50 PCOS Recipes: Healthy Dinners You'll Love! (2024)

FAQs

What should I eat for dinner with PCOS? ›

While there is no standard PCOS diet, experts recommend following a reduced-calorie meal plan that is either low-carb or features carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. Vegetables, high-fiber fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and monounsaturated fats are the best foods for people with PCOS.

Beans and other protein-rich legumes instead of meat. Non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens (spinach, kale, escarole, endive, lettuce, etc.), tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, celery and fennel. Whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, sorghum and others.

Food restrictions for PCOS include pasta noodles using semolina, durum flour, or durum wheat flour as the primary ingredients are high in carbs and low in fiber. Pasta made using bean or lentil flour rather than wheat flour is a healthy alternative.

Some research shows that eating two eggs daily may help reduce the severity of symptoms for those struggling with the symptoms of PCOS. Two eggs are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels.

If you have PCOS, avoiding processed meat from your diet makes sense. By doing so, you will reduce inflammation and also avoid the increased risks of cancer and other health issues associated with this food group.

Instead, experts recommend people looking to lose weight focus on eating more protein, vegetables, and healthy fats while reducing sugars and carbs. Many PCOS patients struggle with insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar, so making these changes can also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Intake of excess red meat may increase inflammation in the body and decrease the levels of the hormone progesterone. Steaks contain bad fats, which may increase the severity of PCOS symptoms.

Medications effective for weight loss (in addition to lifestyle modifications) that have been specifically studied in women with PCOS include metformin, acarbose, sibutramine, and orlistat (Xenical). Metformin is probably the first-line medication for obesity or weight reduction in patients with PCOS.

Is coffee bad for PCOS? ›

The additional boost from coffee can potentially worsen PCOS symptoms, especially during periods of stress. Moreover, caffeine's appetite-suppressing properties can disrupt blood sugar control, a crucial aspect of managing PCOS.

The key to cardio workouts with PCOS is limiting the amount of cardio. Making sure it's moderate intensity, like a brisk walk, a short swimming session or a HIIT class that lasts no more than an hour, will provide all the benefits of a cardio workout without stimulating the stress hormone.

Women with PCOS should avoid or limit highly-processed foods such as white bread, ready-meals, pizza dough, muffins, breakfast pastries, sugary desserts, many breakfast cereals, anything made with white flour, pasta noodles that list their first ingredient as semolina, durum flour, or durum wheat flour this is because ...

Pasta noodles that list semolina, durum flour, or durum wheat flour as their first ingredient are high in carbohydrates and low in fiber. Pasta made from bean or lentil flour instead of wheat flour is a nutritious alternative. Sugar is a carbohydrate and should be limited on a PCOS diet.

If you do choose to eat dairy, full-fat dairy products in moderation, especially low-glycemic dairy products like cheese, will be more supportive for PCOS symptom management.

Eating three full meals and one snack—and spacing them out four to six hours apart—is a good strategy to follow for PCOS, as it allows insulin levels to come down between meals. Most people with PCOS find that snacks can help them get through the time between meals, and it also helps prevent overeating.

Since PCOS can often cause weight gain, many women try to lose that weight by skipping meals — this can worsen PCOS symptoms.

“Excessive eating of red meat, such as steaks, hog, and hamburgers, can lower progesterone levels. This hormone is necessary for pregnancy and a normal menstrual cycle. It also increases inflammation in the body. Moreover, red meat contains unhealthy fat, which contributes to weight growth.