Uncover The Right Supplements For Managing PCOS

Felice Gersh, MD

Welcome to this episode of the PCOS SOS Summit. I am your host, Dr. Felice Gersh. With me for this super fun episode is a longtime friend of mine, someone I just adore, Angela Grassi. Now she is so accomplished. She is an internationally recognized specialist in PCOS, dealing with all aspects of nutrition. She has published multiple books. She has published peer-reviewed articles. She lectures. She teaches. She is just the guru of nutrition and PCOS. 

She has the PCOS Nutrition Center, which we will talk about as well. We are going to do a deep dive into different aspects of nutritional supplements for women with PCOS. But first, welcome, Angela. Thank you so much for joining me, I know you are open about yourself having struggled with PCOS, so I would love for you to tell your own story, your journey, and how you got involved in nutrition and decided to focus on helping women all over the world with PCOS.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, thanks for having me, Dr. Gersh. It is wonderful to talk with you, and I am glad that you mentioned that I have PCOS myself because so many people with this condition feel so alone, and that is, as I know, pretty common. It is always a pleasure to talk about PCOS and nutrition, and supplements are what I do as a dietitian. But before I was diagnosed with PCOS, I was already working as a dietitian, working with people with eating disorders, and it was around that time that I started to see more PCOS. There is a connection, between PCOS and eating disorders. Then around that same time, I started to have symptoms of my own that were PCOS-related. I always had regular periods, so it was not on the radar for a while, but I did get acne and weight gain out of the blue. Once I got that diagnosis, I was just blown away that I had it and that there was not a lot of information regarding nutrition and lifestyle, so I decided to make it the focus of my work.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, we are so glad that you did. Tell us, if you are eating a good, nutritious diet, why do you even need supplementation? What is the point of supplementation?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

That is a great question. When we talk about supplements, we can be talking about herbal supplements, powders, vitamins, and minerals. There is research to show that people with PCOS are deficient in a lot of key vitamins, including vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium. It might not be that people with PCOS are just not eating the right kinds of foods. It could be an absorption issue. It is really important to individualize and work on your symptoms, and supplements can make a difference.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, I am so glad you mentioned a few key nutrients. Maybe you could just talk a little bit about some of the ones you mentioned, some of the minerals and vitamins, and what they do in the body. It would be nice if people knew: what did these even do? How can they play a role in terms of some of my symptoms or manifestations of PCOS? Can I help change some of the causes and some of the manifestations by taking these nutrients?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, you absolutely can, especially if you are deficient in them. For example, zinc. We know that zinc can work to inhibit testosterone from converting to its active form, DHT. If you take zinc, it might help to reduce your testosterone levels, and that can help to improve your acne. It can help with hair growth and be involved in energy metabolism, too. That is just one example. There are so many that we can talk about, and I am happy to do so.

Felice Gersh, MD

If people are deficient in magnesium and then take it, what areas of the body may be affected in a good way by taking it?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes. Magnesium has many benefits for people with PCOS, and that is one of the nutrients that is deficient in people with PCOS. Magnesium helps with energy production, but magnesium is also a calming mineral, right? When we take magnesium, especially in the evening, it can help promote some sleepiness. We also know that magnesium can help with insulin resistance.

Felice Gersh, MD

Yes, I know about magnesium. I do not know if you have favorites, but I think my top two are magnesium and zinc. But there are so many other minerals. Maybe you could mention a couple of others. Well, what is selenium? People have heard about that. Maybe it has something to do with the thyroid or something else.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely.  Selenium can be involved in thyroid functioning, as is iodine. People can be deficient in these. You must get your minerals checked. Magnesium is difficult for my understanding to check because it is stored in the bone. But you can check zinc levels, and they are water-soluble. You are not; they’re not going to become toxic with these minerals. If you take too much of them, they are usually going to just excrete out any excess. But they could be really helpful. Yes, absolutely.

Felice Gersh, MD

You mentioned vitamin D. I know that is trendy but for a good reason. Maybe you could tell us something about vitamin D.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Vitamin D is one of my favorites. The majority of people I think in America are deficient in vitamin D. Better than this, I am sure you are testing vitamin D in your patients, but patients with PCOS are a real concern. We know that vitamin D affects mood. Supplementing with vitamin D has been shown to help regulate menstrual cycles. It is good for inflammation and particularly important for fertility. People who are deficient in vitamin D have a harder time getting pregnant because it affects oocyte quality and ovulation. 

There is a direct correlation with that. I always have my patients who are trying to conceive on higher levels of vitamin D and continue throughout pregnancy because we are even finding that the research shows that vitamin D levels drop through pregnancy in mothers. important to supplement with vitamin D and be fat-soluble. I have so many clients that come to me and say, I cannot get my vitamin D level up. I am. When are you taking it? They take it on an empty stomach in the morning, or they just take it with a piece of fruit and fat-soluble vitamin D. It is really important to take it with a meal that contains some fat.

Felice Gersh, MD

What about other fat-soluble vitamins? Should they be on our radar?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely. There are fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and they are again fat-soluble. You absorb them with food. That is important because if you do not have enough fat in your meal, you are not going to absorb it. Well, absolutely.

Felice Gersh, MD

What about talking about fat? What about Omega 3? I know people have talked about that one quite a bit. Is omega-3 different from fish oil or is it fish oil? What are the differences between those two things if you are looking at a label?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes.  The main fish oils are DHEA, which is in a lot of prenatal foods, and EPA. These are the best-absorbed forms of omega-3s. There is a plant-based omega-3 as well, but we utilize the DHA and the EPA well, which is great for inflammation. It can help with your skin and your hair. It can help with menstrual regularity, and it is anti-inflammatory. Omega 3s are great. If you have high triglycerides, omega-3s are the way to go to bring those down.

Felice Gersh, MD

People have heard of polyphenols. What are polyphenols? Is there a role for specific polyphenol supplementation?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, polyphenols can be really helpful, particularly if you have high cholesterol. Polyphenols can be great food sources; they could be avocados, for example. We see polyphenols, and those are great to help reduce cholesterol if you have high cholesterol.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, talking about cholesterol, let us look at some different areas. There are so many areas that women with PCOS have to deal with. But we will just start with a few. How about sleeping? Now, many women with PCOS have high levels of stress, and they have trouble falling or staying asleep. Are there any nutritional or herbal supplements that you find helpful for promoting restful and calm sleep?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, sleep is so difficult, and we do see more sleep problems in patients with PCOS, and sleep apnea is a big concern for patients with PCOS. But if they are anxiety-related, there are herbal supplements that can help in addition to melatonin. Melatonin is not an herb but a hormone, an antioxidant. But that can help improve insulin sensitivity and even fertility. But then we see things we mentioned: magnesium is a mineral, but L-theanine, and we see things like GABA can be helpful.

Felice Gersh, MD

What is L-theanine?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

L-theanine is an amino acid, and that can help. It is just a herbal supplement that can help promote resourcefulness and sleep.

Felice Gersh, MD

How about GABA? You mention GABA, what is GABA?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

GABA is similar. It is also a calming and relaxing supplement.

Felice Gersh, MD

Another area that you already touched on is insulin resistance, dealing with high sugar levels, and just trying to avoid becoming diabetic. What kinds of supplements can be really useful for women with PCOS dealing with insulin resistance?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, up to around 70% of patients with PCOS struggle with insulin resistance. Some key ones would be Berberine, which is an herbal supplement that has been around for hundreds of years and is used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. But Berberine can be effective at bringing down glucose and insulin. Inositol can be helpful for that. There is even some emerging research showing that coenzyme Q10 can help with that too.

Felice Gersh, MD

A lot of people have heard some of those words, but let us go a little deeper dive: What is Inositol?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Inositol is one of my favorites. Inositol is a relative of the B vitamins and is known as a secondary messenger. It helps to relay signals in the body about insulin regulation to help insulin work properly in the body. They have been shown, and research has shown that there is a defect in the ability of people with PCOS to use Inositol. There are two main types, myo-inositol, and d-chiro-inositol, and it is believed that there was an enzyme defect so that myo was getting converted way too fast into d-chiro inositol, and as a result, your body was depleted of myo-inositol. Myo-inositol is important because it can help with insulin resistance, but it is also really important for fertility, air quality, and menstrual regularity.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, that should be on everyone’s list. Wouldn’t you say?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Definitely. It is one of my favorites.

Felice Gersh, MD

In terms of Berberine, now that I know there has been news, I saw in the regular popular news talking about Berberine as a natural form of a GLP-one agonist. Those are the drugs from Ozempic and Wegovy that are so trendy now. Can Berberine help with weight loss? What does anyone know about what I am doing in the body? You mentioned that for blood sugar regulation, does it do even more than that? Or maybe you could talk a little bit more about Berberine since a lot of people have now heard about it.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, Berberine is a hot topic right now. Berberine is an herbal supplement. I said I had been around a long time. We know that it can lower insulin. It can also help with cholesterol and a fatty liver. There is some research showing that it can help with body fat loss and that it works in the body too, I will not get too specific about the biochemistry of it, but it does work to decrease fatty acid production.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, that is great. That would be another one of the mainstays for women with PCOS.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

It could have been that Berberine can lower glucose levels. It is really important to work with your healthcare provider to find out how much and what else you are taking. But Berberine is very effective right now.

Felice Gersh, MD

Great. You also mentioned CoQ10. Does that stand for something? What does CoQ10 do? Should you take it in a specific form? Just a little bit, what is it? Tell us more about it.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, CoQ10 is Coenzyme Q10, and it is really important in energy production. People who take statins usually have low levels of CoQ10 because it affects the absorption of what they are finding. However, CoQ10 tends to be an antioxidant, which is helpful for insulin production and regulation and also important for egg equality. especially people who are trying to get pregnant, CoQ10 is something to consider. The best form of absorption is Ubiquinol.

Felice Gersh, MD

Yes, that is the one that I use in my practice now.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Ubiquinol? Yes.

Felice Gersh, MD

Now another couple of we will say in the news and somewhat trendy, but maybe for a good reason would be some of the other polyphenols they talk about:  Resveratrol, and Quercetin. Let us say: What about resveratrol? Is that the one from drinking red wine, and we are supposed to do that, or what is resveratrol? Is there any value in looking for supplements with that?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, both resveratrol and quercetin are polyphenols, and they are really helpful. They are antioxidants and have been known to help with anti-aging properties. It is the same property that is found in red wine in the skin of the dark red grapes. It is not the equivalent. You are not going to get all the benefits from drinking wine. You have to drink a lot of it, which we do not recommend. But I am an antioxidant. It has been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity as well. Some good emerging research on resveratrol and quercetin for PCOS.

Felice Gersh, MD

What kinds of foods? If you take it as a supplement, that would be great. But maybe you mentioned some of the foods that resveratrol comes from. What about some of these other polyphenols and then getting into other carotenoids? What foods did they come from? Should we be looking at some of these other types of polyphenols?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, definitely. The darker the colors and the more vibrant the colors, the more nutrients the foods are going to have. When you think of the dark skin of the grapes and berries, the blueberries, we see that. We see it in a bunch of different vegetables. It is why we always say to eat the rainbow, because you are going to get nutrients from all these different foods, and they are just rich in antioxidants that are going to help with inflammation and PCOS.

Felice Gersh, MD

Now, a lot of people have talked about garlic. I know they advertise different forms of garlic on television. Is there value for women with PCOS to think about garlic either as a food or as garlic powder in a capsule? Maybe you could talk to us a little bit about garlic.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, garlic is considered a prebiotic, and onions, too. It has a lot of antioxidant properties. You could certainly get it if you enjoy garlic; it is always great to get through food. You will have some bad breath or headaches. Just brush your teeth after having a mint or some gum. But garlic is fantastic, either as a supplement or through food. It is great to incorporate if you enjoy it. Yes.

Felice Gersh, MD

What about some spices? You can take spices and put them on your food, or you can often buy them as a supplement like cinnamon. How about that one?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

We are getting into fall. Everyone likes cinnamon. Cinnamon is a great spice. It has been shown to help improve glucose utilization and lower glucose levels. That is a great one to have. You can sprinkle it on your food. They also have it in capsule form. Curcumin or Turmeric is a great spice too. It has antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory and that is another one to add to your food or that you can take in supplement form too, especially if you have a lot of joint pain and inflammation. The turmeric or curcumin is great to have.

Felice Gersh, MD

Yes, those are favorites of mine as well. A lot of women with PCOS will have acid reflux and heartburn. Are there any supplements that can help them in their digestion, improve it, and maybe stave off acid reflux?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, acid reflux can be really common. A lot of those over-the-counter prescription medicines can deplete levels of B12. We are finding that. It is really important to find out what the root cause of it is. But sometimes taking digestive enzymes can help with a lot of reflux. What do you find helpful, Dr. Gersh, for that?

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, sometimes I like Slippery Elm and DGL, that is, a special form of licorice. Drinking camomile tea.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely. Chamomile tea is always an effective treatment for it.

Felice Gersh, MD

How about tea? We do not usually think of tea as a supplement, but you could have tea and think of it as a supplement.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely. Tea has tons of antioxidants in it. In any form or flavor that you enjoy, whether it is hot or cold, but in particular, green tea and spearmint tea have been researched in patients with PCOS and have been shown to help lower testosterone levels and they are anti-inflammatory. These are great foods to incorporate.

Felice Gersh, MD

Oh, that is great. This is an array of so many different teas. I do not know if you have any other favorites. For me, one of my favorites is ginger tea. I thought maybe you could touch on ginger as either a food, a tea, or a supplement.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant properties. It is great to incorporate it into tea. That would be a wonderful way to incorporate it into your food. Yes.

Felice Gersh, MD

So many women with PCOS also struggle with mood disorders. They have a lot of anxiety and depression. Anything that you can suggest for them in terms of a supplement or even a food

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, I find that people with PCOS struggle with the disorder. As far as supplements go, magnesium is a good one to help, especially with anxiety. Omega-3 fats have also been found to help with mood. Eating those foods—avocado, avocado oil, olive oil or olives, nuts, and seeds—are great sources of these, as well as fish and fish oil and vitamin D, too. As we talked about at the beginning, so many patients are deficient in vitamin D, and vitamin D can affect mood. It can contribute to depression. Then one more thing that is always overlooked is vitamin B12, because so many patients with PCOS take metformin, and they might be on birth control pills that can deplete levels of B12. B12, we are finding, affects mood.

Felice Gersh, MD

Yes, that is so true. B12 is so critical. That is true. Also, what about birth control pills as a nutrient depleter? What do you find in terms of your patients or clients that you deal with who are on birth control pills? Do you have exposure? Do you have special concerns about their nutrient status?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, I have them on B12 and B vitamins. Those are so important.

Felice Gersh, MD

In terms of eating disorders that are so prevalent, is there anything that you have found that helps women who have, say, the most common binge eating disorder in terms of either supplements or actual foods that can help in controlling that?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, eating disorders are really common, and so much is related to those hormones, and insulin is an appetite stimulant. I am almost forcing you to want to have these foods. Supplements that bring down insulin could be helpful. Berberine or inositol are also great for helping with cravings, and some strategies just through food are to try and have that balance. If you have some carbohydrates in your meal or snack, balance them with some protein and some fats because then the glucose will be better regulated. When glucose levels drop, that is when you are hungry. If you get low blood sugar, which can happen, then you are going to need to eat more food to bring that up. It is just a physiological response. What the body does.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, that sounds like really good advice. In terms of supplements, you mentioned that you should not take fat-soluble vitamins without fat. If you are going to take other supplements, is it okay to just take them all at one meal, or do you divide them up over the day? Or do you try to just say, Get it in when you can, Make sure fat-soluble vitamins are taken with some fatty food, or How do you deal with the wide array of pills? I call it pilllitis, where if you get too many pills,

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes.  I have had patients bring in bags full of bottles and supplements, and I do a lot. I find that getting a pill box can be helpful. You can spread vitamins. It is best to take advantage of most of what we have talked about with food. Absolutely. You are just going to absorb it better. You need those fat-soluble vitamins. But there are some that you can spread out, too. You do not need to take Berberine all at once. You can take it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for example. Magnesium is better to take in the evening. Fish oil, you can spread that out. It depends on what you are taking and how much you are taking. 

Felice Gersh, MD

Yes. In terms of just gut health and liver health, you mentioned even touching on fatty liver in terms of detoxing people. They have some studies that show women with PCOS may be accumulating more toxic chemicals in their bodies, and for average women, maybe getting it out is not as easy. Do you do any detox programs, and what supplements can help the liver work better or the gut just to help deal with all of the pollutants that end up in our bodies?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, it is pretty scary when you think about how much is in our environment and even our water supply. They are finding those forever chemicals and so much of them. You want to be drinking filtered water. That is a given. But as far as your liver, Berberine can be helpful for detoxification so can NAC and acetylcysteine. We have not talked too much about NAC, but NAC is an amino acid and an antioxidant that can support detoxification, and getting a good probiotic is going to be important too. Addressing gut health because it is at the root of so many chronic diseases, digestive issues, and nutrient absorption problems.  Spending some time on improving your gut health is going to be so important.

Felice Gersh, MD

I know that sometimes cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, are in the news, and they talk about broccoli sprouts. What is a sprout versus a food? Is there value in not just eating broccoli or broccoli sprouts? Then you will tell us, What is the difference? But also taking some supplements of cruciferous vegetables, their derivatives, or broccoli sprouts. Or tell us a little bit about that whole area.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, because the first vegetables, broccoli, and cauliflower, are great for gut health and detoxification. It is always best to get it through food if you can. I know they produce a lot of gas, and that is one of the benefits of it. When they are fermenting in the body, I am going to produce good bacteria. Yes. That is going to help fight the bad bacteria. You can take these in supplement form, too. But these are the broccoli sprouts, and adding cauliflower to your diet is a great way to work on even hormone detoxification too.

Felice Gersh, MD

I know people have heard of some of the extracts like, Dim because our patients and viewers out there have done a lot of reading. Maybe you could mention what Dim and maybe sulforaphane or these extracts, and do you recommend them or just stick with eating broccoli?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

I recommend getting cruciferous vegetables mostly through food. I think people would benefit from Dim I feel that I would personally like to see more research on Dim. I do not tend to use it as much as some other providers. I just want to focus more on food.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, I tend to agree in a lot of ways with that. I only usually use Dim for maybe up to six weeks. I do not usually make long-term use of these extracts, and I love the food. Getting back to just telling, tell us a little bit more because I want to know the difference or the benefits of sprouting because I know that is such a popular thing.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes.  Even so, you can get sprouted broccoli; adding sprouts to your diet is really helpful. In your gut, your body will ferment and produce gut bacteria. Then we also even see sprouted bread can be helpful too. producing good fiber and helping with those gut bacteria.

Felice Gersh, MD

Now I know that another trendy food but also a good reason is beets. I know some people think, that beets are too sugary, or what others say, beets help you get nitric oxide, and there is beet powder, there are beet drinks, and of course there is an actual beet. Maybe you could do a little bit of education for us on beets.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes. Again, look at the food that has all these vibrant colors, and beets are a great vibrant color. They are just going to provide so many antioxidants and nutrients that are going to have a lot of anti-inflammatory properties. They do not have natural sugar, but they have fiber in them, and they are great for gut health as well as inflammation.

Felice Gersh, MD

So you are a pro-beet person.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

I do not enjoy beets, but I love the benefits of beets.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, you cannot help what your taste buds tell you. People talk about certain bitter greens, and there are dandelion supplements and dandelion greens you can have as a salad. Maybe you could talk about bitter greens and whether they stimulate gut function in some good way. Should you eat them or can you take them as a supplement if you do not feel the bitterness?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, absolutely. It seems there is a supplement for everything that you can get, but obviously, you can get it through food, incorporating some dandelions and bitter greens, and mixing them into some of your other greens if you do not enjoy it that much. But just to get some of the benefits, they are going to help with your gut bacteria and detoxification.

Felice Gersh, MD

Absolutely.  Maybe you could touch on: are there specific nutrients that can help support gallbladder health in any way? Because gallstones are another problem that a lot of women face.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Right and adequate hydration. Many people overlook the fact that you need adequate hydration. That is going to help with the gallstones, whether through teas that we talked about hot or cold teas or having filtered water. What do you do for gallbladder health?

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, I did not tend to have people eat bitter greens. That tends to help the gallbladder contract, and you can start a little bit of arugula or dandelion greens at the start of the meal. Mix it with a little vinaigrette. Then that can get your gallbladder in a happy state. Also, the old-fashioned thing of chewing your food is that if people gobble their food down too fast, it does not help the brain connect to tell the different organs of the GI tract to start waking up and doing their thing. I think chewing and eating slowly and mindfully can help get better gallbladder function.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Absolutely. Just the whole body functioning. I am a big proponent of the slow food movement and slowing down and tasting our food. We are always in a rush, and it’s so important for digestion.

Felice Gersh, MD

Talking about slow movements, so many women with PCOS have constipation; they have slow movements. Any suggestions for the women out there who suffer from constipation?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, unless they are taking metformin. Which causes diarrhea. But if you do have constipation, that could be a sign that your gut’s not working properly. I would address hydration. I would address fiber. Getting the soluble fiber in whole grains is a great source of that. Beans and legumes are great. Perhaps consider a probiotic that could help address it and get moving. Many people are sedentary, and we know that movement helps with constipation, too.

Felice Gersh, MD

Glad you mentioned fiber. There are now many foods that have great fiber. You mentioned a whole bunch of them. There are also all these different fiber supplements on the market. Can you touch them? Do you recommend fiber supplements at all or just eat the food with the fiber?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

People might need fiber supplements to help keep them regulated, or if they are having a hard time, they are dieting or watching their caloric intake. But in general, if you can get it through food, we have to see at least 25 grams of fiber a day. The reason is that your body does not digest fiber. It is going to ferment. When you have fiber, I want to help improve your gut health through foods. That is what we are looking for.

Felice Gersh, MD

Along those lines, sometimes you hear people talking about resistant starch. Maybe you can comment on that. What is resistant starch? Can you take it as a supplement, or what foods would be resistant to starch?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, there are resistant starch powders that you can incorporate, but resistant starches are lower in glycemic index. This means taking up corn or potatoes and cooking them, but then chilling them. When you chill them, they become more resistant to increasing your blood sugar levels. They are good for gut health.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, that is great. I happen to love cold potato salad with a little bit of good-quality oil and vinegar.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Vinegar, and some green beans in there. I know. It is one of my favorite salads that she makes.

Felice Gersh, MD

Many people have just said they are villains. Those potatoes are villains. Eating a cold potato can control blood glucose.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Just enjoy it. People overlook sweet potatoes, too. Although, again, the color. Tons of vitamin C, and vitamin A in sweet potatoes. If you chill them, they become more resistant starches. Resistant to lowering or raising your blood sugar. They are great for your gut health, too.

Felice Gersh, MD

How about plantains or bananas?

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes. They tend to be higher in starches. They get a bad rap on bananas, typically two servings of a fruit. It is like eating two apples in the manner of small apples. Just higher in starches; again, pair them with some protein and fat. They are okay to put it into a smoothie or put some nut butter in there, some greens, and you can blend it all up.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, you are just a wealth of knowledge. I love it. I think we could chat all day, and we will because we are going to be seeing each other. I am so thankful for you to join me here for this and for adding so much to my PCOS SOS Summit. Now you have the PCOS Nutrition Center, and you have written all these books. Maybe you could tell us how people could access more of your wealth of knowledge and how they could potentially even work with you to improve their status as PCOS women.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, at the PCOS Nutrition Center, we have tons of blog posts and information about the research on a lot of these supplements. We talked about there being a quiz you can take to maybe get matched with some recommendations based on the symptoms that you are experiencing, so they can head over to PCOSNutrition.com.

Felice Gersh, MD

Oh, that is fantastic. Maybe you could share a little bit about the books that you have written.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Yes, I have a couple of books. One is called The PCOS Workbook, Your Guide to Complete Physical and Emotional Health. Of course, it addresses nutrition, but also mood and body image, stress management, sleep, and coping with infertility. Then I have a cookbook out, the PCOS Nutrition Center Cookbook, which has 100 whole food recipes to help you improve your PCOS.

Felice Gersh, MD

Well, that is fantastic. Well, once again, thank you so much. There is so much here. I think everyone has to go back and listen to this interview about three times to get all of this information organized. I cannot thank you enough. I want everyone to go and check out your website. You have such a wealth of information out there for everyone with PCOS. Thanks again.

Angela Grassi, MS, RDN

Thank you. It is always good to talk to you.