If you’ve decided to incorporate protein powders into your routine, you may be thinking about which is the best protein powder for PCOS. Making a choice from the numerous protein powder varieties and brands available might be extremely challenging. What makes them different from one another? What types are better for PCOS? How can I choose the ideal protein powder for PCOS?
The best protein powder for PCOS is generally dairy-free, rich in protein, low in carbs, made with premium ingredients, and contains little to no added sugar. A PCOS-friendly protein powder should also have a complete amino acid profile and pass laboratory analysis.
PCOS and Protein Powder: Why is It Necessary?
You may have heard the suggestion to “prioritise protein” or “boost your protein consumption” if you have PCOS. And while it’s true that managing PCOS requires a proper amount of dietary protein for a number of reasons, this doesn’t imply you have to include protein powder in your diet.
A healthy, well-balanced diet can provide enough protein but in a few cases, using a protein powder for PCOS can be quite helpful.
Protein powder is a dietary supplement that, as its name implies, is meant to support rather than replace food in your diet. Your main focus should be on including enough whole food protein sources in your diet because they are essential for your physical health.
Several excellent sources of protein are as follows:
- Animal products
- Soy
- Legumes, beans, and pulses
- Nuts & seeds
For a number of reasons, you might want to think about incorporating protein powder for PCOS weight loss.
Is Protein Powder Good for PCOS?
A healthy, balanced diet should include protein powder for PCOS since it offers a number of advantages that may help in achieving your objectives. Before incorporating protein powder supplements into a diet, one must take into account the problems or benefits that are linked to them.
Benefits of Protein Powder for PCOS
Listed below are some of the major benefits you can reap when having protein powder as a part of your PCOS diet:
1. Practical & Time Efficient
The fact that you can quickly add more protein to nearly any meal with PCOS-friendly protein powders is one of their key benefits. For women with PCOS, including a source of dietary protein in every meal is vital since it balances blood sugar levels, lowers cravings, and encourages weight loss.
If you have a hectic schedule and don’t plan your meals carefully or are unsure of the macronutrient makeup of your meals, you can find it difficult to consume adequate protein in every meal. Protein powders can be really beneficial in this scenario because you can practically add them to anything (such as oatmeal, smoothies, yoghurt, cereals, etc.) or even drink them as shakes on their own to increase your protein consumption right away.
2. Increased Protein Intake & Muscle Recovery Support
If you follow a plant-based diet and find it difficult to get the recommended amount of protein each day, protein powders may also be of great help to you. Remember that you will require more dietary protein to help your muscle repair if you are an active person who exercises frequently.
3. Tasty & Versatile
The best protein supplement for PCOS also tastes delicious and can be creatively used in the kitchen to make desserts, ice cream, and other sweet delicacies.
You can substitute protein powder for other high-sugar components that might cause your blood sugar levels to rise if you discover one with a very appealing flavour (there are so many to choose from).
4. Additional Nutrients
Other ingredients that some protein powders may have include vitamins, minerals, herbs, antioxidants, probiotics, or digestive enzymes. Therefore, protein powder may be a way for you to increase the amount of those nutrients in your diet.
Therefore, even though we advise putting “food first,” we still believe that the best protein powders for PCOS have a place in a healthy, balanced diet and can support the achievement of your health goals.
How to Choose the Best Protein Supplement for PCOS?
If you’re looking to buy the best protein supplement for PCOS, here are a few factors that you should keep in mind:
1. Source
When selecting a protein powder supplement, the food source from which it was made should be the first factor to take into account. There are many different kinds of protein powders on the market and each one has distinctive qualities that let you pick the one that best suits your requirements and dietary approach.
2. Macronutrient Content
Assessing the actual macronutrient content of the protein powder for PCOS is another important step in the procedure. This refers to the amount of protein, carbs, and fat in a serving because this can vary greatly between different brands.
Generally speaking, if you’re looking for protein-rich foods, then you may want to look for foods with a lot of protein (20g per serving is a relatively common amount) and low carbohydrates (less than 5g per serving).
3. Amino Acid Profile
As you may know, amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins and there are nine of them that are considered to be essential (our body cannot make them). This means that to meet the needs of the body and maintain optimal health, we must make sure that we regularly acquire those important amino acids from our food or through supplements.
4. Added Ingredients
Reviewing the ingredient list is extremely vital when selecting a PCOS-friendly protein powder. Ideally, you should pick a protein powder that contains only substances that you can truly identify.
5. Sugar & Artificial Sweeteners
Additionally, you should check the type of sweetener used in the powder (there is typically at least one to make it tasty) and determine whether it is in line with your dietary plan.
You should exercise extra caution if you have PCOS because many sweeteners (especially when consumed in excessive amounts) can significantly raise your blood sugar levels and cause insulin resistance.
6. Additional Nutrients
Although some protein powders may also include a variety of “superfoods,” vitamins, and minerals which can be a wonderful addition to your diet. However, they are not really necessary if you eat a good, balanced diet otherwise.
7. Price
In general, the process of making protein powders is quite expensive but if you also want a high-quality product, you should prepare to pay a premium price. Although it’s not true that only expensive protein powders are healthy, many of the best ones are, for the right reasons, more expensive.
Conclusion
A protein powder for PCOS weight loss may be something you want to try if you have PCOS and have trouble controlling your weight or blood sugar.
If you apply the criteria outlined above, you will undoubtedly find a plethora of good protein powders. We suggest you constantly do your homework and base your choices on your specific needs.
