How to Eat if You Have PCOS: A Nutritionist’s Dos and Don’ts

Are you familiar with the concept of “food as medicine”? This idea highlights the crucial connection between your diet and your overall health. Sure, calories are essential, but thinking of food as medicine encourages you to look beyond them and appreciate food for its additional benefits like essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

While we generally advocate for a balanced “everything fits” approach to eating, many health conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), require a more deliberate strategy. Let’s explore which foods you’ll want to eat more of, less of, or more intentionally to support your PCOS. 

How Does Changing Your Diet Impact PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS, is a hormonal disorder that mainly affects women during their reproductive years. While there’s no cure, making changes to what you eat can help improve your condition. These adjustments work their magic by regulating your hormones, keeping your weight in check, taming those blood sugar fluctuations, helping you say “bye-bye” to inflammation, and boosting your fertility.

But remember, your experience with PCOS is as individual as you are. Talk to your doctor to map out personalized goals based on your specific symptoms and lab findings.

Best Foods for PCOS

Here’s a list of foods to eat more of each day.

1. Whole Foods 

This means reaching for more single-ingredient items like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and legumes. The goal is to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. This approach helps clean up your diet by reducing additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.

2. Complex Carbs

You don’t have to give up your beloved carbohydrates, but you may want to think of eating them more strategically. Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, and sweet potatoes. These foods contain more fiber and less sugar, which helps your body avoid excess spikes in your blood sugar. This healthy swap can be beneficial for managing insulin resistance, which is common in PCOS.

3. Protein

Hormonal fluctuations can lead to unintentional weight gain. When aiming for weight loss, prioritize protein on your plate, as it helps with satiety. Try to include lean proteins like poultry, fish, tofu, beans, or legumes in most meals and snacks. Don’t forget to consider protein powders and supplements, especially if you’re frequently on the go.

4. Healthy Fats

From making hormones to ensuring that hormones reach their destinations to even helping calm inflammation, healthy fats are a win for individuals with PCOS. Be sure to add healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to your plate to give your meals that extra hormone-friendly oomph.

Foods to Limit for PCOS

These foods may negatively impact your PCOS symptoms. You get to decide if you want to eliminate them entirely or simply eat them more intentionally. Use the notes feature within the Lose It! app to track how you feel about these new adjustments.

1. Caffeine

Okay, so it’s not technically a food, but caffeine may be a common part of your routine. Whether it’s in your coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks, it’s wise to keep your daily caffeine intake in check. Caffeine can stimulate the release of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. (1) When your cortisol levels are high, it can negatively impact insulin resistance. Caffeine also disrupts sleep quality, which hinders hormonal regulation. (2) PCOS is also often associated with anxiety and depression; some individuals find that caffeine can exacerbate their anxiety. (3, 4)

2. Added Sugars

Sugar is usually associated with sweets, but it’s also in healthy foods like tomato sauce, peanut butter, and oatmeal. Begin to take a closer look at what you’re buying and eating to see what has added sugars. Once you identify them, consider making healthier swaps. Be cautious of products claiming “no sugar,” as they may contain artificial sweeteners, which you might also want to steer clear of, depending on your preferences.

3. Packaged Foods

Grab-and-go options are convenient, but can also expose you tomany unnecessary ingredients. Consider using packaged foods strategically, such as for snacks on busy days or when you need a quick breakfast. Just don’t depend on them for every meal—that way, you’ll ensure a more balanced and nutritious diet.

4. Dairy and Gluten

This is where individualized support comes into play. Research on whether foods containing dairy and gluten affect PCOS symptoms remains mixed, but eliminating one or both from your diet may be worth trying, depending on the severity of your symptoms. (5, 6) Remember to be strategic with eliminating and reintroducing these foods to gauge their effect fully.

Another Thing to Consider

Managing PCOS involves a holistic approach that goes beyond diet. Be sure that once you’re done adjusting your diet, you also exercise regularly, manage your stress, explore supplements, and hydrate properly.

The Bottom Line

By strategically harnessing the power of food, you can take meaningful steps toward managing and improving your PCOS symptoms. Remember, your health is your most valuable asset, and your diet can be a key player in safeguarding it.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking: 

1. Gardiner C, Weakley J, Burke LM, Roach GD, Sargent C, Maniar N, Townshend A, Halson SL. The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. June 2023. 
2. Bennett JM, Rodrigues IM, Klein LC. Effects of caffeine and stress on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in healthy men and women with a family history of hypertension. Stress Health. December 2013.
3. Damone AL, Joham AE, Loxton D, Earnest A, Teede HJ, Moran LJ. Depression, anxiety and perceived stress in women with and without PCOS: a community-based study. Psychology Medicine. July 2019. 
4. Klevebrant L, Frick A. Effects of caffeine on anxiety and panic attacks in patients with panic disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry. Jan-Feb 2022. 
5. Rajaeieh G, Marasi M, Shahshahan Z, Hassanbeigi F, Safavi SM. The Relationship between Intake of Dairy Products and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Women Who Referred to Isfahan University of Medical Science Clinics in 2013. International Journal of Preventative Medicine. June 2014.
6. Biesiekierski JR, Newnham ED, Irving PM, Barrett JS, Haines M, Doecke JD, Shepherd SJ, Muir JG, Gibson PR. Gluten causes gastrointestinal symptoms in subjects without celiac disease: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology. March 2011.