Priyasha Saluja, Founder of The Cinnamon Kitchen, Shares How to Make Dessert Work For Your Hormones

Desserts have been unfairly vilified in conversations around hormonal health. Particularly for those navigating PCOS, thyroid imbalances, or endometriosis, sugar is often labelled the enemy, with little attention paid to the real issue: the quality of ingredients. Priyasha Saluja is on a mission to change that narrative. A certified hormone health coach and the founder of The Cinnamon Kitchen — a clean-label brand known for its vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free snacks — Priyasha brings both personal insight and professional expertise to the table. Having been diagnosed with PCOS as a teenager, she spent years decoding how food affects hormones, gut health, and energy. What began as an Instagram page sharing hormone-friendly recipes evolved into a growing community and a trusted food brand. In this guest blog, Priyasha breaks down how simple swaps — like using flax eggs, coconut sugar, and almond flour — can transform your daily dessert into a powerful ally for hormonal balance.

For a long time, desserts have been labelled the enemy when it comes to hormonal imbalances. You’ve probably heard things like — “Don’t eat sugar if you have PCOS”, “Cakes will worsen your insulin resistance”, or my personal favourite: “Desserts mess with your hormones!”

Let’s drop a truth bomb here: Dessert is not the enemy. The ingredients in it are.

When you take a closer look at the actual ingredients, desserts can actually support your hormonal health. And no, I’m not just saying that to justify your late-night cookie cravings!

Let’s take a look at how swapping in ingredients like flax eggs, coconut sugar, and almond flour can support your hormonal health – especially if you're managing conditions like PCOS, Endometriosis, or thyroid issues.

Why does this matter to us?

I was diagnosed with PCOS as a young teenager. At the time, there was very little awareness or discussion around PCOS and its symptoms. I grew up facing a great deal of challenges and shame around my symptoms and condition. Even the best supermarkets only stocked so-called “healthy” food that was actually full of sugar, artificial flavours, preservatives, and other additives.

Later, when I moved from Delhi to Mumbai and gained access to a kitchen, I started experimenting on my own to make food that was both healthy and delicious. I began documenting my healthy eating journey on an Instagram page, which quickly gained traction. The idea was to share recipes and encourage people to heal their bodies through nutritious food – just as I had done.

Soon, I realised that while people wanted to eat healthy, they often lacked the time, resources, or motivation to prepare snacks themselves. That insight led me to start The Cinnamon Kitchen.

I invite you to experience a new era of healthy snacks – vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and preservative-free – through my kitchen.

First things first: Hormones want balance

Restriction or deprivation isn’t the answer.

Hormonal health isn’t about cutting out food groups or surviving on bland meals. The goal is balance – stabilising blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, and supporting gut health.

In a funny twist of fate, the right kind of dessert (yes, dessert) can help you achieve all those goals!

By choosing ingredients thoughtfully, a brownie can shift from a “guilty pleasure” to a genuinely supportive and feel-good snack.

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Let’s rewrite your daily dessert routine

Most traditional desserts are loaded with refined sugars, processed flours, dairy, and inflammatory oils – a perfect recipe for hormonal chaos.

But what if we flipped the script on your daily snacking habits and gave your hormones (and gut health) a happy ending?

Here’s how:

Key Ingredients That Make All the Difference

If your snack routine feels like a hormonal cliffhanger, blame the usual culprits: processed flour, sugar, and oils. But what if we swap them for hero ingredients that turn the tide?

1. Flax Eggs instead of Regular Eggs

What’s a flax egg?
A flax egg is a mix of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water. It gels up just like a regular egg does in baking.

Why it matters:
Flaxseeds are rich in lignans, a plant-based compound that helps regulate oestrogen. They’re also high in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids – both of which help reduce inflammation, a major contributor to PCOS symptoms like acne, bloating, and irregular periods.

Bonus:
It’s a great vegan baking option too!

2. Coconut Sugar instead of Refined Sugar

Why ditch white sugar?
White sugar causes rapid spikes – and crashes – in blood glucose levels, putting major strain on your insulin response. If you’re dealing with PCOS or thyroid issues, that’s far from ideal.

Enter coconut sugar:
Derived from the sap of coconut palms, it has a low glycaemic index – meaning it raises blood glucose more slowly, reducing the metabolic impact.

Plus:
It retains trace nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium – tiny amounts, but every little helps.

3. Millet or Almond Flour instead of Refined Wheat Flour

What’s wrong with wheat flour?
Refined flours are often bleached and stripped of nutrients. They can spike insulin levels, inflame the gut, and aggravate hormonal issues.

The rescue squad:
Gluten-free flours like millet or almond are full of good fats, protein, magnesium, and fibre – all of which slow down glucose absorption and help balance energy levels.

Cherry on top?
Magnesium plays a big role in managing PMS symptoms and easing cramps.

4. Natural Oils over Hydrogenated Fats

Why avoid hydrogenated oils?
They’re high in trans fats, which are known to trigger inflammation.

Better choices:
Opt for cold-pressed coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil – all rich in anti-inflammatory fatty acids that nourish the body.

5. Natural Sweeteners like Dates, Bananas, and Raw Honey

Why go natural?
Whole-food sweeteners come with fibre, antioxidants, and metabolism-friendly minerals – unlike refined sugars, which offer only empty calories.

Bonus:
The fibre in dates and bananas slows sugar absorption, keeping insulin levels stable – a big win for hormone balance.

But do these desserts actually taste good?

If it doesn’t taste like dessert, it’s just a punishment. Luckily, the right ingredients (and a little imagination) can make healthy desserts:

• Decadent

• Flavourful

• Moist

• Naturally sweet

• Soul-satisfying

Think fudgy brownies made with almond flour. Banana bread that melts in your mouth. Chewy cookies with flax eggs and raw cacao.

You won’t even miss the “real” thing – because this is the real thing.

Final Thoughts: Your dessert can be your dopamine

Next time someone says desserts are “bad” for your hormones, just smile – and offer them a slice of banana bread made with coconut sugar and almond flour.

Because the truth is simple:

It’s not about cutting out desserts. It’s about cutting out the wrong ingredients.

So go ahead – bake that cookie, slice that banana bread, spoon that mousse.

Your hormones (and your heart) will thank you.

This blog has been written by Priyasha Saluja, Founder of The Cinnamon Kitchen.