PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad
PCOS-Friendly Lunch

PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad - PCOS-Friendly Recipe

A refreshing and nutritious Asian-inspired salad made with zucchini noodles and a tangy sesame dressing.

15 minutes
2 servings
350 cal / serving

This PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 350 calories, 15g protein, and 30g carbs per serving. Ready in 15 minutes. High in fiber (7g), which supports insulin sensitivity.

Nutrition per Serving

350 Calories
15g Protein
30g Carbs
20g Fat
This Asian Zoodle Salad is a perfect lunch option for those with PCOS. The grocery list includes zucchinis, red bell pepper, carrots, green onions, cilantro, cashews, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. The zucchinis (low GI) and carrots (medium GI) provide a good balance of carbohydrates.

Ingredients

Servings 2

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini noodles, red bell pepper, carrots, green onions, cilantro, cashews, and sesame seeds.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, and ginger.

  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

  4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

This Asian Zoodle Salad is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients beneficial for PCOS. The zucchinis are a great source of magnesium, which can help to improve insulin resistance, a common issue in PCOS. The cashews provide healthy monounsaturated fats and are a good source of zinc, which can help to balance hormones. The sesame seeds are rich in B vitamins, which can help to reduce symptoms of PCOS such as fatigue and mood swings.

Why this PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad works for PCOS

This PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad delivers 15g of protein per serving, which sits in the moderate range for a PCOS-friendly meal. If you find yourself hungry within 2-3 hours, pair this dish with an additional protein source (Greek yogurt, a boiled egg, or a small portion of fish) to push the meal closer to the 25-35g per-meal target most PCOS dietitians recommend.

The 30g of carbohydrates here come paired with 7g of fibre, which slows glucose absorption and produces a flatter post-meal blood sugar curve. Fibre is one of the most under-rated tools for PCOS: it feeds gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids linked to improved insulin sensitivity, and it modestly lowers circulating androgens by binding bile acids in the gut.

Fat makes up about 51% of calories in this dish. Dietary fat plays a load-bearing role in PCOS because sex hormones are synthesised from cholesterol, and very-low-fat eating can suppress hormone production over time. The 2023 PCOS guideline does not specify a strict fat target, but most clinicians recommend at least 25-35% of calories from a mix of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated sources.

Lunch is where most PCOS meal plans either succeed or collapse. A meal like this PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad that combines adequate protein, fibre-rich carbs, and fat keeps blood sugar stable for the rest of the workday and reduces the late-afternoon energy crash that drives sugar cravings around 3-4pm.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, this PCOS Asian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Asian Zoodle Salad recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 350 calories per serving with 15g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 7g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.

This recipe takes about 15 minutes total. Prep time is 15 minutes. It makes 2 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.

Per serving: 350 calories, 15g protein (17%), 30g carbs, 20g fat. Plus 7g fiber. PCOS meal plans typically aim for 30% protein, 35% fat, 35% carbs to support insulin sensitivity.

Yes, this recipe works well as a PCOS-friendly Lunch. At 350 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Lunch. Pair it with other PCOS-friendly foods throughout the day for balanced nutrition.

This recipe can be part of a structured PCOS meal plan. It makes 2 servings, making it great for meal prep. For a complete weekly plan tailored to your PCOS type, take our free 60-second quiz at pcosmealplanner.com/pcos-quiz to get a personalized 7-day meal plan.

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