Foods to Increase Fertility

Study Findings

The study followed over 17,000 women during eight years and tracked their success in achieving pregnancy. In combination with other lifestyle choices such as physical activity and weight control, following a “fertility diet” can be successful in helping to prevent ovulatory disorder infertility.

Dietary factors included:

• Increasing consumption of monounsaturated fats while decreasing trans fats
• Obtaining protein from vegetables rather than animals
• Consuming low glycemic carbohydrates
• Eating high fat dairy
• Taking multivitamins
• Getting iron from plants and other supplements

Eating Foods to Increase Fertility

Eating certain foods to increase fertility may be a good way to start the process of trying to conceive. Leading a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, is often recommended by physicians to women who want to begin a family. Before starting a new diet program, women should speak with their doctors regarding their nutritional needs.

Monounsaturated Fats

Trans fats (often identified on food labels as forms of hydrogenated oils) are bad for people’s health. But not all fat is bad. Eating monounsaturated fats, such as olive oils, have now been shown to help in ovulatory fertility problems.

Vegetable Proteins

Beans are a wonderful source of protein. White, kidney, navy, black, lima, and soybeans are protein-rich bean varieties. Other vegetables with protein include chickpeas, lentils, peas, and spinach.

Low Glycemic Carbohydrates

Eating foods that rank low on the glycemic index (GI) instead of refined sugar and carbs can help with fertility but avoiding carbohydrates all together does not make a balanced diet. Instead, making simple substitutions, like brown rice instead of white rice, or whole grain bread for white bread, can make a big difference in diet. In addition to being part of the “fertility diet” study, the Glycemic Index and GI Database note that low GI foods can help manage symptoms of PCOS, another cause of fertility problems in women.

High Fat Dairy Foods

Drinking milk to increase fertility has been a controversial recommendation, with conflicting findings. But the study in Obsectrics & Gynecology shows that a serving or two of full-fat dairy products will help fertility. Women who increase their dairy fat should monitor their other food intake to keep the total amount of fat in their diets balanced.

Multivitamins

Pregnant women should take a daily prenatal vitamin, but starting to take a multivitamin before conceiving can help keep fertility problems at bay. Overdosing on certain vitamins and minerals can actually harm a person’s health, so stick to the recommended dosage.

Iron-Rich Foods and Supplements

Consuming iron-rich foods or fortifying a diet with supplements to get to the daily recommended amount of iron can help prevent ovulatory disorder infertility. Beans, green vegetables, and lean meats often provide good sources of iron. Supplement with a pill if a doctor recommends it.

Preconception Nutrition and Beyond

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating foods to increase fertility, is important for all women, not just those who want to conceive. Not only does the study discussed find that the fertility diet is important, but so is maintaining a healthy weight and exercising.

Having a regular ovulation cycle can help keep ovulatory disorder infertility from interfering with a woman’s fertility. One way to help control this is through a fertility diet. Women and men experiencing infertility problems should consult with a physician trained in treating fertility issues. Diet and food changes alone may not be able to combat infertility, depending what individual medical issues.

Once a woman becomes pregnant, she should speak with her doctor regarding pregnancy nutrition and diet guidelines. Certain problems, such as gestational diabetes, may require a modified and closely monitored diet..