Women who eat lots of broccoli and other plant foods rich in iron are less likely to suffer from premenstrual tension (PMT), according to a new study.
Researchers found women who ate foods rich in non-heme iron - found in plants and supplements - were less likely to report experiencing PMT.
The team from Massachusetts University and Harvard University believe iron might be linked to PMT since it is involved with the production of the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood, The Telegraph reported.
The term 'premenstrual tension', is used to cover a range of symptoms experienced by some women for up to two weeks before their monthly period. PMT is sometimes also called premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
The symptoms of PMT and PMS can include mood swings, tiredness, night sweats, bloating, panic attacks and palpitations.
The study looked at the health of about 3,000 nurses, who were followed for a 10-year period.
At the start of the study all of them reported that they did not have PMT. By the end of the decade a third had been diagnosed with it and two-thirds had not.
When researchers analysed their diets, they found a link between high intake of non-heme iron and a lower chance of developing PMT.
Those whose intake exceeded 20mg a day, were 30 to 40 per cent less likely than those with low intakes to suffer from PMT.
They also found some indication that high zinc intake was associated with lower risk of PMT.
Researchers said it is the first study to find a link between iron and PMT, but noted that it did not prove that an iron-rich diet would help prevent PMT.
"Our findings need to be replicated in other studies. However, women at risk for PMS should make sure they are meeting the recommended daily amount for non-heme iron and zinc," Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson, associate professor of public health, said.
The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
