Superfoods for Fertility Blog Series: Maca
October 5, 2016
2 Comments
If you have PCOS, you know that diet is the most important factor for improving symptoms, regulating your cycle, and increasing fertility. PCOS smoothies are one of the easiest ways to pack fertility-boosting nutrition into your daily routine—without spiking your blood sugar.
Since PCOS is linked to insulin resistance, women with PCOS need to avoid foods that spike blood sugar. That means no cereals, bagels, pastas, candy, or processed refined carbs. Instead, focus on REAL, WHOLE foods. This is where PCOS friendly smoothies come in—you get the sweet treat you’re craving, packed with superfoods, without the insulin spike.
In this guide, I’ll share 7 delicious PCOS smoothie recipes plus my build-your-own formula so you can create endless smoothies for fertility that work for your body.
Table of Contents
Not all smoothies are created equal. A typical fruit smoothie from a chain restaurant is essentially a sugar bomb that will spike insulin and make PCOS worse. A PCOS fertility smoothie needs to balance three things:
When you balance carbs, fats, and protein in every smoothie, your blood sugar rises and falls slowly—no insulin spikes, no crashes, no cravings. This is foundational for managing PCOS and restoring ovulation.
Use this formula to create your own PCOS friendly smoothies anytime:
Step 1: Choose Your Base (1/4–1/2 cup): Full-fat coconut milk, homemade nut milk, kefir, or filtered water
Step 2: Add Low-Sugar Fruit (1/2–1 cup): Berries, tart cherries, grapefruit, green apple, kiwi, peach
Step 3: Add Healthy Fat (1–2 tbsp): Half an avocado, coconut oil, MCT oil, nut butter, or soaked cashews
Step 4: Add Protein (1 scoop or 2 tbsp): Clean protein powder, hemp seeds, collagen peptides
Step 5: Add Greens (1 large handful): Spinach, kale, Swiss chard
Step 6: Optional Fertility Superfoods: Maca powder, raw cacao, cinnamon, spearmint, royal jelly, bee pollen, inositol, spirulina, chlorella
Cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity and helps regulate blood sugar—a top priority for PCOS.
Maca powder supports hormone balance and has been shown to improve energy, libido, and fertility in both men and women. Read more about maca for fertility.
Spearmint has anti-androgenic properties—research shows it can help reduce excess testosterone in women with PCOS.
Coconut oil / MCT oil provides medium-chain fats that improve insulin sensitivity and are metabolized quickly for energy. Learn more about coconut oil for fertility.
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3s, fiber, and antioxidants that support hormone balance and detoxify excess hormones. Read about chia seeds for fertility.
A PCOS breakfast smoothie is one of the best ways to start your day because it sets your blood sugar tone for the rest of the morning. Key tips:
½ cup frozen mango (small amount—balanced with fats)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper (activates turmeric absorption)
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
½ cup filtered water
Blend until smooth. Turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. PCOS is driven by chronic low-grade inflammation, so this smoothie directly targets one of the root causes. Cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity.
Blend until smooth. This gut-healing smoothie combines the probiotic power of kefir with the anti-androgenic benefits of spearmint. Flaxseed supports estrogen metabolism and adds 3g of fiber. Perfect as a PCOS breakfast smoothie.
Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), tart cherries, peach, apricot, pineapple (small amounts), pear, kiwi, cranberries, grapefruit, green apple, nectarine, cantaloupe, acai berries.
Spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, collard greens, Swiss chard, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass.
Avocado, full-fat organic coconut milk, coconut oil, MCT oil, soaked cashews, soaked almonds, nut butter, nut milk.
Hemp hearts, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, sesame seeds, nut butter, clean protein powder, collagen peptides.
Cinnamon (insulin sensitivity), raw cacao (magnesium), vanilla extract, fresh spearmint (anti-androgenic), maca powder (hormone balance), royal jelly, bee pollen, inositol (PCOS-specific supplement), turmeric (anti-inflammatory).
The best PCOS smoothies balance low-glycemic fruit with healthy fats, protein, and fiber. This combination prevents insulin spikes, which is critical for managing PCOS. The Chocolate Cherry and Gut-Healing Kefir Berry Blast recipes above are two of my favorites because they address inflammation and gut health simultaneously.
Yes, when they’re part of a comprehensive fertility-focused diet. PCOS smoothies help by stabilizing blood sugar and insulin (foundational for restoring ovulation), delivering fertility-critical nutrients (omega-3s, antioxidants, folate), reducing inflammation, and supporting gut health. They’re not a magic fix, but they’re an excellent daily tool for building a fertility-friendly foundation.
A PCOS breakfast smoothie should always include protein (protein powder, collagen, hemp seeds), healthy fat (avocado, coconut oil, nut butter), low-glycemic fruit (berries, cherries), and ideally greens (spinach, kale). Add ground flaxseed for extra fiber and estrogen support. Avoid fruit juice as your base—use coconut milk, kefir, or water instead.
They can be—if built correctly. A smoothie with just fruit and juice will spike blood sugar and worsen insulin resistance. But a balanced smoothie with protein, fat, and fiber slows glucose absorption and keeps insulin steady. The build-your-own formula in this guide ensures every smoothie is insulin-friendly.
One daily fertility smoothie is a great habit. You can make extra and refrigerate for the next 1–2 days. Any time you include whole foods with minimal ingredient lists and names you can pronounce, you’re supporting your fertility.
Smoothies that balance carbs, fats, fiber, greens, and protein using low-sugar fruits. Use natural sweeteners sparingly—fruit or a small amount of raw honey. The key is preventing insulin spikes while delivering fertility-boosting nutrients like omega-3s, folate, antioxidants, and vitamin D.
Absolutely. Once pregnant, keep these smoothies in your rotation. The superfoods in them support your baby’s neurological development, keep your energy up, and provide nutrients like folate, iron, and omega-3s that are critical throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
If you’ve been told “everything looks normal” — yet you’re still not pregnant — you don’t need another supplement guess or another failed cycle. You need a plan that actually changes the outcome.
The Fertility Code is my 12-week, high-touch fertility program designed to identify the hidden drivers preventing pregnancy and correct them — so you can conceive naturally or move into IVF with confidence — without sacrificing another year to confusion, uncertainty, or repeated disappointment.
This is not a course you consume alone. It’s a close-proximity, expert-guided, done-with-you experience. We examine your full history, run the right labs, refine your nutrition and lifestyle, and build a personalized protocol tailored to your body and your timeline. With 1:1 coaching, direct access between calls, lab reviews, evidence-based content, and structured accountability, you stop second-guessing and start moving forward with clarity.
If you’re ready to approach the next 3–6 months with focus instead of frustration, this is where we shift from hoping something works to knowing you’re doing the right things. Enrollment is intentionally limited to ensure depth of support for the women I work with.
Sarah Jane Sandy is a certified nutrition therapist, and a fertility and women’s health expert. She has helped hundreds of women increase their fertility naturally and go on to have healthy full-term pregnancies. She has been working with women and couples trying to get pregnant for over 16 years and over 90% of the women who work with her get pregnant and have healthy babies.
She also works with women trying to fix their hormone imbalances, as well as supporting women through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Learn more about her own fertility and hormone journey here. To send Sarah a message, complete her Contact Form.
© 2026 Sarah Jane Sandy. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Medical Disclaimer | Editorial Policy
Curious about your fertility health? Take this simple quiz to find out what factors may be harming your fertility, and learn what you can do about it!
