23 Jul Food to help improve fertility

To improve the fertility of women and men, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat lots of vegetables and fruits and quit fast and high-fat foods. Maintaining a routine of physical activity is also important, as well as avoiding being below the ideal weight or being overweight, as it substantially reduces fertility.

What foods help improve fertility?

There are some specific vitamins and minerals which, increasing their daily intake, can improve fertility and increase the chances of having a baby. These are:

• Omega 3: Specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is beneficial for ovaries and eggs. You can find it in foods such as seafood, blue fish, nuts, avocado and green leafy vegetables like spinach, chard …
• Antioxidants: Necessary to delay aging, deal with free radicals, and keep our cells strong. It is present in many vegetables, but the ones with the highest concentration of antioxidants are blueberries, broccoli, nuts , matcha tea or in it’s absence green tea, tomatoes, pure dark chocolate, carrots and grapes.
• Vitamin B: Especially folic acid, a type of B vitamin. It is advisable to increase the amount of folic acid one month before seeking pregnancy and maintain it throughout the gestation period. Foods that contain a higher percentage of these vitamins are asparagus, lentils, dark green vegetables, broccoli, oranges, papaya, avocado, walnuts and celery.
• Calcium: Essential to strengthen the bones and prepare them for those extra kilos they will have to endure when pregnant. The foods that contain more calcium are the Gruyere cheeses, as well as emmental, roquefort, edam and other foods such as sardines, almonds, yogurt, dried figs, chickpeas and cow milk.
• Zinc: A decrease in zinc in our body can affect the production of healthy eggs and sperm. For this reason, it is important to add into our diet foods which are rich in this mineral, such as chicken, seafood, lamb, pumpkin seeds, spinach, nuts, rice and peas.
• Iron: Iron is an essential mineral for our body. Its absence can cause fatigue and anemia, especially during childbirth and postpartum. For this reason, it is recommended to monitor iron levels during pregnancy and prevent anemia by maintaining a diet with high iron content. The foods that have more iron and that we can incorporate into our menus are lean red meats such as lamb, shellfish, nuts, sesame, Swiss chard, spinach, chickpeas, lentils and whole grain products.

How does fertility improve?

As you have been able to observe, there are many foods rich in different vitamins and minerals. By making a combination of all of them, you will get a healthy menu that will provide you all of the necessary nutrients to maximize the chances of pregnancy. Remember that the normal period to conceive a child in a young and healthy couple is 12 calendar months to get pregnant. If after this time you have not achieved it, it is advisable to go to a fertility specialist. In case of doubt, contact us.