Meat, salt, sugar and coffee can make menstrual pain worse for teen girls, research shows

BOSTON - Millions of women suffer from painful and sometimes debilitating menstrual cramps each month and a new study says certain foods could make matters worse.

A review of multiple studies looking at the effects of diet on menstrual pain in teen girls found that certain foods can make it worse including red meat, oils, sugars, salts, and coffee. 

Many of these are considered inflammatory foods which can increase the release of a hormone associated with menstrual pain. 

On the flip side, researchers say a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, seeds, and nuts could help reduce monthly cramps.