Plant Points for PCOS: How Eating More Plants Can Support Your Hormones, Gut, and Insulin

If you’ve been trying to manage your PCOS symptoms—like fatigue, cravings, irregular periods, or weight gain—you’ve likely heard a lot about what to cut out. Sugar. Carbs. Gluten. Dairy. The list goes on.

But what if the most powerful change you could make… was focusing on what you add in?

Let’s talk about plant points—and why they could be a game changer for PCOS.

🥦 What Are Plant Points?

Plant points are a simple way to track how many different plant-based foods you eat in a week. Each type of plant food earns you one point. That includes:

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Whole grains

• Beans and legumes

• Nuts and seeds

• Herbs and spices

  
  

The target? 30+ different plant foods per week.

This idea stems from the American Gut Project, which found that people who ate a wider range of plants had more diverse gut microbiomes—a key marker of better overall health (Leeming et al., 2019).

💡 Why Plant Points Matter for PCOS

1. They Support Gut Health

Women with PCOS are more likely to experience gut dysbiosis, where the balance of gut bacteria is disrupted. This can increase inflammation and worsen insulin resistance and hormone imbalances (Torres et al., 2018; Lindheim et al., 2017).

Plant diversity = better fuel for your gut. When your gut bacteria are well-fed with a variety of fibres, they produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation (Canfora et al., 2019).

2. They Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin resistance affects up to 95% of women with PCOS (Moran et al., 2010). One of the most effective dietary tools? Soluble fibre—found in oats, lentils, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

It slows digestion, stabilises blood sugar levels, and reduces insulin spikes (Weickert & Pfeiffer, 2018). That means fewer crashes, fewer cravings, and better hormonal balance.

3. They Help Lower Inflammation

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a driver behind many PCOS symptoms—from fatigue to androgen excess (González et al., 2012).Plant foods offer powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help your body fight back.

Look for:

• Berries (rich in polyphenols)

• Leafy greens (high in vitamin C)

• Spices like turmeric and cinnamon (natural anti-inflammatories)

  
  

4. They Support Hormone Balance

Fibre helps your body excrete excess hormones like oestrogen via the gut and liver.Certain plant compounds—like phytoestrogens in flaxseed and soy—may help rebalance oestrogen and androgen levels naturally (Kamel, 2013).

🥗 How to Increase Your Plant Points (Without Overhauling Everything)

Reaching 30 plant points doesn’t mean 30 salads. It’s about small swaps and simple additions that add up fast.

Here are some practical ways to boost your plant diversity:

✅ Add lentils or beans to meat dishes

• Mix green lentils into spaghetti Bolognese

• Add kidney beans to chilli

• Stretch out a shepherd’s pie with a tin of black beans

✅ Use tins of mixed beans

• Easy way to get 3–4 types of legumes in one go

• Toss into salads, stir into soups, or mash into wraps

✅ Buy mixed peppers

• Instead of one colour, grab a tri-colour pack

• More antioxidants, more variety, more plant points!

✅ Rotate your grains

Try bulgur, quinoa, barley, wild rice, or buckwheat instead of always defaulting to white rice or pasta.

• Quinoa

• Bulgur

• Brown rice

• Whole grain couscous

• Buckwheat

Each count as a different point!

✅ Build a colourful plate

Each colour often reflects different nutrients. A plate with spinach (green), red cabbage (purple), and carrot (orange) = 3 plant points already.

✅ Snack smart

• Mixed nuts and seeds

• Fruit with nut butter

• Carrot sticks with hummus

• Roasted chickpeas or edamame

✅ Don’t forget herbs and spices

These count too! Add cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, parsley, oregano… every sprinkle adds diversity to your diet and your microbiome.

✅ Track your weekly plant points

Challenge yourself to hit 30+ plant foods per week.

You might be surprised how quickly they add up once you start noticing them!

✨ Final Thoughts

When managing PCOS, it’s easy to focus on what you shouldn’t eat. But what if the secret to better gut health, hormones, and energy is found in adding more colour, fibre, and flavour to your plate?

That’s the magic of plant points—an evidence-based, empowering way to support your body without restriction.

💌 Ready to take the next step?

If you’re tired of conflicting advice and want practical, science-backed support to manage your PCOS symptoms, I’d love to help.

Book a free discovery call to find out if the PCOS ReBalance® Protocol is right for you.

References:

• Torres, P. J., et al. (2018). Gut microbial diversity in women with PCOS correlates with hyperandrogenism. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 103(4), 1502–1511.

• Lindheim, L., et al. (2017). Alterations in gut microbiome composition and barrier function are associated with reproductive and metabolic defects in women with PCOS. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 102(2), 593–603.

• Leeming, E. R., et al. (2019). Diversity of plant-based foods is key to gut microbial diversity. American Gut Project findings.

• Canfora, E. E., et al. (2019). Short-chain fatty acids in control of body weight and insulin sensitivity. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 15, 261–273.

• Weickert, M. O., & Pfeiffer, A. F. H. (2018). Impact of dietary fiber consumption on insulin resistance and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Journal of Nutrition, 148(1), 7–12.

• Arentz, S., et al. (2020). Herbal medicine for the management of PCOS symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research, 34(2), 384–395.

• Kamel, R. (2013). Role of phytoestrogens in the treatment of PCOS. International Journal of Health Sciences, 7(2), 77–89.