5 Foods To Improve Fertility
By Orla, January 13, 2014
Struggling with fertility issues can be a devastating and frustrating process, and while most of the control is out of your hands, there are a few things you can do to improve your fertility.
Of course you will try to be healthy in general, but there are certain foods you can eat that will benefit you and your chances of getting pregnant.
1. Eggs
All of the best nutrients eggs contain can be found in the yolk, so be sure not to omit them from your diet. Nutrients such as vitamin A and D, and choline are present in eggs, not to mention they are extremely rich in high quality protein.
Vitamin A is essential for reproduction and choline, a member of the Vitamin B group, is said to help the prevention of neural tube defects during pregnancy.
2. Healthy Fats
Excluding fat from your diet can actually cause more harm than good sometimes because fats contain extremely important fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.
Take vitamin D for example; it is said to regulate menstrual cycles in woman suffering from polycystic ovaries, which is a major cause of infertility.
Adding a generous scattering of sunflower seeds, nuts, coconut oil or almonds to a salad can help incorporate these healthy fats into a balanced diet.
3. Curly Kale Cabbage
Kale is somewhat of a fertility superfood. It is rich in folate, which helps to prevent neural tube defects, and it also contains indole-3-carbinol which can help balance estrogen levels. Estrogen is essential for reproduction, but too much estrogen actually contributes to infertility.
On top of that, kale contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects your body and your ovaries from the destructive effects of free radicals. Foods with similar nutritional benefits are broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.
4. Carbohydrates With Low Sugar Levels
Carbs are vital for maintaining your energy levels, but there are certain types of carbs which can benefit your fertility more than others. Low-glycemic carbs refer to carbs that don’t cause your blood sugar to rise too much and the sugar present gets released over a long period of time.
In the case of fertility, this is actually very good because sugar, especially high sugar levels can contribute to polycystic ovaries and weight gain, both of which can make getting pregnant difficult.
Low-glycemic carbs include fruit, vegetables and dairy products.
5. Low-Mercury Fish
Women trying to conceive shouldn’t cut fish out of their diet; just try to stick to low-mercury fish such as salmon, sardines and herring. Fish contain essential omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to better quality eggs and sperm.
They are also said to have anti-inflammatory agents which could help the likes of polycystic ovaries syndrome.
Anything is worth a try, and hopefully a regular intake of these foods can boost your fertility and help you conceive.
