PCOS Diet: 10 Best Foods For Women Suffering With PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome affects millions of women in India owing to irregularity in their lifestyle, wrong choices of food, lack of physical activity or increasing weight.  Regular PCOS symptoms noticed among 1 in every 10 women are the irregular menstrual cycle, development of acne, growth of hair on the face and tummy, excess weight and inability to get pregnant.

Fear of infertility affects the physical and mental health of any woman and she might undergo stressful conditions or depression or anxiety. The exact reason behind the development of small fluid sacs on the ovary’s outer edge has not been discovered yet. But then it is the rise in the androgen hormone that can make any woman conceive naturally.

However, Indian spices and herbs usually help in the process of controlling PCOD and PCOS readily. Discarding packaged masala or namkeem items and eating homemade snacks like moong sprouts, chickpea sprouts, roasted chickpeas, and makhana would be effective options. Let’s explore further the food options which makes great for PCOS/PCOD management:

1. Eating A Low Glycemic diet

Any woman suffering from PCOS or PCOD is diagnosed with high blood sugar and insulin resistance. But eating broccoli, cucumber, watermelon, beans, cherries and peanuts would boost low glycemic index and help in managing insulin resistance. You must have a balanced combination of unrefined rice, mixed vegetable and lentil curries( let’s say Rajma or Lobia) and cucumber raita to balance your rising sugar levels in your body.

2. Opting for Unsaturated Fats

To keep the PCOD conditions under control, it is always preferable to avoid trans fats and saturated fats existing in processed foods, fried items and baked foods. Fatty meats, full-fat dairy and palm oils are going to disappoint you by increasing your weight and delaying your menstrual cycle. Rather,  any PCOD-suffering woman should start eating different nuts, seeds, chicken, eggs, Salmon, Mackerel or any Seafood and Avocados to manage inflammatory conditions and hormonal imbalances. 

3. Antioxidant Rich Food Items

Inflammation and low insulin are always set to cause severe setbacks in the woman’s reproductive capacity and overall health. Such conditions worsen the hormonal levels in the body. Avoiding processed foods and eating blueberries, strawberries, spinach, kale, walnuts, almonds and dark chocolate will aid in subsiding your PCOD conditions and controlling your stress levels. You will see improvement in your hormonal levels along with insulin and progress in your reproductive health.

4. Green Leafy Vegetables

Ever since our childhood days, we have always been instructed by our parents and also teachers to eat green leafy vegetables. It is because these food items help in developing our body and managing our body fluids and increasing the reproductive potency successfully. Spinach, Rajgir atta, french beans, capsicum and Broccoli aid in managing the PCOD symptoms and optimizing the weight levels. You will have control over your appetite and increasing blood sugar levels.

In Indian cuisines, Bhindi Masala and Baigan ka bharta are quite popular for their great taste and flavor and effective in overcoming PCOS and PCOD.

5. Legumes and Pulses

Keeping legumes and pulses regularly in the diet will help in managing the increasing weight, and controlling hormonal imbalances and blood sugar levels faster. Beans, Split peas, Chickpeas, Moong,  Arhar, Toor, Lobiya and Rajma are high in vitamins and minerals. These plant-based products both in fresh and dried forms blended with various Indian spices Jeera, Saunf, Mustard, Coriander, Turmeric and Methi will not only entertain your taste buds but regulate your reproductive system successfully. High fiber quantity of legumes and pulses will help in delaying cravings and thus regulating your weight.

6. Nuts and Seeds

Any form of nut and seed is capable of boosting the health of the Ovary and Uterus. Focus on eating Walnuts, Chia seeds, Almonds and Flaxseeds regularly to improve your quality of overall reproductive health.  You can regularly include these seeds and nuts in your evening to get enough fiber, vitamins and minerals in your body instead of trying any other processed foods. You can dry roast such nuts and seeds and add a little bit of salt to improve the taste and flavor to control your hunger pangs during PCOS conditions. 

7. Caffeine Free Beverages

Since caffeine and alcohol can alter hormone levels, raise insulin resistance, and worsen symptoms, it is vital to abstain from tea, coffee, and alcohol when dealing with PCOD. Pick decaffeinated drinks such as turmeric milk, warm lemon water, and herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile). These solutions can promote general hormonal balance, lessen inflammation, and regulate the menstrual cycle.

8. Drinking Sufficient Water

Drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water during winter and in Summer will keep your body moisturized and active and also free you from any stress, depression and anxiety. And so, drinking in ample quantity will help the reproductive hormones to act in a better way, it will remove the toxins from the body, improve your digestive efficacy and nourish your body with nutrients. It will stabilize your rising blood sugar and relieve you from menstrual cramps. Further to ease the problem of abdominal pain arising during menstrual flow, you keep some amounts of fennel seeds in the water overnight and drink it the next day on an empty stomach. It would enable painless menstrual flow successfully. 

9. Using Olive Oil or Coconut Oil or Mustard Oil

To make efforts further for better choices of foods to combat the PCOD conditions, you can use Olive oil, coconut oil and Mustard oil as cooking medium. You will get the benefit of consuming healthy fats full of anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties to raise insulin sensitivity and nourish your body. Even having Ghee in moderate amounts will help balance your hormones and improve reproductive health by facilitating fat soluble Vitamins 

10. Natural Herbs

You can rely on various natural herbs to restore your chronic PCOD and infertility conditions. You can find these anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant herbs like Shatavari, Ashoka, Nirgundi or Lodhra in any pharmacy store or can order online in capsules, tablets or powder or simply syrup. ayush for women is a dietary supplement made from such highly effective and revitalizing herbs. More than lakhs of females have conceived naturally by consuming this ayurvedic medicine for PCOS and PCOD without undergoing expensive fertility or IVF treatment. 

Conclusion

A lot of women in India undergo the problem of PCOD or PCOS which is related to the development of cysts on the external areas of the ovary. They see missing periods or disturbances in the menstrual cycle and hormonal imbalance and lose hope of conceiving naturally. But certain foods promise regulation in the menstrual cycle, reduction in unhealthy fats and control of rising blood sugar. Such food items are low glycemic index fruits, vegetables , Omega 3 fatty acids based lean meats, seeds and pulses,  decaffeinated drinks and natural herbs.