Best Diet for PCOS: A Guide to Eating to Improve Your Symptoms

Understanding PCOS

PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. It can cause irregular periods, excess hair growth, weight gain around the tummy and insulin resistance. This is where your body stops responding properly to the hormone insulin, which in turn can make symptoms worse.

There's no cure for PCOS, but making changes to your diet can improve symptoms and your quality of life. It can also help reduce longer term health risks linked with PCOS.

Sadly there's a lot of misinformation about diet and PCOS, so we turned to dietitian and PCOS expert Jodie to find out: what does the ideal diet for managing PCOS look like? Over to Jodie...

The Best Diet for PCOS

Research has shown there's no single 'best diet' for PCOS. Instead there are few approaches that can help manage symptoms. So let's look at each one and what they involve.

1. A Low Glycemic Index (GI) Diet

Glycemic index (GI) is a scale that measures how fast carbohydrate-rich foods raise blood sugar levels.

Low-GI foods cause a slower rise in blood glucose levels. This prevents the rapid spikes and crashes that can lead to hunger and overeating. Eating a low-GI diet can help manage insulin levels.

This is important because insulin resistance is common in women with PCOS. Other benefits of eating a low GI diet include feeling fuller for longer, and fewer blood sugar 'lows'.

Examples of low-GI foods include:- whole grains- beans peas and lentils- nuts and seeds- fruits- non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, tomatoes, aubergine, and cucumbers. 

Studies show that women on a low-GI diet often have more regular periods than those on a standard healthy diet, making it a good choice for managing PCOS.

2. A Mediterranean Style Eating Pattern

A Mediterranean style diet (MD) is another great option for managing PCOS. The MD is an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern, rich in complex carbohydrates, fibre, and healthy fats.

It includes moderate amounts of dairy, fish and poultry, with limited red meat. When planning a MD, focus on plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

These provide antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Healthy fats from olives, nuts, and fatty fish (like salmon and sardines) replace saturated fats from full fat dairy and meat. This can benefit heart health. Research has shown a MD can lower insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. In turn this can help manage symptoms and improve metabolic health.

3. A DASH Diet

The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. DASH diets focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy. And they reduce saturated fat, red and processed meats, refined grains and sweets.

This combination of foods provides lots of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. This can contribute to better insulin and glucose responses and overall health. The high fibre content is particularly helpful for managing insulin resistance and supporting overall metabolic health.

The DASH diet can help lower high blood pressure, but it can also help women with PCOS respond to insulin better.

4. An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

PCOS is linked with low-grade inflammation which may drive symptoms like excess androgen hormones. An anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce these levels and improve symptoms.

Foods high in omega-3 fats, like fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, are beneficial. Colourful fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and phytochemicals (naturally occurring plant compounds) can also combat inflammation.

They're also great for your overall health. Including these foods can help PCOS symptoms through reducing inflammation and supporting metabolic health.

What All PCOS Diets Have in Common

Wow, that was a lot of info! But you might have noticed that the diets all share a lot in common, which can be summarised into some key points:

• Choose low-GI carbohydrates: opt for whole grain breads, cereals and pasta, oats, brown rice, new potatoes and sweet potatoes.
• Include plant-based proteins: Focus on plant-based proteins like beans, lentils and nuts. Aim to have protein with most meals to help balance blood glucose.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables: Aim for a colourful plate to ensure you get a range of nutrients and antioxidants.
• Choose healthy fats: Use healthy fats from sources like olives, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. This can help manage inflammation and support heart health.
• Increase your fibre intake: Include more high-fibre foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes to help control blood sugar and support gut health.
• Reduce processed and sugary foods: Focus on whole, unprocessed foods and home-cooked meals to manage insulin resistance and improve overall health.

Discovering the Best Diet for Your PCOS Journey

There's no one-size-fits-all diet for PCOS; it's about discovering what works best for you and your unique situation. Remember that PCOS is a chronic condition that requires a sustainable, long-term approach. This means the changes you make should be realistic and easy to maintain over time.

By focusing on whole foods, balanced meals, and healthy fats can go a long way to significantly improve your symptoms and health. Embrace small, manageable changes one by one and celebrate your progress along the way.

Listen to your body, and don’t hesitate to work with a PCOS specialist registered dietitian or nutritionist to find the best plan for you. You can also try Field Doctor’s quiz to find out which of their meals best match your symptoms, preferences, and needs.

References

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