Managing Carbohydrate Cravings with PCOS
Carbohydrate cravings are a common symptom of PCOS.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic hormone disorder impacting 1 in 10 women in the UK (1). There are a variety of other symptoms associated with PCOS including acne, oily skin, rapid weight gain, irregular periods, difficulty getting pregnant, excess hair growth on areas like the chin, neck and chest, and hair thinning and hair loss on the head (2).
Cravings and PCOS
Cravings are the desire for a certain food or a certain taste or texture. Cravings are completely normal and it is okay to eat to satisfy your cravings. Up to 95% of people with PCOS have insulin resistance (3), and the development of insulin resistance is often accompanied by intense carbohydrate cravings.
Although it is completely okay to honour your cravings and enjoy the foods you fancy, it can be useful to understand your cravings and establish why they’re happening. As well as insulin resistance, cravings may be because of wanting variety, restricting food throughout the day and having heightened emotions or stress.
If you can pinpoint the origin of your craving (it is important to note that sometimes you just have cravings and there isn’t always a root cause!) then you can address the underlying issue such as not eating enough or being overwhelmed or burnt-out.
Reducing Carbohydrate Cravings with PCOS
You may have heard that you need to cut out carbohydrates completely to manage PCOS and the associated cravings, however there really isn’t conclusive evidence to make this claim.
Instead, to reduce carbohydrate cravings you may find it useful to combine carbohydrates with fats and proteins to help slow down the release of glucose into the bloodstream (4) so try balancing your meals and snacks.
It may also be useful to swap white carbohydrates to brown carbohydrates to balance blood glucose levels by increasing the fibre content and slowing down the release of glucose into the blood (5).
Ensure you are eating enough food and also eating regularly, rather than skipping meals. This will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced and keep cravings at bay.
Remember to approach your cravings with curiosity, not judgement, and figure out what works best for you.
References
BDA, 2016. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – the fundamentals[online]. Available from: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-the-fundamentals.html
NHS, 2019. Symptoms Polycystic ovary syndrome[online]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/symptoms/
Barber TM, Dimitriadis GK, Andreou A, Franks S. Polycystic ovary syndrome: insight into pathogenesis and a common association with insulin resistance. Clin Med (Lond). 2016 Jun;16(3):262-6.
Farshchi,H., Rane,A., Love,A., Kennedy,R.L., 2007. Diet and nutrition in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Pointers for nutritional management. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology[online], 27(8), 762-773.
Marsh,K.A., Steinbeck,K.S., Atkinson,F.S., Petocz,P., Brand-Miller,J.C., 2010. Effect of a low glycemic index compared with a conventional healthy diet on polycystic ovary syndrome. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition[online], 92(1), 83-92.
