Diet tips for women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age.

It is known to trigger weight gain and cause difficulty in losing weight.

In addition to irregular menstrual cycles, women with PCOS may potentially suffer from hirsutism – a condition that causes an excessive amount of hair growth on their faces, bodies and legs.

Experts say patients with PCOS can manage their condition by taking special care in lifestyle and diet choices.

Here are some diet tips to live by:

Anti-inflammatory foods

Patients with PCOS should embrace foods that aid in the reduction of inflammation like tomatoes, dark leafy vegetables, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, avocado, coconut, green tea, olive oil, fatty fish rich in Omega 3.

Lean proteins

Lean proteins like fish are also an excellent choice for a PCOS diet.

Whole foods

Whole foods are rich in fibre, causing the body a long time to break them down. This means that metabolism in breaking this food type down is slower and therefore produces a lesser amount of insulin and the production of lesser testosterone.

Examples of whole foods include fish, meat, vegetables, healthy oils, nuts and seeds.

Foods to avoid

Avoid saturated or hydrogenated fats as well as sugar, honey and refined cereals. Pasta with durum wheat, semolina and durum as main ingredients should also be avoided.

Soy: PCOS patients struggle with ovulation and their menstrual cycle. Soy has been studied to cause a delay in ovulation in human females.

Refined carbohydrates: Foods containing refined carbohydrates like white bread are a complete no-no for PCOS patients. They tend to cause inflammation and excessive production of insulin.

Food to eat

Fruits such as watermelon, peaches, berries, oranges, papaya, pears, and apples are good for PCOS patients.

In the cereals department, PCOS patients should gravitate towards barley, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, and bran flakes.

Skimmed or toned milk, soy milk, tofu, paneer, yoghurt are the recommended dairy products while the must-eat vegetables include carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.