10 Superfoods To Increase Fertility In Women

If you are planning to become a mother, you need to make a diet with fertility foods for women a priority. Diet plays a huge role in optimising your fertility down the line. This is the easiest you can do to prime your body for conception or just stay in shape for conception whenever you are ready for pregnancy. 

It is not possible to stop the biological clock, reverse time or produce more eggs. But it is possible to have a healthy diet, filled with nutrient-dense fertility foods for women, which increases the chances of having healthy eggs and an easier journey to pregnancy. 

Your diet is something you have control over, unlike other factors such as age, stress, environment, and exposure to chemicals in food & air. Let’s look at some superfoods for fertility that will make conception easier.

Superfoods To Increase Fertility In Women

1. Fig

For healthy eggs and ovulation, you need a copious amount of iron that figs have in abundance. Loaded with calcium and fibre, these help clear excess estrogen from the digestive system.

Figs are also known for their insulin lowering properties and may also be beneficial in PCOS, which is one of the causes of infertility, making it an important fruit in the list of fertility foods for women.

‍If you have been asked to lose weight or just trying to lower your BMI (Body Mass Index) in preparation for fertility treatment, include figs in your diet as these are high in fibre and offer great satiety.

2. Walnuts

Cut the stress and go nuts about walnuts! High in fibre, walnuts contain Omega-3 and magnesium, which help boost progesterone in the body and increase blood supply to the uterus, making it one of the best fertility foods for women.

Walnuts are also incredibly rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which can damage the eggs.

3. Pomegranate

Potent and powerful, pomegranates are essential in the list of fertility foods for women. In ancient times, pomegranate was seen as a symbol of fertility for their fertility-increasing potential.

A powerhouse of antioxidants and also rich in vitamin C, it helps reduce inflammation in the body. Plus, it comes loaded with other key fertility nutrients such as vitamin A, E & B3, folic acid, potassium and fibre.

4. Cashews

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, cashews work wonders. A good source of iron, cashews have a low glycemic index, which means slower digestion. So you feel fuller for longer!

Not to forget, a healthy weight and well-balanced glucose levels are beneficial for fertility. Cashews are also a good source of zinc, magnesium and copper. These minerals prepare the body for pregnancy and also give glowing skin.

5. Coconut Oil

First of all, coconut oil helps lower your overall calorie intake and as we all know fat or being overweight can have a negative impact on your fertility. Secondly, it boosts your thyroid gland. Some studies have linked hypothyroidism with menstrual problems and lack of ovulation.

High in healthy saturated fat, it helps in maintaining good fat. It also regulates insulin secretion and boosts metabolism. An excess of insulin is known to raise testosterone levels, which in turn suppresses ovulation and affects fertility.

Plus, it contains MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) that help in mobilising and burning stubborn fat in the body. Excess fat secretes estrogen and can hinder conception. This is what makes coconut oil one of the best fertility foods for women.

6. Beans And Lentils

Beans and lentils like rajma, various dals that we eat on a daily basis should be increased in your diet. Beans and lentils are a great source of fiber and folate, both of which are essential to maintain healthy hormonal balance. 

Lentils and beans are also rich in plant-based protein, which can help promote healthy ovulation. Studies have shown that plant protein is better for fertility than animal protein and helps cut the risk of anovulation-related infertility by 50%.

(Anovulation is the lack or absence of ovulation, which is when the egg is released, and lentils are good foods to help ovulation). Lentils also contain high amounts of a substance called polyamine spermidine, which can help the sperm fertilise the egg.

7. Egg Yolks

Many people shy away from egg yolks citing cholesterol worries - but if you are looking to get pregnant, you must include them. While the egg white is made up of largely of albumin, egg yolks supply contain all of the egg's potent nutrients: iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12.

Egg yolks also contain Vitamin A and are rich in fertility-boosting Omega-3 fatty acids. 

The other reason you should opt for eggs (if you follow an ova-vegetarian diet) is that they are a cheap source of protein and one of the most easily available fertility foods for women. And, you can consume them in multiple ways.

8. Pineapple

There are some unsubstantiated claims that pineapple core, when eaten after ovulation or embryo transfer during IVF will hasten implantation. But like we said, it’s unsubstantiated.

But pineapple does have positive effects on fertility and is one of the most potent fertility foods for women who suffer from PCOS.  It is a good source of Vitamin C, an absolutely vital vitamin that helps regulate the menstruation cycle and normal ovulation. Low vitamin C levels have been associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). 

Pineapples also contain bromelain, a natural enzyme that has anti-inflammatory and anticoagulation or blood-thinning properties. By encouraging your body to move away from an inflammatory state (the body’s defence state when the body feels it’s under attack), you benefit - because, being in an inflammatory state can suppress ovulation and cause fertility problems.

9. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a warming spice that is used commonly in Indian cooking. A study from the Columbia University Medical centre has shown that taking cinnamon supplements helps manage irregular periods (and even bring on periods)  among women who suffer from PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Cinnamon mixed with honey is considered a good fertility food: raw honey contains amino acids that are helpful for ovarian function, and when the two are mixed together, it can help increase blood flow to the reproductive organs.

‍10. Dry (Full-Fat)

Full-fat fairy, from pastured sources and A2 cow’s milk, is a great food to have for fertility and during pregnancy. Dairy contains good amounts of saturated fat, which plays a key role in boosting fertility.

It also contains fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin K2. Studies from Harvard Medical School have shown that women who ate full-fat dairy as opposed to homogenised/skimmed dairy were less likely to experience problems and hiccups in ovulation. 

Fertility superfoods and any food good for women’s fertility will be rich in all the nutrients we have mentioned above.

The Fertility Diet

Just like vegan diets, low FODMAP diets, the DASH diet and others, there is a specific diet called the fertility diet that comprises fertility foods for women.

Professionals at Harvard Medical School recognised the importance of nutrition prior to pregnancy and designed this diet specifically to address this issue.

The fertility diet caters to women who were looking to conceive, focusing primarily on vegetarian fertility foods for women, with a limited intake of dairy, caffeine and alcohol. This helps ease hormonal imbalances in the body that affect conception.

Women on this diet are encouraged to eat more plant-based fibre and protein, in the form of lentils, nuts and seeds. Since the protein comes from plant sources, it helps reduce inflammation.

Local Indian foods are ideal fertility foods for women, with lots of tasty plant-based protein options: chickpeas, pulses like moong, toor dal etc, as well as beans, peas, nuts, soybean and tofu.

Get In Touch With Us For Your Fertility Plan

At Nutrition By Lovneet, we understand the importance of nutrition prior to pregnancy. We have specialised programs catering to pre-pregnancy diet for females, pregnancy nutrition and postnatal diets.

We don’t give you a fixed pre-pregnancy diet with fertility foods for women that is generalised. We do a detailed consultation with you to understand your likes and dislikes, pre-existing medical conditions, lifestyle etc, and address those and take them into account.

And based on this consult, we craft a personalised diet chart, filled with foods you enjoy, so that you don’t feel deprived.

Our philosophy is drawn from the wisdom of the Indian kitchen, which is abundant with fertility foods for women. We believe that our ancient food principles are being largely ignored these days, and we want to bring indigenous kitchen wisdom back into modern Indian lives.

We don’t just leave you with just a plan - we remain a part of your journey, there for you with any questions or hiccups you may face along the way. The goal is to nourish your body, provide optimal nutrition and strengthen your body and get it ready to nourish a new life.

To learn more about our programs, visit here.