Is it Okay to Have Dairy if You Have PCOS?

Whether it's okay to have dairy products if you have PCOS can be a bit of a puzzle. Some research says dairy might help with insulin resistance, a problem for some people with PCOS. But then, there are also studies that say dairy might make PCOS symptoms worse.

According to Ayurveda, which is an ancient system of medicine, how dairy affects PCOS depends on a few things. These include your body type, the kind and amount of dairy you eat, and how it's prepared.

Your Body Type Matters

In Ayurveda, everyone has a unique body type, called Prakriti. If you're more of a Pitta or Kapha type, you might be more likely to get PCOS. But if you're more of a Vata type, you might be less likely to have it.

So, Ayurveda says if you're a Pitta or Kapha type, you might want to cut back on dairy, especially the fatty kinds. That's because dairy is heavy and can be tough to digest. It might mess up your digestion and make your Pitta and Kapha imbalances worse. But if you're more of a Vata type, dairy might be okay in moderation because it can be nourishing.

Types and Amounts of Dairy

Ayurveda says it's super important to eat fresh, organic, and unprocessed foods for good health. So, if you have PCOS, you might want to go easy on the rich dairy stuff like cream, butter, and cheese. They can make your Kapha and Pitta imbalances worse. Instead, you might want to stick to low-fat dairy like skim milk and low-fat yogurt.

Taste Matters Too

In Ayurveda, they talk a lot about balancing different tastes in your meals—like sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Dairy usually has a sweet taste. That might be good for Vata types, but it could make things worse for Pitta and Kapha types if you eat too much. To balance out the sweetness of dairy, Ayurveda says you should add bitter, pungent, or astringent foods to your meals, like leafy greens, turmeric, or ginger.

How it's Prepared Makes a Difference

Ayurveda says the way you cook and prepare your food is super important. Raw dairy products can be tough for your body to handle. So, Ayurveda suggests going for dairy that's been cooked or heated, like milk, ghee, and paneer.

The effects of dairy on PCOS depend on a bunch of things, including your body type, the kind and amount of dairy you eat, and how it's prepared. If you're more of a Pitta or Kapha type, Ayurveda says you might want to go easy on dairy, especially the fatty kinds.