PCOS Friendly Smoothie Ingredients and Recipes
Smoothies are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but if you have PCOS it’s important to choose the right, low carb smoothie ingredients that will keep your blood sugar stable and help to improve insulin resistance.
It’s easy to overload smoothies with too many natural sugars, which will derail your PCOS diet.
In this article I’ve put together a list of the best PCOS smoothie ingredients along with 3 of my favorite, easy to prepare low carb smoothie recipes.
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is linked to insulin resistance, so it’s important for women with PCOS to avoid processed carbohydrates and foods with added sugars including white bread, most cereals, pasta, cookies, cakes and fries.
These foods raise blood sugar levels and make insulin resistance worse.
Breakfast Options for PCOS
If you have PCOS and you’re wondering what to have for breakfast, smoothies are a healthy and quick option, especially when you don’t have much time in the morning.
Smoothies are low in calories but if they contain the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre they can keep you full and assist you to improve your insulin resistance, increase fertility and lose excess weight without feeling hungry.
Diet is one of the most important factors for women suffering from PCOS and sticking to a healthy low carb eating plan can help to reduce the symptoms of PCOS and help you to feel well again.
What’s the difference between PCOS smoothies and regular smoothies?
PCOS smoothies usually contain more vegetables than fruit. This is to keep your blood sugar stable and avoid the sugar rush that makes insulin resistance worse and leads to cravings for sugary, high carb foods a few hours later.
In my naturopathy clinic, my PCOS clients achieved good results when replacing one meal a day (usually breakfast) with a PCOS friendly smoothie.
If you feel like you need something more substantial for breakfast, you can use less liquid and make a smoothie bowl and top it with low carb fruit, flaked coconut, chopped nuts or seeds.
You can also double the recipe and enjoy the rest as a snack later in the day.
Here are 9 of the best PCOS smoothie ingredients:
1. Protein Powder
Protein powder is a helpful addition to PCOS smoothies because protein takes a few hours to be digested so it will help to keep you full.
I recommend vegetarian sources of protein powder like pea protein
or rice protein
for PCOS rather than whey protein, which is made from milk because studies have found a link between dairy consumption and PCOS. [1]
It’s important to check the ingredient list to make sure that the protein powder doesn’t contain sugar or artificial sweeteners.
2. Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are low in calories and sugar but high in fiber and antioxidants.
Berries give a hint of natural sweetness and help to disguise the taste of greens in your smoothie.
Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh berries, so you can use them all year round.
3. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds
are packed with nutrients including minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats. They also contain fiber and protein to keep you full.
To make your smoothie extra creamy, you can combine equal parts chia seeds and water and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes to form a gel.
4. Stevia
Stevia
is a natural sweetener that is extracted from the plant Stevia rebaudiana.
It contains zero calories and is 200 times sweeter than sugar so you only need to use a tiny amount. [2]
Stevia doesn’t raise blood sugar levels so it’s a great natural alternative to sugar.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon
is a popular spice that helps to improve the metabolism of glucose, regulate blood sugar levels and insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. [3]
6. Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are an essential part of a balanced diet and help with hormone production, so be sure to include a small amount of avocado, coconut oil, nuts or nut butter to your smoothie.
7. Leafy Greens
Greens, like kale, spinach, arugula (rocket) and lettuce are highly alkalizing and packed with nutrients. They’re are also high in fiber and low in calories.
8. Cacao Powder
Cacao powder
is made from cold-pressed unroasted cacao beans.
It’s rich in minerals and antioxidants and it’s a good way to get the taste of chocolate without the sugar. [4]
9. Liquids
There are many different liquids you can use for the base of your smoothie including water, coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk or rice milk.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s best to avoid cow’s milk and yogurt because of their link to PCOS.
Here are 3 of my favorite PCOS friendly smoothie recipes:
PCOS Berry Smoothie
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoons protein powder (rice or pea protein)
- ½ cup mixed berries (frozen)
- ½ banana (frozen)
- 1 cup spinach (frozen)
PCOS Green Smoothie
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds soaked in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes
- 1 tablespoon protein powder (rice or pea protein)
- 1 cup blueberries
- Ice as needed
PCOS Cinnamon & Vanilla Smoothie
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup coconut yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (rice or pea protein)
- 1 banana (frozen)
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- Ice as needed
Directions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
To make a smoothie bowl, reduce the liquid ingredients and serve in a bowl with toppings (crushed nuts, seeds, coconut flakes or chopped fruit).
Final Thoughts on PCOS Smoothies
PCOS friendly smoothies are a healthy, nutritious option for breakfast or a snack.
Just be sure to include lots of greens, healthy fats and protein powder to help manage your PCOS symptoms naturally.
Have you tried any PCOS friendly smoothie recipes? Let me know in the comments below.
Are you on Pinterest? I have boards dedicated to Natural Treatments for PCOS and Healthy Smoothies that you may enjoy. You can also find me on Facebook.
