PCOS Diet, PCOS recipes, Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome Indian recipes

Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a health condition in which multiple cysts are formed on a woman’s ovaries due to over-production of hormones. The symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, weight gain, increased facial hair growth and acne.

If the symptoms are not controlled, it can lead to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. PCOS is also one of the leading causes of infertility among women in their reproductive years. Although doctors prescribe medicines, no treatment for PCOS can be successful without proper changes in diet and lifestyle. Weight management is important to increase insulin sensitivity and regulate blood sugar levels.

Foods That Fight PCOS / Indian Recipes for PCOS

1. Brightly-coloured Fruits and Veggies: Include brightly coloured fruits and vegetables as they are great sources of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Brightly-coloured vegetables like carrot, tomatoes and capsicum are a rich source of antioxidants and should be a part of the PCOS diet.

Antioxidants help in scavenging free radicals that are formed due to insulin resistance. Try vegetable recipes like Masala Karela that are low in calories but rich in nutrients. You will be amazed by how effectively grated cauliflower masks the bitterness of karela, making dry bitter gourd sabzi a delicacy that you are sure to relish.

Masala Karela

You can also combine dals and veggies to enhance your protein intake along with fibre and antioxidants. Methi Moong Dal Sabzi is a classic example of this. This sabzi is an ideal option for lunch or dinner as it ensures to avoid fatigue setting in.

Moong Dal Methi Sabzi

Why restrict yourself to making only sabzis with veggies. Try something more innovative and delicious fare like Mini Oats Bhakri Pizza. With 92 calories and 3.4 g of fibre along with 3.3 g of protein, this healthy oats pizza is a tad wiser choice for those on weight loss regime and women with PCOS who intend to control calorie intake.

Mini Oats Bhakri Pizza

Soups are one of the most appetising in a meal. With a little bit of creativity and basic ingredients found in most kitchen, it is easy to make a healthy soup like Low Calorie Spinach Soup. You will thoroughly enjoy this nutrient-dense, easy-to-prepare low calorie spinach soup. Cooking it with low-fat milk gives low cal healthy palak soup a lovely emerald green colour, which together with the aroma of sautéed onions and garlic, makes this soup irresistible!

Low Calorie Spinach Soup

2. Low Glycemic Index (Low GI) fruits: Oranges, apples, pears, grapefruit, and other low Glycemic index fruits can be consumed in their whole form along with the fibre, which helps in controlling blood sugar levels.

It is very easy to combine your favourite fruits and make a Fruit Chaat. Chopped and chilled fruits are tossed with spice powders that are typically used in chaats , to give a juicy, crunchy, peppy flavoured treat that will refresh your taste buds. And what's more is that the fibre from the fruits aids to keep blood sugar levels in check too!

Mixed Fruit Chaat, Diabetic Friendly Recipe

On days you don't have time to make a breakfast, try Healthy Date Apple Milkshake on the go! This healthy Indian drink is also rich in phytochemicals, including quercetin, catechin etc. all of which are strong antioxidants and help protect the health of our body cells by warding off the harmful free radicals. The fibre in apple also gives a feeling of fullness and thus this drink is a wise choice with only 109 calories and 3.8 g of fibre.

Apple and Date Smoothie, Smoothie with Curds

Avocado in Healthy Avocado Salad is considered as a ‘superfood’ due to its rich nutrient composition. Antioxidants like lutein help to ward of the harmful free radicals from the body and prevent damage to cells. They are also high in fats, they are all healthy fats – MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids). These help to reduce inflammation in the body. You can serve this tasty avocado salad for lunch, snack or dinner – the choice is yours. It is sure to keep you full for long hours. Pair it with a healthy bowl of soup and you are all set for a nourishing fare.

Avocado Salad

3. Nourishing Nuts and seeds: Have a few (4 or 5) nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios, and seeds such as chia seeds and flaxseeds , which have plenty of protein and healthy fats.

Energy Chia Deeds Drink with Lime and Honey is a low carb, high protein drink which is perfect for women with PCOS aiming to trim their waistline. No honey has been added to this drink since it is for weight loss. With a dash of lime and honey, the otherwise tasteless chia seeds become fabulously tasty. You can sip on this refreshing energy chia seed drink any time you wish.

Energy Chia Seed Drink with Lime and Honey, for Endurance Athletes

You can also make your favourite dish like chutney using healthy seeds. Try garlic flaxseed chutney. Made of garlic and flaxseeds, this chutney has a spicy taste that gives your taste buds an effective shake! You can serve it as along with healthy multigrain parathas to make your meal interesting. You can also try Flax Seed Crackers with Beetroot Dip.

Garlic- Flaxseed Chutney

Nuts can be used very creatively too! Homemade Almond Butter is totally awesome, a tantalising treat with a very unique flavour and interesting mouth-feel! Almond butter is a great source of protein, while coconut gives you healthy fatty acids of medium chain triglycerides. It is always better to make your almond butter at home as store-bought almond butter contains loads of sugar and hydrogenated vegetable fats, which are not good for you. Spread this on Multigrain Bread and enjoy a heart and healthy breakfast. Try it and you will forget the refined bread and salt laden store bought butter.

Homemade Almond Butter, for Weight Loss and Athletes

4. Whole Grains and Sprouts: Include whole grain cereals and pulses such as oats, quinoa, rajma, moong, black chana, ragi, jowar flour, buckwheat and sprouts of your choice. Being rich in fibre, these foods slow down the release of glucose into the bloodstream, thereby slowing insulin resistance.

Try healthy pcos breakfast recipes like Broken Wheat Upma. We have given the regular upma a healthy twist by replacing semolina with broken wheat, making it dalia upma which is super healthy and also very tasty!! Not only for a healthy breakfast but can also be relished as an evening snack. While the broken wheat brings in loads of dietary fibre and energy, carrot and green peas bring along a wealth of nutrients, especially vitamin A.

Broken Wheat Upma, Healthy Breakfast Recipe

Another nourishing breakfast option is Quinoa Dosa. Made with a batter that blends quinoa and wheat flour with urad, these dosas are very tasty and have an amazing mouth-feel too. The batter requires no fermentation, so you can make this quinoa dosa at any time, although you must provide an hour’s time for the urad to soak before grinding it. Each dosa lends only 70 caloires and 1.1 g of fibre.

Quinoa Dosa

For main course we suggest Bajra Roti. These rotis and lahsun ki chutney and onions is a combo!! Although absolutely simple to make, these rotis are delicious!

Bajra Roti

At snack time experiment with sprouts. Sprouts Dhokla is a dhokla but not a main stream one, as it is made with moong sprouts which make it even healthier! It is a soft and fluffy steamed snack from the Gujarati repertoire. This sprouts dhokla with spinach all-time favourite is enjoyed as a starter, as a tea-time snack, or even for breakfast. Basically, something you can have any time you are hungry!

Sprouts Dhokla

7 Food Groups to Avoid for PCOS

If you have PCOS or want to live a healthy life, then follow the guidelines below.

1. High Glycemic Index (high GI) foods: Foods which have a high GI cause an immediate spike in blood sugar levels and must be avoided. These foods include rice, potatoes, white bread, cakes and pastries.

Bread White Bread

2. Dairy: Milk can cause an increase in acne, which is a symptom of PCOS. Dairy foods may also increase testosterone levels and cause the symptoms to worsen. However, it is best to take your doctor’s or dietitian’s advice regarding the consumption of milk. If you can tolerate curds, buttermilk and yoghurt, it is good to consume these as they are rich in calcium. Start by introducing small portions of milk products to see if there is any effect on your symptoms.

Milk

3. Soy Products: Completely avoid soy and soy products as it is proven that these delay ovulation. Avoiding soy products is especially important for women who are trying to conceive.

Soya bean

4. Bad Fats: Cut down your intake of saturated fats, trans-fats and hydrogenated fats such as margarine as it can cause weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.

Margarine