seed cycling luteal phase tahini oat protein bars (gf & df)
Did you know there’s a strong association with endo and autism?
In fact, a handful of my clients are diagnosed and can often struggle with certain tastes and textures, but are keen to give seed cycling a go (more on the benefits of that below!), so I designed this bar to help make the protocol more palatable.
Chris and I had these as our snacks over the weekend and rationing them out was a challenge! But, if you have the willpower, they make a great 11am or 3pm pick me up with your fav hot drink.
These tahini oat protein bars…
Provide sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and flax to sneak in some seed cycling PMS and period support!
Seed cycling is when you consume one tbsp of ground flax and one tbsp ground pumpkin seed in your follicular phase (so from menstruation to ovulation, typically days 1-14), and then one tbsp ground sesame and one tablespoon of ground sunflower seeds in your luteal phase, so from ovulation until menstruation (typically days 14-days 28).
Now of course, those days i.e. Days 1 - 14 are based on an average cycle and are not a true reflection of individual cycles, so if your luteal phase runs to Day 30, you would consume the sesame and sunflower until Day 30.
Now if you’re worried seed cycling is just another wellness trend, there’s actually more and more science backing it up.
A 2023 study found that seed cycling could improve hormone levels in PCOS patients, but more recently, a three month seed cycling study of 40 participants found that:
72% reported improved digestion
75% reported PMS was less severe
77% reported less severe cramps
80% reported less breast tenderness
80% reported menstrual pain was less severe
You can learn more about why seed cycling works and all about the research here.
I’ve included tahini and sunflower seeds in this recipe, at levels that roughly mimic those used in seed cycling for the luteal phase.
But I’ve also added flax seeds, which are typically used in the follicular phase if you were following seed cycling to the letter. But, I like to use flax all month long with most of my clients, and here’s why:
Research has found that consuming flax seed daily for three cycles improved ovulation rates, increased luteal phase length (so great for those of you with short cycles) and improved the progesterone to oestrogen ratio in the luteal phase, which is really beneficial if you struggle with PMS, often caused by oestrogen dominating over progesterone.
Flax seeds have also been shown to improve the metabolism of oestrogen through the liver, by increasing the amount of healthy oestrogen waste products (known as metabolites) and reducing the amount of the more potent, harmful ones, which can cause more oestrogenic activity.
If you want to mimic the amount of seeds you would have when following the seed cycling protocol, you’ll need one bar per day.
Rich in iron to support ovarian function, reduce chronic fatigue, improve ADHD symptoms and increase iron levels before menstruation (when we lose a lot of iron).
Iron deficiency is extremely common, but did you know that low iron is a pretty big problem for us endo folk?
A recent major study of over 43,000 endo patients found that we have a six-fold increased risk of iron deficiency. SIBO could be a player here, as it inhibits iron absorption but it could also be from heavy menstrual bleeding, restricting red meat and other factors.
Iron plays a major role in preventing fatigue, and yet many of the clients who I work with, come to me with significantly low levels. Supporting healthy iron absorption and intake is a key part of beating endo fatigue and recovering from heavy blood loss and low levels can cause brain fog, extreme tiredness, heart palpitations, dizziness, muscle weakness and depression to name a few.
Healthy iron levels are also essential for ovarian function, which is key to producing healthy amounts of sex hormones and low levels are associated with menstrual irregularities and fertility problems.
Additionally, low iron levels are linked to ADHD development and can worsen ADHD symptoms, and ADHD is a condition which many people with endo struggle with.
Whilst heme iron (found in animal products and spirulina) is the easiest form of iron to absorb, we can also top up our iron levels with non-heme iron rich foods, found in plants. Beetroot, chickpeas, dates, dark chocolate, cashews, cacao and flax are all moderate to rich sources of non-heme iron, making this brownie a great addition to your daily iron intake. Ideally, pair with a vitamin C food like berries, to aid absorption, as non-heme iron can be difficult for our body to absorb, but vit C has been shown to aid this process.
Better for blood sugar to stabilise hormones, reduce PMS, reduce period pain and lower oxidative stress.
Blood sugar spiking foods such as high sugar foods and processed foods can potentially contribute to morePMS, menstrual pain and endo pain. Blood sugar spikes increase oxidative stress, which leads to more inflammation in the body and that may trigger further pain and symptoms. In fact, oxidative stress is higher in people with endo, and it’s a key driver of endo growth.
To avoid these issues, I have focused on the presence of healthy fats (from the tahini, flax and sunflower seeds), fibre (tahini, flax, sunflower seeds and dates) and protein (tahini, flax and sunflower seeds), which have all been shown to help stabilise blood sugar levels and slow down the uptake of glucose/starch from our food (dates, and the chocolate, in this case) to our blood stream, preventing blood sugar spikes.
In fact, just one bar offers 14g protein and 11g of fibre!
One of the easiest ways for us to support our blood sugar is to opt for whole food carbohydrates, such as dates, instead of sugar or maple syrup, as I have done here. Whole foods still contain their fibre, which helps slow down digestion and the resulting absorption of glucose to the blood stream, creating a steady drip rather than a flood.
Another great way to support blood sugar is with lower glycemic index foods, and every ingredient in this recipe, even the dark chocolate (because we are opting for a high percentage and low sugar version) is low to moderate on the glycemic index scale. The glycemic index is a tool that looks at foods and the impact they can have on your blood sugar, on a scale of 0-100. A high GI index would be 70 and above, a medium GI is 56-69 and a low GI index is 55 or less. High GI foods are very likely to spike your blood sugar levels and do so quickly, foods with a medium GI rating tend to cause a moderate rise and low GI foods tend to keep blood sugar levels stable and steady over time with a gentle rise. This is because low GI foods break down slowly in the gut because they are rich in fibre and slow release carbohydrates, this means that the release of glucose to the blood stream is slow and gradual.
A quick word about dates: Dates have a low to moderate glycemic index, which means they shouldn’t cause a dramatic or quick rise in blood sugar. However, research has shown that individual blood sugar responses vary from person to person, and if you eat a lot of even a low glycemic index food, it may have a greater impact on your blood sugar levels because you’re eating more in one sitting. You can learn about this here. Therefore, I’ve kept the amounts of dates to 100g so you have 20g of dates per bar (about 1-2) and have deliberately ensured there is support from fat, fibre and protein, to further reduce the blood sugar impact. This isn’t because I don’t want you to enjoy dates, I just want to ensure I am catering as well as possible - including those who are more sensitive to dates!
I’ve also intentionally used tahini, flax, oats and sunflower seeds in this recipe to further support blood sugar.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that in multiple studies, tahini improves fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1C (average blood sugar levels) and also has been shown to improve post-prandial (after meal) blood sugar too!
Sunflower seeds have also been shown to also have benefits for blood sugar. Adding sunflower seeds and other seeds may help lower the glycemic index of carb rich foods, like baked goods. Additionally, sunflower seeds contain compounds that have been shown to improve fasting glucose levels and show improvements in animal models as well.
Rolled oats contain beta-glucan, a special type of fibre found in oats that offers a wide range of health benefits, including stabilising blood sugar post-meals, and as a result, makes oat-based foods more effective than wheat based foods (like using regular flour) for blood sugar stability.
Oats also contain something called resistant starch. Resistant starch is a type of starch that resists digestion in the small intestine. Typically, starch is broken down and absorbed very quickly by the small intestine, which is why you may hear me or other health practitioners discuss moderation or being mindful with starchy foods, because it can spike blood sugar.
But resistant starch resists digestion. It makes its way to the large intestine, where good bacteria eat it and this has some incredible benefits for the gut and endo due (more on that below).
Because this type of starch resists digestion and breaks down slower, resistant starch is better for blood sugar vs. regular starch. In fact, resistant starch has been shown to be improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels in multiple studies, and has even been shown to improve postprandial glucose levels when paired with a high sugar meal (in this study, it was 500g of syrup) in contrast to regular starch.
Uncooked oats, as we’re using here, are rich in resistant starch - when they’re cooked, that resistant starch turns into regular starch, which has the potential to affect blood sugar levels, which is why I always recommend pairing cooked oats with plenty of fat, fibre and healthy fats.
Flax seeds contain something called viscose fibre. Viscose fibre forms a gel-like texture when added to water, and when combined with liquids and food in the gut. This slows down digestion (so great for us when we’re drinking coffee) and also the release of glucose (even better when we’re drinking coffee with a pastry or cake!). In fact, research showed that30g of flaxseed helped reduce the glucose spike with a sugary or starchy meal, whilst 20g flax per day improved overall glucose levels and responses over 12 weeks.
Constant blood sugar swings can take their toll on hormones, leading to issues like elevated androgens (think testosterone), which can affect ovulation and cycle length. Blood sugar swings may also cause oestrogen excess or dominance and low progesterone if ovulation is interrupted or stopped entirely. Both of these imbalances can cause more PMS, heavier periods, and may also exacerbate endometriosis symptoms.
Additionally, these protein bars can help us out with luteal phase or period cravings. When we’re in our luteal phase, we often experience more blood sugar swings because oestrogen, which dominates in our follicular phase, helps us to regulate our blood sugar response, but is lower in the luteal phase. As a result, we tend to get cravings for sweet foods or foods high in starch. The problem is, these foods keep us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, and raise inflammation levels, resulting in more of those inflammatory symptoms and pain that we’re trying to avoid. These bars, being lower in sugar and rich in fibre, can help us get our fix without the pain and PMS triggering spikes.
Finally, blood sugar swings are linked heavily with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, so if you struggle with low moods in your luteal phase, supporting blood sugar can actually support your mental health.
Now, let’s be clear before we wrap up this section. I am not saying you have to avoid sugar or refined carbs for the rest of your life, but if like me, you enjoy a sweet treat as a snack or after dinner, it can help to make these regular goodies a bit more blood sugar balancing, so that we’re looking after ourselves on a day to day basis.
High in vitamin E which can help reduce inflammation, oxidative stress levels and period pain, and support healthy progesterone levels.
Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are a significant source of vitamin E, in fact, just one bar provides around 25% of your RDA! Vitamin E can help us manage endo and the associated pain that comes with it.
For example, a recent meta-analysis of over 589 participants, concluded that vit E supplementation can reduce period pain, pain with sex, daily pelvic pain and even improve quality of life with endometriosis patients. And a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies and over 1000 people concluded that vitamin E significantly reduced period pain and could be used as a treatment for dysmennorhea.
But it’s not just supplements that help - food helps too.
One study found people with endo had a 40% reduced intake of vitamin E, but levels increased after following a high antioxidant and vit E rich diet, and oxidation levels reduced by 20%!
Vitamin E can also help raise progesterone levels, and whilst we’re not using as high a dose as used in the studies, ensuring you’re getting enough vit E can support a healthy corpus luteum and progesterone production.
Rich in prebiotics and polyphenols to help heal the endo belly and reduce systemic inflammation.
The latest data shows that 96% of UK adults are getting less than the recommended 30g fibre a day. That’s not great for our guts, which rely on fibre to thrive, and people with endo need extra gut support already (as you’ll come to learn shortly) so a lack of fibre isn’t going to help the situation (though you may find you need to tailor your fibre sources if you have IBS or SIBO).
These bars offer 11g of your recommended 30g! If you’re not used to a lot of fibre, start with eating 1/4 bar a day, then 1/2 and so on as your gut adjusts - don’t go full steam ahead, as you’re likely get bloating.
Additionally, a major study of 10,000 people found that eating 30 or more plant foods a week helps to create a healthier and more diverse microbiome. This recipe offers you 3 of your 30 already, and with herbs, spices, olive oil, fruits, veggies, beans/legumes, teas and coffee and whole grains all counting, you can easily top up your levels further. For extra guidance on how to reach your 30 a week, check out this article by The Gut Health Doctor or this one by Zoe.
And thanks to our specific ingredients of dark chocolate, dates, sunflower seeds, flax and tahini, this recipe is also high in polyphenols. Polyphenols are types of antioxidants found in certain plant foods that not only reduce inflammation levels and improve overall health, but they are also an absolute favourite food (prebiotic) for our gut microbiome, which means they can support our good gut bugs to thrive.
But why does this matter for us endo folk?
Research is finding a strong correlation between microbiome disturbances and endometriosis development, such as reduced levels and variety of good gut bugs and higher levels of pathogenic (bad, infectious), opportunistic (in high numbers, can cause problems like inflammation) gut bugs, as well as gut bugs linked to elevated oestrogen levels. These microbiome differences have also been associated with higher IL-8 levels, a type of inflammatory cytokine shown to be involved in the development of endometriosis.
Polyphenols and prebiotic fibre are like gut bug boosters - the more we provide to our good gut bugs, the more they grow and outnumber the bad guys. This helps to bring the gut back into harmony, which can improve gut symptoms and intestinal inflammation and whilst we need to do more research, could even help us fight endo.
These prebiotic fibres help us to increase our production of gut friendly fats, called short chain fatty acids, which are made when good bacteria consume fibre. Research shows that people with endo may be low in short chain fatty acids, especially one called butyrate. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced by our gut microbiome, and has been found to be low in people with endo. Butyrate has a range of benefits for endometriosis and gut health (so therefore, can help us tackle endo belly) such as reducing intestinal inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, preventing leaky gut, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. Butyrate inhibits our inflammatory immune response to lipopolysaccharides (LPS), LPS are toxins that come from certain bacteria, and have been shown to be heavily involved in endo pathogenesis, so by improving our fibre levels, we may actually be improving some of our defences against endo.
Rich with hormone and endo beneficial nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and calcium.
Tahini, sunflower seeds, flax, oats, dark chocolate and dates contain so many key nutrients for hormone health. Now of course, we covered all the incredible benefits of vitamin E and iron above, but now let’s look at some of the other nutrients…
Magnesium
Research has shown magnesium to be an effective treatment in preventing dysmenorrhea (period pain) because it reduces inflammatory prostaglandins that are the drivers of both endo and period pain. One study showed that six months of magnesium treatment reduced prostaglandin F2a by over half! In fact, in recent research, magnesium is being explored as a dietary treatment for endo and a higher intake of magnesium rich foods was associated with a lower risk of endo. Additionally, magnesium helps to regulate our sex hormones, and as result, is a recognised treatment for preventing PMS.
Zinc
Low levels of zinc have been linked to endo, and research has shown it can significantly reduce period pain thanks to its anti-inflammatory benefits. It additionally supports follicle development and ovulation, while deficiency has been linked to infertility.
B vits
B vitamins play a major role in hormone and period health.
Folate is crucial to ovarian function and ovulation, and low folate levels can cause irritability, mood swings and fatigue, and fertility problems.
B6 is one of the most important B vitamins for balanced hormones as it supports progesterone production and oestrogen metabolism. Additionally, research has shown that B6 treatment can help reduce PMS, especially the mood challenges that can come with the syndrome.
Calcium
Low levels of calcium have been repeatedly associated with increased PMS symptoms and research has shown that treatment with calcium supplements can reduce the syndrome and even period pain because low levels of calcium can cause more contractions. Calcium may also be a supportive option for PMDD.
IMPORTANT NOTES TO HELP YOU TAILOR THIS RECIPE TO YOUR OWN BODY AND NEEDS (AND TASTEBUDS!)
Everything you’ve said about blood sugar and processed foods, does that mean I can never have my favourite treats again?
Absolutely not. I am all for ‘worth it moments’. Enjoy our fav foods, whatever they are, in moments when we really desire them. But I am a health coach, and my goal is to minimise your symptoms and lower things like oxidative stress and inflammation that could contribute them, so I am going to encourage snacking smarter and leaning on healthier treats on a day to day basis, and that’s way these recipes are for. So you can have your cake, and eat it!
Not sweet enough?
I don’t use a lot of added sugar in my recipes to keep inflammation levels and blood sugar spikes at bay, and I am very used to using lower sugar amounts and natural alternatives like dates, bananas or apple puree, so for me, my tastebuds have adjusted. If something is not sweet enough for you, give it a few bites and some time, and you may surprise yourself as your palate starts to change. However, if you do want some more sweetness to this recipe, you could add an 20g of dates. This will just take you over the low FODMAP limit for dates though, just to make you aware.
Are these bars gluten and dairy free.
Yes, they are! FYI - oats are naturally gluten free, but are often processed in a factory that handles gluten, so if you’re coeliac, then go for gluten-free oats which have been processed in a factory without gluten.
Are these bars low FODMAP?
Almost entirely, but the tahini is just over the low FODMAP serving of 20g (each bar gives you 30g).
Why do you make so many recipes low FODMAP?
The low FODMAP diet is being shown in the research to be one of the most effective dietary interventions we have for symptom relief in endo (esp. for those with IBS issues). That doesn’t mean you have to do it, and if you do, it should be done under supervision of a doctor or low FODMAP trained professional, but some people may be on the diet already, so I like to tailor to as many people as possible. It also means this recipe is less likely to trigger bloating (though that’s not guaranteed, because everyone is different).
Is this recipe suitable for SIBO?
Everyone’s triggers vary with SIBO, but this recipe is low-moderate FODMAP (depending on the bananas) so can help reduce bloating and flares, though some people do find chickpeas challenging - hopefully this smaller amount makes them more tolerable.
Further resources
If you’re struggling with your endo symptoms or gut health, you might find my courses and one to one coaching helpful. You can find out more here. I’ve also got endless podcast episodes on endometriosis and SIBO.
seed cycling luteal phase tahini oat protein bars
Ingredients:
Oat bar
150g tahini
120g rolled oats
100g medjool dates
50g sunflower seeds
4 tbsps flax (about 45g)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
4 tbsps water
Topping
75g 85% or higher dark chocolate
1 tsp tahini
serves: 5
prep time: 15 minutes
chill time: 3 hours
Method:
Break up the chocolate and melt gently over a double boiler.
Whilst the chocolate melts, in a food processor, combine the dates, tahini and water until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
In a coffee or spice grinder, or in your food processor (though this might be more difficult) grind the sunflower seeds and flax.
Either add the oats, ground flax and sunflower meal to the food processor and pulse to combine until a sticky dough forms, or combine altogether in a medium-sized bowl with a large spoon. I prefer to do this in the bowl, as I find the dough comes together better.
Spoon into a loaf tin lined with baking paper and press down.
Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in one tsp of tahini. Pour over the oat mix and spread evenly with the back of a spoon, knife or spatula.
If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Chill for three hours in the fridge, or if you want to eat sooner, chill in the fridge for an hour and then pop in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving, and slice in 5 bars.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge, great as a weekday snack!
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Need more help or want to learn how to work with me?
Ways to work with me:
One to one coaching info and application
Live and Thrive with Endo 2.0 DIY online course
Endo Sessions: Single and mini-package one to one endo coaching
SIBO Sessions: Single and mini-package one to one SIBO coaching
Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief
This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook
Free resources:
This podcast!