Pregnancy can be magical. But it often takes a lot more to get pregnant, as some couples end up trying for over a year in vain before they seek medical intervention. While there is age and other genetic factors responsible for your fertility aside from any medical condition you might have. You can control much of your fertility with food. Experts believe that if you are planning to start a family there are certain foods you must consciously choose, and others you must avoid, to boost your ovulatory function. These foods increase fertility by helping your ovaries release a healthy egg in your ovulation phase, which has better chances of getting fertilised by the sperm. Fertility foods are actually quite effective.
Here are nine fertility foods that will help you conceive as early as possible without any medical intervention.
1. Ice cream
This may come as a surprising addition to the fertility diet, but it is true. And we are not talking about low fat or skimmed milk variants. Experts are of the opinion that fat-free or low fat milk and milk products can affect the balance of sex and pregnancy hormones such as estrogen and progesterone in the body. This in turn interferes with the body’s ovulation function. So without going overboard, get yourself a sinful scoop of ice cream and relish it before it melts. This will keep infertility at arm’s length.
2. Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are among the top-of-the-line fertility foods that nourishes the body with iron. You can toast the pumpkin seeds in an oven, and enjoy them like a mid-morning snack if you are looking to conceive. Rich in non-heme iron, a variant of iron usually identified in plant food among other iron-rich foods, pumpkin seeds double up for the iron supplements you must be taking to enhance your fertility.
Image: Sophie Uliano
3. Whole wheat pasta
Refined carbs are easier for the body to digest than the complex ones. And because complex carbs take longer to digest they keep your insulin and blood sugar levels in check. This has a serious bearing when you are trying to get pregnant. Increased blood sugar and insulin levels can throw your reproductive hormones off gear. A study even found that most women trying to be pregnant for over six months unsuccessfully have high blood sugar levels. When trying to get pregnant, pick brown bread over white bread, brown rice over white rice, and brown pasta over white pasta.
Image: Sparkify
4. Olive oil
Stop cooking your food in butter, embrace the olive oil. Olive oil is among the powerful fertility foods owing to it being a source of mono-unsaturated fat. This kind of fat controls the insulin levels, and most importantly, lowers inflammation. Inflammation affects your chances of getting pregnant by interfering with your ovulation cycle, and even the development of the embryo. You don’t need to always cook the olive oil; you can even have it crude by dressing your salads with it.
5. Broccoli
Binge on spinach, broccoli among other dark green, leafy vegetables to gain an edge during ovulation. By loading your pasta or salad with broccoli florets you are boosting your intake of B Vitamins that enhance your ovulation function. Folate, a kind of B Vitamin found in these leafy veggies also improve sperm quality. Thus potentially eliminating chances of a miscarriage or birth defects in the baby.
6. Nuts and beans
Rich source of plant proteins – beans, tofu, nuts and lentils are regarded as top fertility foods. If you are planning to get pregnant, boost your intake of these items. And you will naturally boost your fertility. A study also found that women who consumed more plant proteins were more likely to conceive in the first six months of having unprotected intercourse.
7. Chicken
Chicken, a lean protein is a highly recommended pre-pregnancy diet. Chicken is considered to enhance the ovulation process by enabling the release of a high-quality egg from the ovaries. Further, the sperm can fertilise into an embryo. Avoid eating fried chicken, instead you can have boiled or sauteed chicken topped with veggies, and a side of mashed potatoes, if you prefer.
Image: MG Meal Appeal
8. Bananas
Eat one banana daily if you are a woman looking to start a family at the earliest. Banana is among the popular fertility foods that balance the pregnancy and sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen. These hormones are needed for the production of a healthy egg. Banana is a rich source of Vitamin B6, which facilitates the hormones needed for pregnancy.
9. Eggs
If you like eggs, then you are going to have little trouble conceiving. A rich source of Vitamin D, egg is a natural fertility boosting food that enhances your ovulation function. Eggs are a great breakfast option. So make sure you have a egg a day for breakfast with your toast.
These fertility foods work wonders in boosting your chances of getting pregnant in the first six months. Make them a part of your daily diet.
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