The majority of women with PCOS have some degree of insulin resistance, inflammation, and hormone imbalance, which contributes to much of their related symptoms. The good news is that there are many ways to help care for these causes and symptoms. NUTRITION is one of these ways!
As a non-diet dietitian for women with PCOS, it’s important for me to remind you that all foods can fit with PCOS! Truthfully, all foods can be “PCOS-friendly” in some way. There isn’t really a definition for this term, but I like to think of PCOS-friendly foods as those that provide a variety of beneficial nutrients and include protein, fat, and fiber. Protein, fat, and fiber each help stabilize blood sugar and insulin reactions, which in-turn helps inflammation and hormone balance. I like to keep the focus on what can be added to foods to provide benefits, instead of always trying to avoid or restrict. Including protein, fat, and fiber/carbs within meals and snacks helps them be more satisfying and nutrient-dense. Remember, we NEED nutrients for PCOS!
So with that short explanation, here’s a few recommendations on building a satisfying “PCOS-friendly” smoothie and ways to ADD protein, fat, fiber, and additional nutrients among the typical fruit and liquids that make a classic smoothie so delicious and refreshing.
How To Make The Perfect Smoothie
First, here’s a few tips for making a GREAT smoothie in no-time!
For multiple servings, you’ll want a large blender (this is the one I’ve had for years and LOVE it). You can easily make enough for multiple smoothies, store in the refrigerator a couple days or freeze it for later!
For single servings, you might like a smaller blender instead (like this one). Easy clean-up!
Expert smoothie-making tips:
1) Add the liquid to the bottom! This helps it blend better.
2) Choose something creamy, like an avocado, banana, or yogurt. This gives the smoothie a nice texture.
3) If you need the smoothie to be a little sweeter, you can add a splash of juice. You don’t need much for a sweet effect! Orange juice is great in almost every smoothie.
The Basic Smoothie Formula:
The formula: liquid + protein + fat + fruit + veggies + extras
Liquid options: milk, dairy-free milk, water, kefir, juice
Protein options: greek yogurt, tofu, cottage cheese, collagen, protein powder
Fat options: avocado, nut butters, seed butters, nuts/seeds, coconut milk
Fruit options: banana, berries, frozen mix (any fruit you want)
Veggie options: greens like spinach or baby kale, carrots, beets
Extra options: ground flaxseed, chia, spices like cinnamon, cacao powder
Smoothies are a quick and easy meal or snack, and perfect for a hot summer day. Expert tip: Save this for pregnancy! During the first trimester when foods seem less appealing, cold and liquid foods are much easier to swallow.
Take note that if you’d prefer to keep your smoothies just as they are without the extra ingredients you may see here, you can do just that! You can always eat proteins, fats, and fiber WITH your smoothie on the side. For example, you may make a smoothie with frozen fruit + kefir, and eat it as a meal with a greens salad with chicken and vinaigrette dressing. Don’t overcomplicate it!
Need a recipe? Here’s one of my favorite smoothies: Peach + Strawberry PCOS Smoothie
Be sure to save this to your Pinterest board so you can come back to it later!
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