11 Foods that Favor Fertility
Bringing a child into the world in a conscious manner is a wonderful process. In order to experience this wonderful moment, prepare your body by eating foods that favor fertility.
It has been proven that a balanced diet helps improve the quality of the ovum and sperm. It also plays a role in the development of the fetus.
There are many foods that can help improve the chances of conceiving a baby. Similarly, there are other foods that can decrease a woman’s chance of getting pregnant.
It’s commonly said that foods such as fish not only increase libido but fertility as well. Fish has been claimed to help both the female and male’s body prepare for pregnancy.
Many of these 11 foods that we’ll mention will help you meet your nutritional requirements during pregnancy. They’ll also help the baby’s development. Therefore, if you’re trying to conceive, employ these healthy eating habits in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
Remember that your diet affects everything, from your blood cells to your hormones.
List of foods that favor fertility
Folic acid
Folic acid helps the body create new cells and it’s important for women of childbearing age.
When a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can prevent major birth defects in the baby’s brain and spine. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, peas and nuts are all rich in folic acid.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts contain selenium, a mineral that protects mature ovules from damage caused by free radicals. It also helps stimulate the immune system.
When it comes to men, eating a handful of nuts a day improves the quality of their sperm’s movement, concentration and vitality.
Blue fish
Fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines are great sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
These acids are fundamental to hormonal balance. They also help strengthen the immune system and the health of the ovaries, ovules and sperm.
Special mention for Omega-3
Fatty acids increase male fertility by improving the health of sperm. They provide various important enzymes that are necessary for the formation and maturation of sperm.
Dairy products
Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are all rich in calcium. Calcium in an essential mineral that is useful for people of all ages.
However it’s even more important for future mothers. It contributes to bone health and also increases fertility.
These products also contain vitamin B12 which plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. It also helps in the maintenance of the nervous system.
“There are many toxic substances that can alter both the hormonal environment and reproduction. These substances are called endocrine disruptors. They decrease fertility and they can produce heritable genetic alterations. They can also cause problems with the baby’s development.”
–Isabel Santillán, Doctor–
Whole grains
Cereals such as oats, brown rice, whole wheat and quinoa contain vitamin B and E.
Both vitamins are essential to reproductive health. They favor hormonal balance and stimulate the production of healthy sperm and eggs.
Garlic
Garlic is another great source of selenium which is a useful mineral that helps improve fertility for both males and females. It also contains vitamin B6 which helps regulate hormones.
Spinach
Spinach is rich in antioxidants, iron, vitamin E, folic acid and vitamin B. It has been proven that spinach provides many essential nutrients that help promote a healthy reproductive system.
The iron and antioxidants found in spinach also help improve sperm quality.
Oysters
Oysters are a rich source of zinc which is an essential mineral for male and female fertility.
In women, it promotes proper cell division. In men, it’s an important ingredient which helps maintain testosterone levels and sperm production.
Chicken
Chicken is an excellent source of quality proteins. It also provides niacin, thiamine and ascorbic acid.
Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus and iodine can also be found in chicken.
Niacin, which is also known as vitamin B3, plays an important role in the synthesis of sex hormones.
Honey
This sweet nectar is rich in vitamin B which is important in the production of testosterone.
Honey contains amino acids and minerals that help improve the quality of sperm. Vitamin B plays a role in strengthening the uterus and ovaries.
Can fertility be deceased by excess consumption of alcohol and caffeine?
Although it’s still not clear whether caffeine affects fertility, some studies have shown that high intake of caffeine can interfere with fertility.
That’s why some experts suggest reducing its intake or cutting it out altogether. This is especially important when the couple is having difficulty conceiving or while undergoing artificial fertilization.
Drinking a glass of wine or a beer every once in a while will probably not affect your chances of conceiving. However, consuming two or more drinks a day has the power to do so.
Drinking alcohol has also been shown to increase the risk of spontaneous abortions. Therefore, if you’re looking to get pregnant, it is recommended to put aside alcoholic beverages.
It’s difficult to know exactly when you’ll get pregnant and alcohol can harm the unborn baby.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Grieger JA., Grzeskowiak LE., Wilson RL., Miotto TB., et al., Maternal selenium, copper and zinc concentrations in early pregnancy, and the association with fertility. Nutrients, 2019.
- Falsg AML., Gleerup CS., Knudsen UB., The influence of omega 3 fatty acids on semen quality markers: a systematic PRISMA review. Andrology, 2019. 7 (6): 794-803.
