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PCOS is a significant public health issue and one of the most common hormonal disorders affecting women of reproductive age. It is estimated that one in five (20%) Indian women suffer from PCOS. According to WHO, 70% of cases go undiagnosed. PCOS can also cause anovulation and is a major cause of infertility. While there is no cure for PCOS, there are many treatments available that can help improve individual symptoms. Lifestyle and dietary modifications can help improve PCOS symptoms, with the main focus on eating a balanced diet, exercising, and reducing excess fat. However, eating in a way that supports PCOS and does not trigger PCOS symptoms comes with many challenges. Let’s find out what those foods are and how you can stay away from them.
Here are five foods that aggravate PCOS symptoms
1) Refined foods
Refined foods lack fibre and nutrients. This can lead to insulin resistance, fat gain and inflammation, which is a common cause of PCOS. Maida, sabudana, semolina, chips, wafers, cookies, biscuits, bread, toast, pav, pasta, noodles, muffins, cakes are some examples of refined foods. Opt for dal/bean based pasta/noodles as an alternative, choose fresh fruits and nuts as snacks instead of chips and cookies, celebrate special occasions by engaging in some kind of sport/hobby/spa or organise a potluck dinner with healthy options.
2) Fatty foods
Not all fats are bad. While it is true that some fats may contribute to PCOS symptoms, certain essential fats such as those coming from nuts and seeds are essential for overall health and may even help manage the condition. Fats that may trigger PCOS symptoms are saturated and trans fats found in cheese, desserts, processed foods, red meat, and full-fat dairy products. Women with PCOS should include sources of healthy fats in their diet to support hormonal balance and reduce inflammation. And at the same time, they should limit unhealthy fats to minimize their negative impact on PCOS symptoms. The preferred cooking oil should be one that has a higher amount of monounsaturated fatty acids such as peanut oil, sesame oil, olive oil, mustard oil than sunflower, safflower, or palm oil.
3) Liquid Calories
It’s natural to think that juices and smoothies are healthy, but some pre-bottled options can contain more than 15 grams of sugar and can cause blood sugar to spike quickly since most liquid beverages have little or no fiber. Liquid calories can unknowingly add more than 500 kilocalories to your daily diet. This comes from sweetened beverages like soda, juices, energy drinks, sweetened tea, sports drinks, alcohol, cocktails, mocktails, high-calorie smoothies. Better options are to choose water, unsweetened herbal teas, low-fat milk, fresh homemade smoothies, sattu, buttermilk. Remember, while liquid calories should be consumed in moderation, they are not completely banned. The key is balance and choosing healthy options.
4) Gluten
If we compare two women of the same weight, women with PCOS will have higher levels of inflammation than other women of the same weight. And more and more research studies are showing that daily consumption of wheat and gluten products can make chronic inflammation worse. This does not mean that women with PCOS should completely avoid gluten. Eating wheat just once a day can also help reduce inflammation. Women with PCOS may benefit from including more millets and pulses in one meal of the day. It is more sustainable and easier to eat millets and wheat alternately in the two main meals of the day.
5) Foods with a high glycemic index
Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) are those that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. For women with PCOS, this can be particularly problematic. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can affect hormone production, which can worsen PCOS symptoms such as irregular menstruation and acne. Most foods with a high GI are unhealthy and should be avoided completely such as bread, white rice, breakfast cereals, fries, chips and sweetened/flavored beverages. However, there are some foods that are rich in nutrients yet have a high GI. Examples of such foods are potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, kiwi, bananas and grapes. Instead of completely avoiding nutrient-rich high GI foods, it is better to eat these foods occasionally in combination with low GI foods such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, vegetables to prevent blood sugar spikes. In conclusion, focus on a diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables to significantly improve PCOS symptoms. There is currently no cure for PCOS, but lifestyle changes can reduce PCOS symptoms.
Tips from Rupal Shah, dietitian and visiting faculty at Lifeness Science Institute
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