep.

Meanwhile, certain foods also play a role in your hormone health, as does regular exercise. See the best foods as well as breakfast recipes to help support your hormone health below.

Nutrition Principles for Hormone Health Support

When it comes to food in particular, all three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and protein) are important as long as the right sources are picked and they are consumed in proper amounts.

Some of the hormones affected and balanced by regular exercise (typically a combination of strength training and cardio workouts) include dopamine, serotonin, testosterone and estrogen. 

As always, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen. 

First, you want to include healthy fats and performance fats in your diet to support overall hormone health, such as olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, coconut milk, coconut oil, ghee and grass-fed butter. It’s important to include such fats at meal times to help support the proper function and release of hormones and help you feel satisfied.

Second, protein is vital for hormone balance because it affects the release of both leptin and ghrelin, the two hormones that influence your appetite and food intake until you feel full. Foods high in protein that work well include fish, eggs, chicken meat and legumes.

Third, carbohydrates have a role to play, in particular supporting normal blood sugar levels already in the healthy range and cortisol levels. Fiber-rich carbohydrates — like whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and seeds — are good choices because they don’t convert to sugar in the blood very easily. Fiber also helps to regulate levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Hormone-Balance Breakfast Ideas

Here are four breakfasts with balanced macronutrients and the right kind of fats, protein and carbs. These breakfasts can help support your hormone health.

1. High-Fiber Smoothie

When you hear "high-fiber smoothie," you might think: No thanks! We reverse that impression by providing seven ideal ingredients that give you plenty of fiber alongside a delicious taste that you'll love any time of year. 

Macros:

• Carbohydrates: 47 g (14.5 grams fiber)

• Fat: 18.5 g

• Protein: 21.2 g

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana, cut into small pieces

• 1½ cups frozen pineapple

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted 

• 1 cup spinach

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

• 2 scoops Plant Protein Vanilla

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or water

Directions:

1. In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredients.

2. Blend on high until smooth and fully combined, about 1–2 minutes. The mixture will be thick and creamy.

3. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more almond milk or water and blend again.

2. Avocado Toast with Egg

Avocado toast with egg is one very popular recipe, as it's loaded with healthy fats and is delicious on a slice of crunchy bread. 

Macros:

• Carbohydrates: 59.3 g 

• Fat: 20.5 g

• Protein: 17.2 g

Ingredients:

• 1 egg

• 1 slice hearty bread (sourdough, gluten-free or Ezekiel bread is recommended)

• ½ ripe avocado

• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 radish, sliced

• hot sauce, optional

Directions:

1. Make the soft-boiled egg (or a hard-boiled egg). Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower an egg into the water. Cook for 6½ minutes, making sure to maintain a gentle boil. Go to 9 minutes if you want it to be hard-boiled.

2. Fill a small bowl with cold water and some ice cubes. When the egg is done cooking, transfer to the water and chill until just slightly warm, only around 3 minutes. Remove and prepare to peel gently.

3. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh and place in a small bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork until it’s smooth. Add in ⅛ teaspoon of salt.

4. Toast bread until golden and crisp.

5. Slice the radish. 

6. Spread avocado on top of the slice of toast. Add sliced radish, sliced egg and optional hot sauce.

3. Blueberry Lemon Chia Seed Pudding

One shortcoming of most chia seed pudding recipes is relatively low protein content. But that's not the case with this health-minded chia pudding powered by Bone Broth Protein Vanilla. Each serving provides 18.3 grams of protein. 

Macros:

• Carbohydrates: 44.6 g 

• Fat: 15.7 g

• Protein: 18.3 g

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 scoop Vanilla Bone Broth Protein powder

• 6 tablespoons chia seeds

• lemon zest from 1 lemon, about 1 tablespoon

• 1 lemon, juiced, about 5 tablespoons

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Greek yogurt, optional 

• fresh blueberries, optional

Directions:

1. In a high speed blender, add frozen blueberries, almond milk and Bone Broth Protein Vanilla powder. Blend on high until smooth. 

2. In a medium-sized bowl, pour in berry mixture. Whisk in chia seeds, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Let sit for 5 minutes, and then stir again.

3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Stir the mixture again before serving. Optionally top with yogurt and fresh blueberries.

4. Banana Oat Pancakes

These quinoa banana oat pancakes are full of gut-friendly, gluten-free ingredients while not including any of the potential “gut bomb” ingredients, such as milk, sugar, gluten, flour and even eggs. 

Macros:

• Carbohydrates: 44.3 g 

• Fat: 19.2 g

• Protein: 9 g

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cooked quinoa

• 2 "flax eggs"

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

• ½ cup coconut milk

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 cup oat flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa (follow package instructions — usually 15 minutes). 

2. Make 2 flax eggs by mixing 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons of water. Allow it to set for 5 minutes. 

3. Mash the bananas in a small mixing bowl and add to the large mixing bowl. 

4. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan and pour into the large mixing bowl.

5. Add the remainder of the ingredients, along— and mix together with a wooden spoon.

6. When quinoa is ready, add it along with flaxseed to the bowl and remix.

7. Place a large pan or griddle over medium heat and add in coconut oil. 

8. Add one-fourth cup of the batter to the pan for each pancake. Cook pancakes about three minutes on the first side and about one minute on the other side or until cooked through.

9. Cover with optional topping like fresh berries, sliced bananas and maple syrup.

Morning Supplement for Additional Hormone Support

With each breakfast, also consider taking Ancient Nutrition's Women’s Hormones Capsules. You’ll find a combination of organic mushroom and adaptogens to help support overall hormone balance. These include organic reishi mushroom, chaste tree berry, ashwagandha, black cohosh root and schizandra berry.

Women’s Hormones Capules provide targeted support for female reproductive health, healthy energy levels, a healthy response to stress, a positive mindset, mental clarity and restful sleep. This one-of-a-kind formula draws from more than 2,000 years in the TCM (Traditional Chinese Method), bringing a holistic approach to women’s wellness routine by supporting the body and mind as a complete, intertwined system.

Ancient Nutrition fermented herbs are also powered by live fermentation — a proprietary, patent-pending, dual-stage process that is used to break down food into more absorbable components.