Fertility-Boosting Foods

Eating a healthy diet is one of the easiest ways to boost your fertility. You lower your risk of conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, that can negatively impact your fertility. And eating a healthy diet helps you reach and maintain a healthy weight, which has been shown to improve fertility for both men and women. So exactly what should you eat to boost fertility? 

Fertility-Boosting Foods That Are High in Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy for your whole body. They help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and decrease your risk of developing conditions, like cardiovascular disease and cancer, which can contribute to infertility. Omega-3 fatty acids also help you feel satisfied, so you’re not as likely to indulge in unhealthy fat sources and junk food.

Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential part of all the cells in your body, including egg and sperm cells, and are important for your baby’s overall development. Try these excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids:

• Olives and olive oil
• Avocados
• Flax seeds and flax seed oil
• Fatty fish, like salmon and whitefish
• Walnuts
• Chia seeds
• Edamame

Complex Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates found in sugar, refined flour, and processed foods, are, in a word, terrible, for both your health and fertility. They cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly, and your body to respond by producing high levels of insulin which, over time, can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. 

All that extra insulin interferes with your body’s reproductive hormones, and is a major contributor to polycystic ovarian syndrome, a major cause of infertility. If you want to boost your fertility, try replacing simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates that break down more slowly, avoiding spikes in blood sugar and insulin.

Great sources of complex carbohydrates include:

• Whole grain bread
• Beans and legumes
• Wild rice
• Whole grain pasta
• Quinoa
• Farro
• Oats
• Sweet potatoes
• Butternut squash
• Buckwheat

Powerhouse Vitamins and Antioxidants

Antioxidants help decrease inflammation in your body and fight free radicals that can damage your cells, including sperm and egg cells. Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and the B vitamins, including folate (B9) are all important for fertility.

You should always take prenatal vitamins if you’re trying to get pregnant, but it’s a good idea to choose foods,like those listed below, that are powerhouses of vitamins and antioxidants, too: 

• Berries
• Dark chocolate
• Okra
• Pecans
• Kale
• Spinach
• Garlic
• Beans
• Citrus fruits
• Artichokes
• Oily fish
• Fortified dairy
• Squash
• Broccoli

Fiber That Fills You Up

Getting plenty of fiber has also been linked to better fertility outcomes, in part because fiber fills you up and makes you less likely to overeat or indulge in junk food. Fiber found in healthy foods typically also contains other nutrients beneficial to your health and fertility. Make an effort to eat about 25 grams of fiber every day, which you can get from these delicious fertility-boosting foods:

• Oats
• Raspberries
• Lentils
• Whole grain bread
• Air-popped popcorn
• Chia seeds
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Artichokes
• Avocados
• Pears
• Peas
• Barley
• Sunflower seeds

Fertility-Boosting Protein Sources

When it comes to boosting your fertility, not all protein sources work in your favor. Processed meats, red meat, and an overall high consumption of animal protein have been linked to lower rates of fertility, including poor sperm quality, longer length of time to pregnancy, and higher rates of ovulation disorders. Many meats are high in saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, and nitrates, all of which work against your health and fertility.

But lean meats and plant-based sources of protein, like those below, have been linked to improved fertility. 

• Lean poultry
• Low mercury seafood
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nuts
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Peas

The Right Dairy for Fertility

The effect of dairy on fertility is interesting because studies show it varies by both sex and amount. For men, consuming large amounts of full-fat dairy have been linked to lower poor sperm quality, while a moderate amount of low-fat dairy appears to support male fertility.

For women, the effects are opposite. Consuming low-fat dairy products has been linked to increased risk of infertility, while eating full-fat dairy has been associated with a lower risk of ovulatory disorders. 

Regardless of sex, dairy products contain a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol and should be enjoyed in moderation. Pregnant women should also avoid unpasteurized dairy products and soft cheeses to reduce the risk of listeriosis, an infection caused by listeria bacteria that can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Here are some good options for incorporating dairy into your diet:

• Greek yogurt
• Cheddar cheese
• Whole or skim milk
• Mozzarella cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Plant-based dairy alternatives

Beyond Fertility-Boosting Foods

While everyone should strive to adopt a healthy diet, diet alone isn’t always enough to overcome infertility. If you’ve been trying to conceive for 12 consecutive months (or 6 months if you’re over 35), contact us to schedule a consult and comprehensive fertility assessment.