We’re sure you know about this – good food helps improve fertility and bad foods do the opposite. Nutrition is a big deal for both men and women. Many studies have stated that eating a well-balanced diet with the nutritional requirements needed for reproduction, pregnancy, and labor makes sense. This article will help you know the foods that are good for fertility, and the foods that you should avoid so that you don't harm your chances of getting pregnant.

• Less trans fat and more monounsaturated fat 

One of the key nutrients that helps your body function properly consuming healthy oils such as omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids are found in foods such as fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, and chia seeds. Other healthy oils include olive, peanut, and canola. In addition to boosting fertility by helping with ovulation and egg production, and a shorter time to pregnancy; these healthy fats can also help maintain a healthy heart and brain function as well as reduce inflammation throughout the body, as opposed to trans fat used in junk food.

• Less animal protein and more vegetable protein

A diet high in animal protein and low in vegetables is linked with infertility in men and women. It increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth, as well as increasing the incidence of heart disease and cancer by increasing estrogen levels. Women who had trouble getting pregnant or who eventually became pregnant and found that they had diets that were high in animal protein and low in plant protein. So, rely more on choline-rich and plant-forward protein sources like quinoa, beans, lentils, soy, nuts, and seeds.

• More high-fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrate-rich foods

The odds of conception can be harmed if you consume huge amounts of refined carbohydrates, such as those found in breakfast cereals and white bread, according to fertility doctors. We love our carbs but instead, choosing whole grain dietary options can actually help fertility improve by almost 5 folds. The quality of a woman's eggs is affected since they are relatively large cells with a significant amount of mitochondria. By harming the DNA in sperm, a poor diet high in refined carbs can also impact male fertility. This has effects on sperm motility, or their capacity to swim, morphology, or the aspect of their shape that makes them adept swimmers, and sperm count, or the quantity of sperm produced. 

• More vegetarian sources of iron and fewer meat sources

Beans, lentils, spinach, fortified cereals, and whole grains are examples of vegetarian foods high in iron. To improve the absorption of iron, include vitamin C in your meals in the form of citrus fruits, bell peppers, or berries. As far as non-vegetarian sources of iron are concerned, red meat is known to negatively impact fertility. The frequency of blastocyst formation during embryo development is inversely connected with the consumption of red meat, according to the findings in a research. Male semen concentration has been independently associated with decreased saturated fat content, which can be especially high in red meat. 

• Multivitamins

Don’t forget your take your supplements. At least three times per week of multivitamin supplementation is linked to a lower risk of ovulatory infertility. Folic acid majorly plays a role in mediating this connection. Women who want to get pregnant should think about taking multivitamins because it might help them get pregnant.

• High-fat dairy instead of low-fat dairy

According to studies, women who followed a "fertility diet" that included full-fat dairy, iron, and monounsaturated fats during their preconception period had a 66% lower risk of ovulatory infertility and a 27% lower risk of infertility compared to women who didn't follow this diet pattern. Ovulatory infertility happens when a woman does not release an egg every month. Due to the possibility that high-fat dairy products like milk and cheese and yoghurt may enhance ovulation and conception, eating one or two servings of full-fat dairy per day has been related to higher fertility. Because of its estrogen-promoting effects, milk's cream component can help balance your sex hormones.

To sum it up, the goal of eating for fertility is to create a body that functions optimally when you are trying to conceive. It's not only important that you avoid certain foods but also make sure to eat certain foods so that your body is working as well as it can. Please remember that there is no one magic meal that will allow you to get pregnant but over time if you avoid the bad and eat the good you can significantly increase your ability to have a baby. An easy way to start is to keep yourself hydrated, you should drink a glass of water every two hours. Trying to consume more vegetables, fruits and whole grains would be beneficial as well. At least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit per day are recommended for fertility purposes. We hope this helps and you have good news at your doorstep soon!

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References

• Diabetes.co.uk. (2017, July 10). Fertility experts reveal low-carb diet boosts chances of successful conception - Diabetes. Diabetes UK. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2017/jul/fertility-experts-reveal-low-carb-diet-boosts-chances-of-successful-conception-95145142.html
• Panth, N., Gavarkovs, A., Tamez, M., & Mattei, J. (2018). The Influence of Diet on Fertility and the Implications for Public Health Nutrition in the United States. Frontiers in public health, 6, 211. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00211
• Chavarro, J. E., Rich-Edwards, J. W., Rosner, B. A., & Willett, W. C. (2008). Use of multivitamins, intake of B vitamins, and risk of ovulatory infertility. Fertility and sterility, 89(3), 668–676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.03.089
• Smith, E. (2020, November 22). Do I have to go dairy-free when trying to conceive? The Dietologist. Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://thedietologist.com.au/dairy-free-diet-for-fertility/

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