‘I’m a Women’s Health Doctor—These Are the 8 Hormone-Disrupting Foods I Avoid’
Dr. Emi Hosoda reversed Hashimoto’s and lost 100 lbs—here's what she ate (and didn't)
We know “practice what you preach,” but what about practicing what you prescribe? We’ve all encountered doctors (on TV or in real life) who don’t follow their own health advice: doctors who smoke, hate exercise or overeat chocolate lava cake. So we were intrigued when women’s health and hormone expert Emi Hosoda, MD, revealed on social media the nutrition rules she doesn’t just recommend to patients, but actually uses in her own life. Here, eight foods that are hormone disruptors, plus Dr. Hosoda’s healthier picks.
Who is Dr. Emi Hosoda? Why her hormone advice matters
A regular on the Today Show, Dr. Hosoda is a board-certified internal medicine physician who uses a blend of traditional, holistic and functional medicine in her practice. She’s an expert in hormone health, women’s health and metabolic health.
And when we say she walks the walk, it’s true. She successfully lost 100 pounds after the age of 50, reversed her prediabetes and cured her Hashimoto’s thyroiditis all by tweaking her nutritional intake. Now she uses genetic testing to guide patients on how best to eat for their unique bodies.
Woman's World Answers
How food choices impact women’s hormone health
Certain foods (or toxins in foods) can indeed impact women’s hormone health in profound ways. For example, chemicals in the foods you consume can block neurotransmitters in the brain, affect hormone production in the gut and reduce hormones released by our endocrine system.
“I have seen the fact that people’s diet can really affect the outcomes of their health,” Dr. Hosoda says. But we can also use healthy food to our advantage. “I’ve also seen people reverse very serious health issues, including diabetes and certain autoimmune diseases by paying attention to a personalized diet.”
8 common foods and drinks that can disrupt hormones—and Dr. Hosoda’s healthier picks
Ready to make some smart food choices that support healthy hormone levels? Dr. Hosoda shares the top hormone-distrupting contenders that she avoids in her daily diet, and what to eat instead.
Bagged tea
We know herbal teas can be super healthy, but the way teas are packaged can reduce their benefits and even cause harm. Research from Canada’s McGill University found that typical tea bags can release billions of microplastics into boiling water. These toxic particles can accumulate in organs like the thyroid gland to disrupt our normal hormone function.
A safer bet: Use loose tea in a stainless steel mesh strainer. Or if you need a bag, look for all-natural, biodegradable tea bags. Dr. Hosoda says, “I like unbleached burlap.” Another option: plastic-free muslin.
Spinach, for those who are sensitive to oxalates
Yes, these leafy greens are a superfood that many health gurus enjoy in salads. But spinach is also a food that is naturally high in oxalates, “anti-nutrients” in some plants that can block mineral absorption and even steal calcium from our bones. Oxalate crystals can also accumulate to form kidney stones. Dr. Hosoda says, “oxalates act like small diamonds cutting into our intestines or joints.”
She adds, “Spinach is an oxalate bomb if you’re genetically sensitive to it. If you feel like you’re doing ‘everything right’ but still have joint pain, inflammation or mystery symptoms… it could be the spinach you’re throwing into your smoothie every morning.” She urges, “Sometimes, it’s the healthy foods that aren’t healthy for your body. It is really all about personalized nutrition.”
A safer bet: Check with your doctor about whether oxalate sensitivity is an issue for you, and then consider arugula, romaine and butter lettuce instead, which are all low in oxalates.
Processed meats
Most processed, canned or aged meats contain preservatives called nitrites, which have been linked to serious health concerns, including heart disease and cancer. They can also disrupt our endocrine system. Research in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances found that exposure to nitrites dramatically reduced thyroid hormones, leading to immune and metabolic problems. So Dr. Hosoda avoids foods like bacon, hot dogs and beef jerky.
A safer bet: Fresh, unprocessed sources of beef, poultry and game like bison.
Low-quality, stale coffee
While coffee beans have some well-touted health benefits, convenient cups of coffee—like the ones brewed in office kitchens, hotel rooms or gas station mini-marts—may pose a threat to our health in a couple of ways.
Ground coffee that’s been sitting around is considered one of the top sources of mycotoxins, a substance that comes from mold. They are known to trigger inflammatory responses that affect chemical and hormonal reactions in the body.
And the risks rise if you don’t know how well the coffee maker has been cleaned. Much like fridge ice makers, Dr. Hosoda says, “Anything with a reservoir of water can harbor mold.”
A safer bet: “Coffee goes rancid super quickly, so I only drink it [fresh] at home to avoid the negative outcomes. I only like single-origin, freshly-roasted [coffee] stored in an air-tight container and used within a week,” Dr. Hosoda shares. Try safe coffee brands like Purity Organic Mold-Free Coffee or Bulletproof.
Non-organic dairy
To boost milk production, many conventional dairy cows are given synthetic growth hormones, traces of which later end up in the milk. Once consumed and inside our body, those foreign hormones can increase levels of something called insulin-like growth factor-1, linked to health issues ranging from acne to digestive problems.
A safer bet: Opt for organic milk from grass-fed cows when possible. When looking for non-dairy options, choose homemade nut milks or store-bought brands without a lot of added sugar, additives or emulsifiers like carrageenan.
High-fructose corn syrup
Added sugar and processed fake sugars like aspartame “destroy your microbiome,” says Dr. Hosoda. “The main way that diet impacts us—that people don’t really think about—is through the bacteria that live in our gut and really dictate everything about our hormone balance. They make signals that direct our brain’s instructions for hormones.”
She offers one scary example: “If you have problems with your microbiome, it can cause inflammation, which can increase an enzyme in the lining of your intestines that can reverse all the detoxification work that your liver is doing. So rather than eliminating a harmful type of estrogen or an environmental toxin from your body, it can put it back into your bloodstream!”
A safer bet: Eat natural sugar by enjoying whole, fiber-rich fruit. For baking, Dr. Hosoda uses natural sweeteners like dates or monk fruit. She adds, “It’s also best to home-make your sauces and dressings to avoid added sugars.”
Grain-fed beef
You likely already know that non-organic beef can contain hormone-harming chemicals and pesticides. But it’s more complex than that. Essential fatty acids—like the all-important omega-3s that help with brain chemistry—can’t be made in animals’ bodies. They can only be obtained from diet. So when cattle are fed potentially inflammatory grains, rather than their natural diets, they don’t pass on the typical anti-inflammatory and healing omega-3 nutrients in their meat when they end up on our dinner plates.
A safer bet: When budgets allow, opt for grass-fed-and-finished beef, which contains several times more omega-3 fatty acids. The same goes for wild-caught salmon versus their less-healthy cousins, farm-raised salmon.
Gluten-containing grains
“I tend to personally stay away from a lot of gluten,” says Dr. Hosoda, who has a family member with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This protein can trigger inflammatory signals in the body that disrupt our hormones and cause symptoms like bloating, brain fog and joint pain.
The doctor also doesn’t like the health ramifications of grains that are sprayed with pesticides and herbicides. Plus, modern farming practices can strip fiber and other key components from some grains, so they lack nutritional value.
A safer bet: Grains with more fiber. Dr. Hosoda likes wild rice and buckwheat over so-called “ordinary grains.” She says, “I have a patient that recently got off all medication for ulcerative colitis when we got rid of the food sensitivities and got off refined carbohydrates.”
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