Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition that affects up to 12 percent of women of reproductive age and is associated with symptoms like irregular periods, excess hair growth, insulin resistance, and oily skin, though they present differently from person to person. If you’ve received this diagnosis, you may be wondering how the foods you eat can influence your symptoms.
“Contrary to what you might read on the internet, there is no one right diet for PCOS,” Melissa Azzaro, a registered dietitian and author of A Balanced Approach to PCOS, told POPSUGAR. However, Azzaro did offer some general guidelines for how to eat in order to better manage your symptoms. These include balancing your blood sugar with plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats; following an anti-inflammatory diet, which includes foods like omega-3-rich seafood and nuts; consuming plenty of antioxidants in the form of colorful fruits and vegetables; and minimizing your consumption of inflammatory fats and processed carbohydrates.
So, while there is no one-size-fits-all PCOS diet, there are some foods that seem to help manage PCOS symptoms more than others. Here are seven dietitian-approved foods you should try.