What Not To Eat For Fertility

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When you’re trying to get pregnant, what you eat can be super important. 

Some foods are thought to hinder your chances of conceiving so you’ll definitely want to limit them or cut them out to boost your success.

Here’s how to separate the myths from the facts when it comes to fertility foods!

Refined sugars

Refined and processed sugars can be hugely damaging for health and wellbeing and it’s probably no great surprise to know they can disrupt your fertility too. 

It’s all to do with how your body processes refined sugars. 

Eating lots of sugary foods spikes your blood sugar every time you eat them and it’s also a factor in releasing stress hormones. 

Constant spikes in your blood sugar lead to insulin being released and if your insulin levels are consistently high, it can encourage insulin resistance. The latter often goes hand in hand with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that can make infertility more likely.

The big problem is that insulin isn’t all that different from reproductive hormones from a chemical viewpoint. This can be super confusing for your body and it tricks it into thinking that hormone levels are high. This can interfere with ovulation and makes it more likely that testosterone levels will become more dominant. This is another risk factor for PCOS.

Plus, the empty calories from sugar can easily encourage weight gain and the associated knock-on effect of premature aging for both egg and sperm cells. 

Refined sugars can lurk in some surprising places, including bread, sauces, and dressings. 

Get your sugar fix from natural sources such as fruit rather than candies, cookies, and other refined sugars. And swap white bread and pasta for whole-grain options to get more complex carbs into your diet.

Mercury- rich fish

Eating lots of fish that contains high amounts of mercury can have damaging effects on health. From a fertility perspective, it can affect estrogen levels and sperm quality. 

A few examples of this are swordfish and catfish. 

But you can happily eat salmon, sardines, trout, and anchovies a few times per week without having to worry about how the mercury content may affect your chances of getting pregnant.

Soy 

In moderation, soy probably won’t stop you from conceiving, especially if it’s organic. 

But in high amounts, soy can disrupt the delicate balance between progesterone and estrogen. 

In one study, men who ate soy products had lower sperm count. 

The big problem is genetically modified soy, which has been linked to hormone changes, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. Avoiding GM soy is a great move, along with making sure that any soy you do eat is organic. 

Processed meats

Eating lots of processed meats can potentially reduce male and female fertility. 

In one study, men whose diet included processed meats often had lower sperm quality. And for women, it can be linked to ovulation problems.

In another study, men who ate a lot of processed meat were less likely to fertilize an egg during IVF treatment, especially compared to men who ate more chicken. 

Researchers aren’t sure yet if there’s a definite link between eating processed meat and fertility problems but any possible connection may be down to the fats and chemicals.

Cutting back on how much processed meat you eat can help keep ovulation regular and healthy. 

Soda and other caffeinated drinks

Caffeinated drinks can affect hormone balance, especially estrogen. The more you drink, the more likely you are to have problems with fertility.

It’s not just about coffee, though. Sodas can also contain a good amount of caffeine. 

Both regular and diet varieties of soda can have adverse effects on fertility, according to studies. 

Alcohol

Some studies have shown that drinking alcohol can decrease fertility – even if you only have five drinks or less each week. 

It can affect male fertility too. Drinking alcohol regularly can lower testosterone levels and reduce sperm quality.  

Alcohol can also have an indirect effect on conception by reducing the absorption of zinc, which is a crucial mineral for fertility.

Health experts recommend you and your partner both try ditching alcohol while you’re trying to conceive.

Trans fats 

Foods that are rich in trans fats can have negative effects on fertility. 

And you don’t need to eat much at all to start seeing the impact for trying to get pregnant.

According to this study, women who consumed just 2% of their daily calories from trans fats had a 73% higher chance of experiencing infertility that’s linked to ovulation problems.

Trans fats are found in lots of fried foods and processed foods, including fries, cookies, pastries, cakes, and candy bars.