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1 year ago

Dear Payal Chakraborty, Thank you for the question

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, which may potentially affect the reproductive, hormonal and metabolic functions. Follow a healthy balanced diet with low fat intake, good amount protein and fibre for ideal weight management.

We request you to kindly contact your gynaecologist for further assistance, diagnosis and management.

Here are a few tips to help manage PCOS

• Eat regular meals with balanced diets including all food groups
• Low Glycaemic Index (GI) foods have proven to be effective when managing PCOD. Some of the Low GI include green leafy vegetables, carrots, green beans, apples, orange, pear, millets, lentils etc.
• Limit intake of deep fried and high fat foods.
• Engage in regular physical activity

High protein foods give a feeling of satiety, delay gastric emptying, help in maintain lean body or muscle mass and improve insulin sensitivity.

You can include non-vegetarian sources of protein such as chicken, eggs, fish, prawns etc and vegetarian sources Milk & milk products like paneer, Legumes, lentils, beans (chickpeas, kidney, mung, pinto etc.), peas (green, split, etc.), soybeans (and products made from soy: tofu, tempeh, etc.), peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds as a part of your daily balanced diet

Dietary fiber also known as roughage is a type of carbohydrate, It’s a component of the plant which is resistant to digestion by the enzymes in the human system thereby making it indigestible. It is edible and considered to be an essential nutrient in your daily diet.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fiber for female is 25g per day

There are many kinds of fibers like soluble (as in oats, apple), insoluble (whole grain) , prebiotic (onion, green banana, chicory)  which occur naturally in various foods we eat in our daily diet and all of them are beneficial for us in their own unique way.  Diets with a high content of fibre tend to have a positive effect on health like-

• Improves bowel function
• Adds bulk to stool and promotes regularity
• Helps reduced calorie intake due to the feeling of satiety (as fiber promotes a feeling of fullness).
• Regulates blood sugar level
• Regulates blood pressure
• Helps lowers total and LDL cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases.
• Helps support growth of healthy gut bacteria and overall digestive health.

Some of the good sources of fiber are as follows:

• Vegetables such as green beans, peas, cauliflower, garlic, carrot, tomato etc.

• Fruits including banana, apple, and citrus fruits like orange & sweet lime.
• Whole grains- whole wheat, millets, multigrain, wheat bran, oats etc.
• Dried beans, Legumes, Nuts & Seed

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition it is recommended to consume 2000kcal/d for woman and the RDA for protein requirement is 46g/d for women.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:

• Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
• Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
• Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
• Skipping of meals is not recommended .Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
• Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
• Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
• Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
• Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
• Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
• Engage in at least 30-45 minutes brisk walk/physical activity of moderate intensity at least 5 days a week.
• Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead

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