Seed-cycling is quite a contentious practice. Some believe that eating certain seeds at particular points in our cycle can improve everything from cramps to sleep… while others think that’s total nonsense.

Wherever you stand on the seed-cycling debate, one thing remains certain: seeds are nutritional powerhouses. They’re jam-packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, protein, skin-loving vitamin E and energy-boosting vitamin B. And they’ve been linked to reducing high blood pressure and the risk of heart disease to improving eczema symptoms. And then you have the hormonal health side of things.

This recipe suggests using flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds during the first half of your cycle, before switching to sesame and sunflower seeds in the second half. All of these seeds contain lignans, plant compounds believed to mimic oestrogen, but the theory goes that each seed has specific hormone benefits. Pumpkin seeds, for example, contain zinc, which helps to promote the production of progesterone (important if you’re trying to conceive as that’s the hormone that gets the womb ready for implantation). Sesame, meanwhile, is meant to stop oestrogen levels from rising too much.

It’s worth noting that the studies on this subject are small and far from conclusive but this recipe will help you in other ways. For a start, it’s packed with fibre, which we know can help to reduce excess oestrogen in the blood and increase insulin sensitivity. It also has plenty of healthy fats (essential for building hormones and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, which are important for hormone balance), as well as anti-inflammatory cinnamon.

Recipe author and registered naturopathic nutritionist Jessica Shand recommends adding 35g of cacao powder to the mix in the follicular part of the cycle to help replenish lost iron stores after your period and give the balls an extra kick of magnesium.

Craving something sweet? Prep these chewy energy balls for a week of hormone-friendly snacks