Medicinal Foods for PCOS

There have been recent studies centered on the benefits of D-Chiro Inositol and its benefits for women with PCOS. Studies indicate that woman suffering with PCOS have a harder time breaking down foods and vitamins and converting them into the metabolite D-Chiro Inositol.

D-Chiro Inositol is a necessary component for the human body. One of its main functions is to help regulate the blood sugar for optimal health by signaling insulin transduction. Woman with PCOS have been shown to be deficient in D-Chiro Inositol.

 

Buckwheat farinetta, and carob are foods that are high in D-Chiro Inositol.

Below, you will find two recipes that highlight carob. Carob is a pod from a flowering evergreen shrub that is dried and toasted to make a powder similar to chocolate.

 

Try these carob recipes, not only are they healthful, but they are sweet and delicious too!

With the low carbohydrate and low sugar lifestyle that women with PCOS should follow, these two recipes are wonderful weapons against that brutal sweet tooth.

 

 

Steaming Hot Carob

 

Ingredients:

 

2 cups  2% Milk, Soy Milk or Almond Milk

 (You can find almond milk at your local whole foods store, usually kept unrefrigerated near the soy milk)

2 tbsp. carob powder Powder

(you can find toasted carob powder pre-packaged or in bulk at your local whole foods store)

2 tbsp. Xylitol, or  agave nectar

(Xylitol can also be found at your whole grocer, it is a low glycemic sweetener made from corn. Agave Nectar is a sweetener made from the nectar of the agave plant it too has a lower glycemic index than most sugars)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

dash salt

Cinnamon stick

 Grated nutmeg to taste

Directions:

Combine milk, carob, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a heavy bottomed small pan and gently heat on medium low. Whisk to combine ingredients and get a little foam. Taste as it starts to warm and add any additional sweetener to taste. I

Serve Hot Carob in your favorite mug with cinnamon stick, freshly grated nutmeg on top. You can also add a bit of cayenne pepper for a spicy bite simulating Mexican style hot chocolate.

This recipe is perfect for a cold winter’s night.

 

Carob, Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup  2% Milk, Soy Milk, or Almond Milk

(You can find almond milk at your local whole foods store, usually kept unrefrigerated near the soy milk)

2 Tbsp. Carob Powder

 (You can find toasted carob powder pre-packaged or in bulk at your local whole foods store)

2 Tbsp. Xylitol, Agave Nectar or Sugar Substitute

 (Xylitol can also be found at your whole grocer, it is a low glycemic sweetener made from corn. Agave Nectar is a sweetener made from the nectar of the agave plant it too has a lower glycemic index than most sugars)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter or almond butter (unsweetened)

½ Cup Unsweetened Yogurt

¼ Tsp. Cinnamon Powder

1 Tbsp. Lecithin Granules (again you can find this at the whole grocer)

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until completely incorporated and whipped.

Serve in a tall glass with a straw, sprinkle some carob powder and cinnamon on top for decoration, enjoy.

Variations:

You can add ½ a frozen banana to this recipe for thickness and flavor (peel bananas before freezing for ease of preparation)

You can omit the peanut or almond butter from this recipe

You can add frozen milk (freeze milk in ice cube trays) to make an icier smoothie

Enjoy your carob smoothie on a hot summer’s day, or as a daily breakfast. Protein powder can be added to make this a complete meal.

You can find more tips and recipes on PCOS blogs and message boards to help with the symptoms of PCOS.