What Should Be Avoided During Menstrual Cramps?

Recently, I’ve been experiencing severe abdominal pain during each menstrual period. My doctor diagnosed it as dysmenorrhea. I’d like to ask: Are there any dietary restrictions for dysmenorrhea? Specifically, what foods should be avoided?

Foods to Avoid with Dysmenorrhea

1. Acidic foods: Although acidic foods may cause blood stasis and vasoconstriction, they impede the smooth discharge of menstrual blood. Therefore, women with dysmenorrhea should avoid acidic foods such as pickled vegetables, green plums, strawberries, starfruit, mangoes, plums, lemons, pomegranates, rice vinegar, and waxberries.
2. Spicy and stimulating foods: Some women experience dysmenorrhea due to damp-heat accumulation in the uterus. Consuming spicy foods may exacerbate symptoms. Such foods include Chinese chives, white liquor (baijiu), hot seasonings, chili peppers, and onions. Stimulating beverages—particularly those containing caffeine—should also be avoided. These drinks not only cause breast tenderness but also disrupt metabolism, thereby worsening dysmenorrhea.

Additionally, women with dysmenorrhea should avoid cold foods—especially before, during, and immediately after menstruation. These include cold salads, watermelon, oranges, crabs, ice-cold beer or soft drinks, and freshwater snails.

Conversely, women with dysmenorrhea are encouraged to consume foods rich in protein and minerals to support blood replenishment. Examples include milk, eggs, fox nuts (Euryale ferox seeds), spinach, dried longan flesh, lychees, and cherries. During menstruation, it is also beneficial to eat foods that support healthy menstrual flow, such as red dates (jujubes), soy products, apples, coix seed (Job’s tears), and ginger. We hope this information proves helpful!