Boosting Your Fertility Naturally: 5 Foods To Add To Your Diet
If you’re trying to conceive, you may wonder if foods can boost your fertility. While no magic food can guarantee pregnancy, incorporating certain foods into your diet may improve your reproductive health and increase your chances of conceiving. This blog will discuss five fertility-boosting foods you can add to your diet.
1. Leafy Greens Vegetables
Incorporating fertility-boosting foods, like leafy greens, into your diet can increase your chances of conceiving. Vegetables like Chinese flowering cabbage (choy sum), rocket, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus are excellent sources of folate. This crucial nutrient supports pregnancy by aiding in DNA and genetic material formation. Consuming enough folate, especially six months before and during pregnancy, is vital for women trying to conceive.
During pregnancy, the amount of folate needed increases significantly due to its role in DNA replication and regulating homocysteine levels. Including these greens in your diet can help you meet your daily folate needs in addition to folate supplementation.
Here are a few ways to include them:
- Add a handful of spinach or rocket to your morning smoothie for an extra nutrient boost.
- Sauté some choy sum with garlic as a side dish for dinner.
- Mix broccoli or asparagus into your stir-fry or omelette for a tasty and nutritious meal.
2. Berries
Berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are delicious and great for promoting fertility and healthy eggs. These fruits are packed with antioxidants that can help protect your eggs from damage caused by free radicals.
They are high in antioxidants, which can help protect eggs and sperm from oxidative damage. Berries are also a good source of vitamin C, which can improve sperm quality and motility. Vitamin C also helps to reduce oxidative stress, which can cause damage to your eggs.
A simple way to add these fertility-boosting foods to your diet is by incorporating them into your breakfast routine. Adding a handful of berries to your breakfast cereal or yogurt is a delicious and nutritious way to start your day.
3. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are an excellent addition to any fertility-boosting diet due to their high content of healthy fats, protein, and fibre. But what makes them stand out is their richness in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that plays a crucial role in protecting cellular membranes against oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), damaging the structure and function of cells, including those in the reproductive system. This damage can negatively impact egg quality and reduce fertility.
Vitamin E, a chain-breaking antioxidant, can help prevent this damage by neutralising ROS and protecting cellular membranes. This is essential for optimising egg health and improving fertility.
There are many easy and practical ways to incorporate sunflower seeds into your diet. You can snack on a handful of seeds as a mid-day snack or sprinkle them on salads, smoothies, or oatmeal for a nutritious boost. With their delicious taste and numerous health benefits, sunflower seeds are a great addition to any fertility-boosting meal plan.
4. Avocado
Avocado is a superfood that has gained popularity for its great taste and numerous health benefits, including boosting fertility and supporting pregnancy health. Its versatility makes it an ideal addition to any meal.
One of the reasons why avocado is beneficial for fertility is due to its high content of healthy fats. Avocados are one of the few fruits containing monounsaturated fats besides olives, which are vital for hormone production and regulating menstrual cycles and ovulation. These healthy fats also help to reduce inflammation and support the development of healthy eggs.
Besides healthy fats, avocados are an excellent fibre, vitamin, and mineral source. We need to consume two servings of fruit and at least five servings of vegetables per day, and although avocados are technically a fruit, they are often used like a vegetable. A serving of avocado (half a medium avocado or 75g) can boost your intake of B vitamins, including folate and potassium.
Adding avocado to your diet is easy and delicious. You can spread it on toast, add salads, or substitute for mayonnaise in sandwiches. Incorporating avocado into your daily meals is a simple way to enjoy its fertility-boosting benefits.
5. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish is a powerhouse of nutrition that can provide numerous health benefits, particularly for those trying to conceive. Fish varieties such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that improve female fertility.
If you’re trying to conceive, consuming at least two servings of fatty fish per week is recommended to reap the fertility-boosting benefits. There are various ways to incorporate fish into your diet, such as grilling, baking, or broiling a fillet of salmon or tuna for a healthy and delicious dinner.
However, if you’re not a fan of fish or have dietary restrictions that prevent you from consuming it, you can still get your omega-3 fix through supplements. Omega-3 supplements can be a great alternative. It’s best to consult a fertility dietitian before omega-3 supplementation to determine the correct dosage and ensure it fits into your overall fertility diet plan.
Bottom Line
- Leafy greens like spinach and broccoli have folate, essential for DNA and genetic material while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
- Berries are high in antioxidants that protect egg cells from radical damage.
- Sunflower seeds have vitamin E, which prevents oxidative stress and optimises egg health.
- Avocado has healthy fats vital for hormone production, regulating menstrual cycles/ovulation, and supporting healthy eggs.
- Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, tuna) have omega-3 fatty acids that improve female fertility.
Need More Help?
Are you seeking additional support and guidance in optimising your fertility through a personalised nutrition plan?
Schedule a nutrition consultation today and take the first step towards achieving your fertility goals.
You May Also Be Interested In
Disclaimer: Content on this website is provided for information purposes only and should not be replaced with medical advice. We recommend you discuss with your healthcare providers (doctor, dietitian, pharmacist, etc.) any medical questions for diagnosis and treatment, dietary plan, or use of any medications and nutritional supplements before you make any changes. DietitianChong Pty Ltd shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.
