Before knowing the important foods that you need to focus on with PCOS, it is important to understand what PCOS is. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a very prevalent endocrine related disorder that hits women in the fertile period.
PCOS comes with several symptoms and if not managed well, can give rise to a series of other risks like type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart risks, high cholesterol, hypertension among some.
Obesity and weight gain are the most common implications of PCOS. Since one of the major implications of PCOS is insulin resistance, a diet that is low in carbs and high on protein has been found to be beneficial for many.
In a normal body, insulin is released from the pancreas in response to the raised blood sugar level after meals so that it can help pack away these glucose molecules in to the body’s cells. However, in the body of a person with PCOS, there is insulin resistance and as a result, that is the body’s cells become less sensitive to the action of insulin which makes the body think that there isn’t enough insulin and thus it sends signals to the pancreas to release more insulin. This excessive release of the hormone insulin sets in action a hormonal imbalance and as a result there is weight gain, increased hair facial hair, cyst formations in the ovaries apart from hunger and cravings with a low blow to the metabolism.
That is why, practical and smart management of insulin levels in combination with lifestyle changes help cope with the disease.
Just because there is weight gain does not mean only limiting calorie intake and cutting off fat is going to really help. It might, but only so much. The real effective way is to try and get your body more acceptable to insulin by choosing low GI, high fiber foods, good quality protein and limited but healthy fat.
Suggested Read: Protein & PCOS – 3 Surprising Facts
Here is a sample diet plan for PCOS for a day.
|Pre workout:||Bananas/ Dates/ Chickoos|
|Post workout:||Protein shake|
|Breakfast:||2 eggs + 1 Cup grilled veggies with a whole grain toast
Paneer bhurji with 1 Cup fruits and 2 whole grain rotis
|Lunch:||Brown rice pulao with 1 cup curd a serving of fish or chicken
2 rotis with 1 cup lentils and 1 serving of vegetables/ meat of your choice + 1 cup curd
|Dinner:||Grilled chicken/ fish 1-2 pieces along with 2 cups vegetables stir fried
Brown rice khichdi+1 cup curd or paneer sabzi
A big bowl of dal with 1-2 garlic bread toasted (whole grain)
|Snack options:||Fresh fruits (NO FRUIT JUICES), peanut butter on apple slices, veggie sticks with home-made hummus, natural yogurt, whole grain sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, unsalted nuts, dark chocolate (70%, 3-4 cubes a day.)|
Suggested Read: Whey Protein for PCOS- Is it Good or Bad?
What to avoid?
- Foods that are high in refined carbs like sugar, sugar syrups, white breads, ready to consume juices and beverages, bakery items, candies.
- Processed meats, refined soy (You can eat soyabean just avoid the refined soy products) and processed cheese.
- Unhealthy fatty foods, unhealthy fats like dalda/ vanaspati ghee, processed snacks.
Add OZIVA Protein & Herbs Shake to Your Diet if your diet is lacking in proteins.
If you want a detailed nutrition consultation, drop us a mail at firstname.lastname@example.org or call us on 9769298556 and our experts will help you with your fitness goal