Progesterone is a steroid hormone involved in regulating pregnancy, fetal development and menstruation. A proper progesterone/estrogen balance is vital to fertility. If progesterone levels are insufficient during the second half of the menstrual cycle, the endometrium will not convert to the secretory stage, leaving the uterus unprepared for the implantation of a fertilized egg. There are several food sources of natural progesterone.
Wild Yams
Several species of wild yams produce natural progesterone from the steroid diosgenin. Wild yams found to contain or produce diosgenin include Dioscorea mexicana from Mexico and Discorea pseudojaponica from Taiwan. Cultivated yams or sweet potatoes do not produce natural progesterone.
Dairy Products
According to research presented by Dr. William H. Goodson to the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in 2007, dairy foods such as butter, cheese and ice cream contain high levels of progesterone. Subjects fed three servings of high-fat dairy foods experienced a spike in salivary progesterone levels of between 30 and 100 percent.
Egg Yolks
In a 2008 article published in Chemical Week, T.S. Witte and colleagues reported that egg yolks contain the hormone progesterone in measurable quantities. However, the effect of egg yolk consumption on progesterone levels in humans has not yet been studied.
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