If you feel like you’re doing everything right but still feel wired, this might be one of the missing pieces.
If you’ve been around us very long, you know we talk a lot about healthy fats—how powerful they are for your hormones, your brain, and your overall energy and believe it or not, homemade mayonnaise can be a part of it. At the same time, we also talk a lot about seed oils and why they’re not as healthy as we were once told. It can feel confusing, but the truth is actually very simple: not all fats are created equal.
One of the biggest sources of inflammatory oils in your diet probably isn’t coming from the meals you’re carefully planning or the dinners you’re trying to make healthier. It’s usually the little things—the everyday staples sitting in your fridge that you don’t think twice about. Things like mayonnaise feel harmless because we’ve always used them, but most of them are made with highly processed seed oils that sneak in again and again throughout the day.
If you’re working on balancing your hormones, calming cortisol, or just cleaning things up in a way that actually feels doable, this is such a simple place to start. You don’t have to overhaul everything or give up the foods you love—you just swap one ingredient for a better version, and it starts making a difference right away.
Why Store-Bought Mayo Can Be Problematic
Most mayonnaise you’ll find at the grocery store is made with oils like soybean oil, canola oil, or generic vegetable oil blends. These oils go through a lot of processing—heat, chemicals, refining—and because of that, they’re more likely to become unstable. When oils break down like that, they can contribute to inflammation in the body, especially when you’re eating them regularly without even realizing how often they show up.
What’s tricky is that a lot of brands are catching on and starting to market their mayo as “healthier,” using words like avocado oil or olive oil right on the front of the label. It sounds like a great option… until you flip the bottle over. Many times, those better oils are only in tiny amounts, while the main oil is still soybean or canola. It’s just enough for them to make the claim, but not enough to actually change the product.
We actually learned this the hard way—my husband and I (Jen) grabbed a “healthy” avocado oil mayo from the store, got home, and read the label more closely. That’s when we realized we’d been totally fooled. From that point on, we started making our own homemade mayonnaise at home, and honestly, we’ve never looked back.
The Simple Swap to Homemade Mayonnaise That Changes Everything
One of the reasons I love this swap from storebought to homemade mayonnaise so much is because it removes a common source of inflammation without adding complexity to my life. In fact, it’s surprisingly simple to make and takes less than a minute once you get the hang of it. It also gives you full control over the quality of ingredients, which is where the real benefit comes in.
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup avocado oil
- 1–2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- ¼–½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a wide-mouth jar
- Place your immersion blender at the bottom
- Turn it on and hold still for 10–15 seconds
- Once it thickens, slowly lift the blender
- It transforms into thick, creamy mayonnaise almost instantly.
Tips for Success
- Avocado oil gives the most neutral, store-bought-like flavor
- Avoid extra virgin olive oil (too strong and can taste bitter)
- Use fresh ingredients for the best texture and taste
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for 5–7 days.
Troubleshooting
Too thick? → Add a teaspoon of water or lemon juice
Too runny? → Add an extra egg yolk and blend again
Why Homemade Mayonnaise Supports Hormones and Reduces Inflammation
When you start swapping out processed seed oils for more stable, whole-food fats like avocado oil, you’re not just changing one ingredient—you’re changing the environment your body is working in every single day. Those small shifts help lower the overall inflammation your body is dealing with, which matters more than most people realize, especially when it comes to hormone balance.
Your hormones rely on your cells being healthy and responsive, and healthy fats are a big part of that. They help build strong cell membranes so your body can send and receive signals clearly. When that system is supported, things tend to feel more steady—your energy, your mood, even how your body handles stress. This is where cortisol ties in, too. When you remove those daily stressors—like damaged, processed oils—you’re giving your body a signal that things are safer, and that can help your stress response calm down over time.
That’s why we focus so much on simple, consistent changes like homemade mayonnaise. It’s not about being perfect or cutting everything out all at once. It’s about noticing the everyday things that might be working against you and gently replacing them with options that actually support your body.
5 Easy Ways to Use Your Homemade Mayonnaise
Once you make it, you’ll start using it everywhere. Here are some great places to start:
Garlic Aioli (Perfect for chicken, veggies, or wraps)
Stir in:
- 1–2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Extra squeeze of lemon
Clean Honey Mustard (Great for kids, dipping, or salads)
Stir in:
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Spicy Chipotle Mayo (Amazing on burgers, bowls, and tacos)
Stir in:
- ½–1 tsp chipotle powder
(or smoked paprika + cayenne)
Fresh Herb Mayo (Light, fresh, and perfect for spring meals)
Stir in:
- Fresh parsley, dill, or chives
- Splash of lemon
Lemon Dill Sauce (So good with fish or roasted potatoes)
Stir in:
- Fresh dill
- Lemon zest + juice
Make This Your New Baseline
You don’t have to change everything overnight to start supporting your hormones or calming your nervous system. In fact, the changes that actually stick are usually the simple ones—the things you use every single day. When you start there and make small, intentional swaps, your body begins to respond in a way that feels more steady, more energized, and more balanced over time.
This is one of those changes that might seem small at first, but it adds up in a big way. Swapping out something like mayonnaise means you’re removing a constant source of inflammation and replacing it with something that actually supports your body. And when that happens day after day, that’s where you really start to feel the difference.
Want More Simple Hormone-Supportive Swaps?
If this kind of approach feels doable and aligned with how you want to care for your body, we’ve created something to help you take the next step. Our free guide, “5 Morning and 5 Evening Foods That Calm Cortisol,” walks you through simple, strategic food choices that support your hormones at the times of day your body needs it most.
Because when you start working with your body instead of against it, everything begins to feel a little easier.
