The Best PCOS Diet Plan With Food List And Grocery Shopping Tips

Foods To Avoid

An ideal PCOS food list should be unique to your specific health case. But there are some foods you can pretty much always avoid to heal:

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbs are highly processed and include pasta, white bread, white rice, potato chips, fried foods, and boxed cereals, to name a few. The way they’re made strips most nutritional value from these items, leaving just sugar and carbohydrate content that spike blood sugar and perpetuate PCOS symptoms.

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Processed Sugars

Some amount of natural sugar from fruits and natural sweeteners, such as honey, is part of a healthy diet. However, processed sugars found in foods like packaged candy, cake, desserts, coffee additives, soft drinks, mixed drinks, and many condiments contribute to poor glucose control and increased body mass.

Alcohol

While the research is a bit mixed, alcohol, in general, is one of those things that offers no nutritional value. (16) My recommendation to patients is to cut alcohol while in the process of healing PCOS. Once you’re at a healthy weight and symptoms like irregular periods have improved, consider adding healthy alcohol to your routine.

Conventional Dairy

Conventional dairy products like pasteurized milk and cheese often come from cows treated with growth hormones. Because these can lead to inflammation and disrupt the endocrine system, I suggest steering clear.

Replace these with dairy alternatives, such as substituting almond milk for cow’s milk, and consider getting organic dairy products from cows not treated with growth hormones.

Processed Meats

Similar to conventional dairy, processed meats (think: packaged lunch meat, hot dogs, or meats loaded with preservatives) frequently come from animals treated with growth hormones. Avoid these, focusing your protein consumption on organic meats.

Artificial Sweeteners

While it’s common to opt for “diet” drinks and sugar-free foods when reducing sugar intake, many of the alternative sweeteners may actually make matters worse.

Aspartame, used to sweeten most diet sodas, is associated with infertility. (17) Other artificial sweeteners like sucralose and saccharin may disrupt the gut microbiome, which may worsen the symptoms of PCOS. (18)

Allulose, sugar alcohols like erythritol, and stevia are generally the best alternative sweeteners. Still, I suggest consuming these in strict moderation.

Aim For These Ideal Eating Habits

Here are a few principles to eat by when addressing PCOS:

1. Stick to regular meal times. Skipping meals or frequent snacking can disrupt your blood sugar levels throughout the day. Try to keep your meal times consistent, which will help you avoid quick junk food cravings.
2. Plan for snacks. It’s normal to get hungry between meals sometimes. Instead of having packaged snacks loaded with sugar, make sure to include healthy, nutrient-dense snacks on your grocery list to have when you get a craving.
3. Eat a variety of foods. Different foods contain different nutrients — that’s why it’s a great idea to eat the rainbow! Ensure your body has what it needs to thrive by keeping your food list diverse.
4. Practice mindful eating. I don’t recommend highly restrictive diets because they often fail to address the poor relationship with food that many of my PCOS patients struggle with. Instead, focus on mindful eating — sit down for meals as often as you can (not in front of the TV), and take time to fully chew your food. (19)
5. Consider intermittent fasting. Gentle IF might help you manage PCOS symptoms. A 2021 trial found that intermittent fasting on a 16:8 schedule for 6 weeks helped patients reduce body fat, regulate menstruation, reduce circulating androgens (male hormones), improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce inflammation. (20) I wouldn’t recommend some of the more restrictive fasting methods (like 5/2 or 20:4), though, as these may lead to more ‘crash diet’ habits.

Read Next: Natural + Effective Ways To Boost Your Progesterone Levels

Grocery Shopping And Meal Planning Tips

Before your next grocery shopping trip, do a deep-dive into your pantry and fridge. Eliminate foods that you know you shouldn’t be reaching for, and note what items you have and what you need to buy.

Make a list before you leave, either on paper or using a notes app on your phone. Plan for about a week at a time, getting items that are easy to meal prep in advance and balancing the foods that need significant cooking with some foods that are easier to grab and go (like fruits).

I like to shop the “edges” of the grocery store, avoiding the inside aisles unless I need specific items there. This is one of the best ways to ensure I get fresh, whole foods and avoid more of the processed stuff that isn’t good to eat.

Make reading labels a habit. Look for hidden sugars and sweeteners, and pay attention to which items have a ton of preservatives (in the form of sodium content) to avoid them. Many “health foods” turn out to have a ton of added sugar and ingredients you need to avoid, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the branding.

Try not to go overboard with excessive “substitutions.” One of the most common pitfalls I see with patients is the desire to buy alternative bread, tortillas, and desserts that seem healthy because they’re low-carb. Instead, set a goal to truly change your dietary habits, eating more whole foods and not just trying to replace problematic food items with slightly “healthier” versions.

It’s also typical to overestimate your ability to create complex meals on a daily basis, buying tons of foods and ingredients that ultimately go to waste. Take it slow! If you’re not used to spending hours in the kitchen each day, don’t attempt to change your entire lifestyle overnight. Add a few recipes in the first week, slowly making sustainable changes.

Looking For Personalized Support?

If you struggle with PCOS, you are not limited to a lifetime of debilitating symptoms and medication. Instead, you can take the steps to heal naturally through diet and lifestyle changes.

In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, I focus on helping you uncover the root cause of your health problems through labwork and a comprehensive health history. Then, we can determine the best course of action that addresses all areas of your health.

Ready to take the next step in healing your PCOS? Schedule a telehealth functional medicine consultation today.

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