What to Avoid in PCOS - And What to Eat Instead for Hormonal Balance | Dietitian Ankita Gupta Sehgal
- Dt. Ankita Gupta Sehgal
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
What You Eat, You Feel
PCOS isn’t just about your hormones - it’s about how your food speaks to your body every day. For many Indian women, managing PCOS feels confusing: “Should I stop eating rice?” “Can I have milk?” “Are fruits allowed?”
The truth is - you don’t need to give up everything you love. You simply need to understand what triggers your symptoms and what heals them.
Let’s decode it together - here are things What to avoid in PCOS, and what to eat instead to balance your hormones naturally.
1. Avoid Refined Carbs & Sugary Foods
White rice, maida, bakery products, and packaged snacks are major culprits. They cause blood sugar spikes → insulin resistance → more androgen production → hormonal chaos.
What to eat instead:
✨ Whole grains like millets, oats, brown rice, quinoa, and barley
✨ Choose natural sweeteners like dates, jaggery (in moderation), or stevia
💡 Pro Tip: Pair every carb with a protein - like roti + dal or rice + curd; to balance insulin response.
2. Limit Processed & Fried Foods
Indian fried snacks - samosas, pakoras, namkeens - may be comforting but they’re rich in trans fats, which worsen inflammation. And chronic inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of PCOS symptoms like acne, bloating, and fatigue.
What to eat instead:
🌿 Switch to roasted chana, makhana, baked khakra, or homemade popcorn.
🌿 Cook with cold-pressed oils like mustard, sesame, or olive oil instead of reusing fried oil.
3. Say No to Sugary Beverages
Sodas, sweet lassis, bubble tea, and even “healthy” packed juices are loaded with hidden sugar. They quickly derail insulin control and contribute to weight gain.
What to drink instead:
💧 Infused water with mint, jeera, or cinnamon.
🍵 Herbal teas (spearmint, chamomile, tulsi) to reduce stress and balance hormones.
4. Avoid Skipping Meals or Crash Diets
Many women with PCOS try extreme fasting or one-meal-a-day diets to lose weight - but this backfires. Your body perceives it as stress, releasing more cortisol, which worsens insulin resistance.
What to do instead:
🍽 Eat balanced meals every 3–4 hours.
🍳 Focus on portion control, not starvation.
🥗 Include protein-rich snacks like sprouts, paneer cubes, or egg whites.
5. Limit Dairy & Red Meat (For Some Women)
Some women with PCOS are sensitive to dairy proteins (casein), which can aggravate acne or bloating. Red meats, on the other hand, can trigger inflammation when consumed in excess.
What to choose instead:
🥛 Switch to lactose-free milk or plant-based milk like almond or oat milk.
🍗 Opt for lean protein like fish, chicken, tofu, or pulses.
6. Avoid Stress-Eating & Emotional Cravings
PCOS isn’t just physical - it’s emotional too.Stress can alter hormones and make you crave sugar, caffeine, or processed food.
What to do instead:
🧘♀️ Practice short mindfulness breaks — deep breathing or a 10-minute walk.
🫖 Sip herbal tea when anxious instead of reaching for chocolate.
7. Cut Back on Caffeine & Alcohol
Excess caffeine (especially from coffee or energy drinks) can worsen anxiety and sleep disturbances - both of which worsen hormonal imbalance. Alcohol interferes with liver function, slowing down hormone detoxification.
What to drink instead:
🥥 Coconut water, herbal teas, or warm turmeric milk in moderation.
What to Focus On Instead: The Healing Foods for PCOS
Now that you know what to avoid, here’s your list of what to load up on daily:
🥦 Fiber-rich veggies: broccoli, spinach, lauki, karela, and bell peppers
🍳 Protein: eggs, paneer, tofu, lentils, sprouts
💧 Hydration heroes: water, herbal teas, soups
🌰 Healthy fats: nuts, seeds, ghee in moderation
✨ Remember: PCOS is not about restriction, it’s about restoration.
Final Words from Dietitian Ankita Gupta Sehgal
When it comes to PCOS, food is not the enemy - it’s your strongest medicine. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s balance. Now that you know what to avoid in PCOS, once you start listening to your body and nourishing it right, you’ll see your energy, skin, and cycle begin to fall back into rhythm.
You’ve got this, one meal at a time. 🌸
💚 Take the First Step:
If you’re struggling to figure out what to eat for PCOS, I can help create a plan that fits your lifestyle — real Indian meals, simple recipes, and sustainable habits.
