6 Nutrition Tips to Help Boost Fertility!

Nutrition Tips

Trans and Saturated Fats

When trying to get pregnant, it is good to avoid trans and saturated fats whenever possible. 

Trans fats are often artery-clogging, they can be found in many commercially prepared products and fast foods, and even in homemade cakes, cookies, and fried foods. 

Saturated fats are typically found in heavy meats such as pork, fatty beef or chicken skin, and dairy products like cheese, butter, and heavy cream. Palm oil, corn oil, and lard also pose a risk for saturated fats. 

Replacement Options for Unhealthy Fats

Instead of being stuck in a trans and saturated fat cycle, you can replace them with healthier alternatives that taste delicious, and increase your body’s health and by extension provide an increased chance of fertility. 

You can use more unsaturated vegetable oils! There are plenty of alternative options for butter or corn oil, such as olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, or peanut oil. These all bring their own unique flavors to the table and can offer fun new ways to experiment with recipes. 

Avocados, peanut butter, nuts and seeds, and meats like salmon all have healthy monosaturated fats that are wonderful additions to any menu, and offer great options for tasty dishes that can help decrease inflammation and are also great for your health! 

The Power of Veggies

Another way to add to your healthy diet is to eat more vegetable proteins, like beans and nuts, as an alternative to relying mainly on animal protein. 

You can create great dishes that are full of protein but won’t weigh you down or negatively affect your health by replacing meat with many plant-based alternatives. 

Lentils, peanuts (and peanut butter), almonds, green peas, edamame, tofu, and tempeh, can all be used as a great source of healthy protein when trying to keep a healthy diet. 

Try making a delicious peanut sauce by adding a bit of peanut butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a blender, and drizzling it over some crispy tofu and Soba noodles! Or make a delicious lentil stew that you can dip whole-grain bread into for a warm and soul-satisfying meal. 

Whole Grains for Whole Body Wellness

Eating white bread is tempting, but try choosing whole grains and other sources of carbohydrates that have lower, slower effects on blood sugar and insulin rather than highly refined carbohydrates. These refined carbohydrates will quickly boost blood sugar and insulin and create a strain on the digestive system.

Whole grains can help you keep your blood sugar and insulin levels steady, and will overall help you feel better in your body. 

Try replacing white rice with wild or brown rice. Quinoa, whole oats, millet, buckwheat, and farro are also great options when looking for whole-grain alternatives, and replacing white bread with a whole-grain or cracked/sprouted wheat bread can be another source of protein while providing all the benefits of whole grains as well! 

Fat is Not the Enemy

Fat in and of itself is not unhealthy for you, but the type of fat you’re eating can have wildly different results on the effects on your body, especially when trying to increase fertility. 

It’s encouraged to drink a glass of whole milk or have a small dish of ice cream or full-fat yogurt every day; it’s okay to temporarily trade in skim milk and low- or no-fat dairy products like cottage cheese and frozen yogurt for their full-fat cousins if done in moderation.

Vitamins are Your Friends

An easy way to increase good nutrition in your body is to take multivitamins that contain folic acid and other B vitamins.

Folic acid can help prospective mothers avoid neural tube birth defects that can affect a baby’s brain, spine or spinal cord. 

Folic acid can also be found in spinach, kale, asparagus, whole grains, peas, and beans! But taking a good quality multivitamin every day is a great way to ensure that you are getting all the important nutrients you need!