How Your Diet Can Affect Fertility

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Your diet can’t magically improve your fertility but it can potentially boost your chances of success. If you’re deficient in some of the key nutrients that can support your reproductive health, it can be harder to conceive.

Here’s what to eat to give yourself the best chance of getting pregnant.

The Mediterranean diet

Eating foods that feature heavily in the Mediterranean diet may improve your fertility. In this study, women who ate a diet rich in fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats experienced fewer fertility issues compared to women who ate a typical “Western” diet with lots of processed foods and fatty meats.

This even extends to assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF. In one study, women were more likely to have a successful outcome if they were eating a Mediterranean diet.

Fruits and vegetables

One of the theories about why the Mediterranean diet may improve fertility is linked to antioxidants. The foods that make up the bulk of the diet are packed with antioxidants that can protect eggs and sperm from damage caused by oxidative stress.

Stock up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds for a good hit of antioxidants. Bright-colored veg is loaded with them so go ahead and eat the rainbow to reap the benefits. Aim for half your plate to be veggies at every meal.

Watermelon and asparagus are also great sources of glutathione, which helps with egg quality.

Healthy Fats

Plant-based fats like nuts, olive oil, and avocados are anti-inflammatory and can help with regular ovulation. They can also help if you’re having IVF treatment.

One study found that eating lots of healthy monounsaturated fats from avocado and olive oil increased IVF success rates by as much as three and a half times.

Protein

Protein has a big role to play in fertility but a lot depends on where it comes from.

Load up on lean poultry and fish rather than red meat. Chicken, pork, and turkey are great sources of zinc too, which is another hugely important mineral for conception. And fish is packed with omega 3 fatty acids. The mercury content shouldn’t be a big concern if you eat a couple of servings a week.

Plant protein is a smart move too. Getting all of your protein from animal sources can reduce fertility by almost 40%, according to The Harvard Public Health study.

In another study, getting 5% of your calories from plant protein cut the risk of ovulatory problems in half.

Dairy

Calcium is a super important mineral for reproductive health, especially for ovulation problems.

It can even help create a good environment for sperm to travel to meet an egg.

And it’s crucial if you get pregnant as your body will take calcium out of your bones for your baby’s development if your levels are low.

Dairy is the obvious source of calcium but you can also get it through dark leafy greens, figs, canned salmon, sardines, and nuts. And yogurt also has probiotics

Getting enough magnesium and vitamin D can help your body use calcium properly.

Low-fat dairy can be a big problem though. Research from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating lots of low-fat dairy products was linked to fertility problems. Stick to one to two servings of full-fat dairy per day.

Other essential vitamins and minerals

Zinc. Lots of women are deficient in zinc and that’s bad news if you’re trying to conceive. Low zinc levels can affect fertility and egg development, as this study suggests.

Iron. According to this study, getting plenty of iron in your diet can reduce your risk of infertility. If you don’t get enough iron, you can have problems ovulating regularly.

Folate. You probably know that folate is hugely important for protecting against birth defects but you may not realize how crucial it is for conception. According to this study, if you don’t get enough folate, you’re more likely to have ovulation problems.

Vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D can increase your infertility risk too. Several studies have indicated that women with a normal vitamin D level were more likely to conceive.

Omega 3. Omega 3 fatty acids help regulate ovulation. They also have a role to play in egg quality.

Limit processed foods & refined carbs

Some foods have the potential to hinder fertility so it’s also important to look at what you don’t eat.

A few major culprits include trans fats and refined carbs.

Studies have linked trans fats to a higher risk of ovulatory infertility so it’s smart to limit these as much as you can. They’re super common in processed foods, fried foods, and hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Refined carbs can spike your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can negatively affect your reproductive hormones. Swap them for complex carbs that take longer to be digested.