PCOS Diet: Foods To Eat & Avoid For Happy Hormones

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition experienced by one out of every 10 women that causes hormonal imbalances and problems with metabolism.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is experienced by women of child bearing age. It can give rise to multiple health challenges, such as obesity, anxiety, depression, hair fall, irregular menstrual cycle and more.
The cause of PCOS is still unknown and under research, one of the major symptom of PCOS is sudden weight gain & many researches show that diet can help reduce symptoms and sometimes even cure it.
Let's learn more about what you can eat and what to avoid if you have PCOS for a healthy lifestyle.

Also Read: I Became A Health Coach To Help Women Who Suffer Due To PCOD: Kriti Meena

Diet & Its Affect On PCOS

A diet rich with fiber and proteins can have many benefits for people with PCOS. Two major ways that diet affects PCOS is through managing weight and insulin resistance.
Insulin plays a significant role in PCOS, and managing insulin level in blood through diet can help people with PCOS immensely in managing their weight and condition as a whole.

FOODS THAT YOU SHOULD EAT

A healthy PCOS diet should include the following foods:

• Natural, unprocessed foods
• High-fiber foods
• Fatty fish, including salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel
• Kale, spinach, and other dark, leafy greens
• Dark red fruits, such as red grapes, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries
• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Dried beans, lentils, and other legumes
• Healthy fats, such as ghee, and coconuts
• Nuts, including pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios
• Dark chocolate in moderation
• Spices, such as turmeric and cinnamon

Researchers found a lot of improvement in people who followed a healthy diet in comparison to their previous condition. For example:
• A diet consisting of mono-unsaturated fats helped individuals lose more weight than saturated fats. An anti-inflammatory diet is an example of this, which encourages people to consume more of the healthy fats like ghee or olive oil in some cases.
• People who followed low-carbohydrates or low-GI diet, showed significant weight loss & more regular periods giving them a better quality of life. 

Also Read: 10 Popular Low-Sugar Fruits And Vegetables To Add In Diet

FOODS TO AVOID

Foods to avoid is food that is generally seen as unhealthy. These include:

• Refined carbohydrates, such as mass-produced pastries and white bread.
• Fried foods, fast food.
• Sugary beverages, like sodas and energy drinks.

There is currently no cure for PCOS, but you can certainly manage it and reverse it through your diet and becoming more physically active and indirectly reducing the symptoms to improving the quality of life. 
In order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, eating healthy fats, proteins, and a low amount of carbohydrates will definitely help a person manage their PCOS better.