The reason for feeling so hungry before a period is primarily due to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle. In the week before menstruation, the hormone progesterone rises significantly and is linked to an increase in appetite, while estrogen levels fall, removing its appetite-suppressing effect. This hormonal shift causes the body to crave more food, sometimes more calories—up to an additional 350 calories per day—as the metabolism speeds up in preparation for the period. Additionally, emotional factors, such as feeling more vulnerable or stressed, can lead to emotional eating and cravings for comfort foods like sweets and carbohydrates. These cravings and hunger often peak in the luteal phase just before menstruation and usually diminish once the period starts. To summarize:

• Progesterone increases appetite before menstruation.
• Estrogen decreases appetite but drops before the period.
• Metabolic rate rises, increasing calorie needs.
• Emotional changes can boost cravings and comfort eating.
• These combined effects explain the increased hunger before periods and are a normal part of the menstrual cycle.

This explains why one might feel so hungry before their period and experience cravings for certain types of foods.