Let’s talk about protein. If you’ve looked into dieting, you’ve probably noticed that many of them recommend “high protein, low carb.” That’s because protein is a powerful nutrient that’s essential for helping you create muscle, which helps you lose weight (even after your workout.)

This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer to prevent you from overeating or having those crazy midday cravings! Digesting protein also burns more calories than other nutrients like carbs or fats. Plus, protein can help stabilize your blood sugar (even with insulin resistance) and boost your overall metabolic function. 

So, do I recommend a high protein diet for PCOS? Yes! Ensuring you’re consuming the recommended amount of protein daily is key tool to get rid of PCOS belly or any other weight loss goals. However, getting enough protein (and quality protein) can be difficult. So, today, I am sharing some of the best protein options for weight management with PCOS!

Here’s what you need to know:

17 Best Proteins For Women and Weight Loss

There are lots of ways to get your daily protein intake. Of course, your first thought is probably meat like chicken or fish. However, you can get protein through plant-based sources, through protein powders, and even protein bars! 

But, are all protein sources made equal? No. If you want to build muscle, increase muscle recovery, and lose body fat, you need a good quality protein powder that fits in your PCOS diet! I like to keep my anti-inflammatory, gluten- and dairy-free, low sugar, and full of only the best ingredients.

Daily Protein Intake For Women

There are two ways to calculate your daily protein intake. It’s either 25% of your daily calories or 0.54–0.82 grams per pound of your body weight. So, if you’re 160 lbs, a good starting place should be between 87-133 grams of protein. But, listen to your body and if you have digestive issues, bring down that number. 

Regardless of your total grams of protein per day, I do recommend at least 30 grams of protein for breakfast for a woman with PCOS! This is a great way to break your natural nighttime fast in a way that will promote blood sugar balance, keep you full until lunch, and will fuel your body with the energy it needs to get through the day! 

17 Best Protein For Women’s Weight Loss

Best Protein Powders for Women with PCOS

365 Whole Foods Market Organic Pea Protein Powder 

For a budget-friendly protein powder, it doesn’t get better than this Whole Foods brand! It’s a pea protein powder that’s sugar-free, unflavored, gluten-free, and dairy-free. It has 15 grams of protein, which is on the lower side of the list, but still plenty to supplement other protein sources. This protein powder also includes iron and calcium for added nutrient benefits.

Orgain Sport Organic Vegan Protein Powder with Prebiotics 

This high-protein option has prebiotics and fiber to ensure your protein powder does triple duty in your morning smoothie or afternoon snack. Orgain protein comes from peas, chia seeds, and brown rice, meaning it’s 100% PCOS-friendly. 

Garden of Life Organic Vegan Sport Protein Powder with Probiotics 

This high quality protein powder is packed with 30 grams of protein. And, we know it’s a top quality protein powder, because it’s gone through third-party testing to get an NSF-certification. Beyond 30 grams of plant protein, it also has gut-boosting probiotics, branch chain amino acids (BCAAs), glutamine, and glutamic acid. It’s the perfect protein powder to add to a morning protein shake! 

Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Powder for Digestive Health

You’ll see a lot of these protein powders have additional gut health support benefits. This is huge for PCOS, because poor gut health contributes to a lot of our weight gain problems. Bad gut health can feed chronic inflammation and hormone imbalance that makes you pack on excess weight. 

This protein powder is no exception! It’s a plant-based protein source with amino acids and L-glutamine for gut bacteria balance. Each serving has 18-25 grams of protein, which is great to add to a meal that’s light on protein. 

Sunwarrior Vegan Protein Powder 

This plant-based protein powder has 30 grams of protein per serving, and includes extra boosts for your digestive health with probiotics and BCAAs. Of course, I wouldn’t be recommending it if it weren’t PCOS-friendly. This protein powder is gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free!  

Not sure which to pick? Here’s how to pick a protein powder for PCOS.

Best Protein Bars for Women with PCOS

I have lots of protein-rich snacks on The Cysterhood app including seed cycling brownie bites.However, if you don’t have a chance to meal prep your snack, you could grab a protein bar.

GoRaw Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seed Bars

These pumpkin seed bars are organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and include 12 grams of protein. It includes only 5 top-quality ingredients (which does not include any artificial sweeteners or additives!) The only downside is that the GoRaw bar has a lower amount of protein than some of the other bars on this list. Also, this is a better choice for people looking for a salty fix over a sweet fix.

Misfits Vegan Protein Bar

These are one of the tastiest protein bars out there, and they actually use xylitol as a sweetener! Fun fact, xylitol is the only type of sugar that’s actually good for you! (Some people don’t like sugar alcohols like xylitol because it can be a laxative, but in moderation you likely won’t have an issue.) 

Each one has 15 grams of protein and will work with your PCOS diet since it’s dairy- and gluten-free! They come in a ton of flavors like chocolate cookie butter and peanut butter fudge. Yum!

Orgain Organic Vegan Protein Bars

I like Orgain protein powder and protein bars! They’re one of the most affordable on this list and the flavor is fantastic! They’re dairy-, gluten-, and soy-free and include 10 grams of protein per bar. This is a bit lower than other bars on this list, but they’re also smaller than other bars, so maybe you can treat yourself to two?

Beyond protein, these bars also include prebiotics and fiber. However, these bars do have tree nuts and peanuts, so if you have an allergy to any of these, you’ll have to go with another protein bar. 

BHU Foods Organic Low Carb Protein Bars

If you love the texture of cookie dough, these protein bars can’t be beat! They’re made with pea protein powder and are sweetened with monk fruit. They’re dairy- and gluten-free without any artificial flavors at all! Each bar is between 8-15 grams of protein depending on the flavor. And, there is a lot of flavor variety from chocolate chip to caramel peanut! 

1st Phorm Vegan Power Pro Bar

These protein bars are actually specially made for someone with lactose intolerance or a vegan diet, so you don’t have to worry about encountering any ingredient out of your diet! Of course, it’s also gluten-free, but it also includes a vitamin blend to give you a boost in things like iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and more! 

They have four fun flavors, including apple crisp, chocolate brownies, chocolate mint brownie, and double chocolate. They’re a little pricier than other protein bars, but they do have one of the higher protein content with 15 grams per bar! 

Best Animal-Based Protein for Women with PCOS

Oily Fish and White Fish

Oily fish and white fish are a great source of protein for PCOS weight loss, because it’s low calorie and has lots of omega-3 fatty acids inside. Unlike some other protein options, fish is naturally anti-inflammatory, is good for your liver, and is good for regulating cholesterol! One The Cysterhood app you’ll find PCOS-friendly recipes for weight loss like fish taco bowls and garlic lemon tilapia.

Poultry

Poultry, like chicken and turkey, is great for weight loss with PCOS, because it keeps you fuller longer and helps you maintain blood sugar balance. That’s a win-win for weight loss! And, it doesn’t cause any inflammation and GI issues of other animal-based proteins, so it’s a smart choice for weight loss. Oh, and it’s also low calorie. You’ll find plenty of recipes on the app that include chicken! 

Eggs

It probably comes as no surprise that eggs are on this list! Eggs are considered a “complete protein” with essential amino acids for keeping your muscles, eyes, nerves, and tissue healthy. They’re also packed with other nutrients and are great for boosting insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health. Does jalapeno popper deviled eggs and sun-dried tomato and spinach frittata sound good??? You’ll find the recipes on the app! Plus, here’s more on why eggs are good for PCOS. 

Best Plant-Based Protein for Women with PCOS

Legumes

If you’re not a big meat eater or it’s difficult for you to eat enough to hit your protein goals, there are plenty of plant-based options to get your numbers up, too! Lentils, peas, black beans, and chickpeas are all great for protein intake, with chickpeas and black beans having the highest amount of protein per cup at 14.5 grams! 

Tofu

Tofu is another low calorie protein source made from soybeans that also includes fiber and anti-inflammatory properties! One cup is about 21.8 grams of protein, which is fantastic. Plus, tofu is super versatile and can be used in SO many dishes. If you’re new to tofu, you can jump on The Cysterhood app to find tofu recipes like my no cook tofu bowl and my cajun tofu bowl!

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great snack option or meal companion for women with PCOS looking to lose weight because they’re rich in essential minerals, naturally anti-inflammatory, heart healthy, and a great source of protein for weight control! Hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, and cashews are all good to add to your diet for a plant-based protein source! 

Whole Grains

Whole grains are awesome for weight management! They’re high in fiber, nutrient-dense, low calorie, and full of antioxidants. They help keep you feeling fuller longer and keep your blood sugar balanced to prevent overeating and intense cravings. On the app you’ll find recipes like chili lime shrimp wrap with avocado quinoa salad and brownie batter overnight oats that are great sources for whole grains. 

Protein is a key nutrient for women with PCOS to lose weight! 

There are lots of reasons losing weight with PCOS can be difficult. One of those main issues is high insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels that leave you feeling hungry and fatigued all the time. You can fight insulin resistance and high blood sugar with protein. If you need a meal plan with plenty of protein from all sources to help you reach your weight loss goals, just follow the one I’ve created in The Cysterhood app! I have SO many protein-rich recipes on there that are delicious and will keep you feeling full!

For more information on losing weight with PCOS, browse my blog and listen to the A Cyster and Her Mister podcast! Losing weight and managing your insulin resistance won’t only help you look the way you want, but feel the way you want! It’s the first step to naturally healing your PCOS and reversing your symptoms for good.

Let’s do this!