Boost your fertility naturally : 10 best foods

By Bernadette Jastrebski, Integrative Nutrition Coach, written in France for Familles Santé Prévention

Are you looking to conceive a baby, or just regulate your cycle to feel better? Would you like to make up for the deficiencies caused by one or more pregnancies? Here’s a short guide to the most effective foods to nourish your body in preparation for pregnancy, maintain a fit pregnancy, or make up for existing deficiencies.

These deficiencies may be due to your lifestyle, which has not allowed you to eat properly. It can also be the result of a previous pregnancy, during which your baby drew heavily on your body’s nutritional reserves. And baby helps herself, whether your body is well nourished… or not! After pregnancy, it’s a good idea to work on making up for deficiencies to feel better and avoid troublesome symptoms such as post-partum depression. It’s also essential to give yourself every chance of conceiving another baby in the best possible health conditions for both mother and child.

For male and female fertility

Note that this little guide is valid for both the father and the mother, because foods that boost female fertility in terms of oocyte quality, fertilization chances and future fetal health also boost male fertility in terms of sperm quality and motility.

This article is part of a strategy for pregnancy preparation. But that’s not all. Pregnancy preparation is important to increase your chances of conception and an optimal pregnancy outcome.

Here is a list of fertility “superfoods”.[1] :

Quality eggs, poultry or bovine liver, offal, meat (especially red meat), meat broths, oily fish, seafood, dairy products, fermented products, fruit and vegetables.

Eggs

Choose wisely: free-range, organic, for better quality and greater nutritional potential!

Eggs are the richest food and the one that will help your fertility the most! It’s no coincidence that our children begin life as eggs!

It is the food with the highest concentration of certain nutrients essential for fertility:

• Choline, a relative of vitamin B. You can meet 2/3 of your daily choline requirements with just two eggs a day. Choline is essential for early fetal development, neural tube closure and the cognitive development of tiny babies. You’ll need them before, during and after pregnancy!
• Eggs are also rich in omega-3 (DHA), important for embryo formation and fetal development.
• Eggs are also rich in folic acid, vitamin B, zeaxanthin and minerals. Lutein in particular is better absorbed from eggs than from other foods. It is important in the luteal phase of the cycle.

Liquid yellow!

Most of the egg’s most important nutrients are in the yolk, especially the heat-sensitive omega-3s! Whenever possible, keep the yolk liquid!

DID YOU KNOW? While scientific literature recommends around 300 mg / day of omega 3 DHA, a recent study shows that a dosage of 1000 mg / day would be optimal for preventing premature births.[2]

Quality counts: A conventionally farmed egg is said to contain 220 mg of omega 3, compared with three times that amount in an egg from a free-range hen![3].

The liver

It’s nicknamed “nature’s multivitamin”.

Liver is the richest food in zinc, iron, B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin A (retinol, anti-fertility), choline, copper, vitamin K2 and vitamin E.

• Zinc is essential for male and female fertility[4].
• In particular, folate is important for the prevention of congenital malformations. It is completely absorbed through liver consumption, whereas it is poorly absorbed in dietary supplements, especially in its chemical form. Other nutrients present in the liver also facilitate the absorption and utilization of folate. Note: Avoid purchasing supplements with “folic acid” which is poorly acid in its chemical form.
• Moreover, liver is rich in vitamin B12, which has a positive impact on sperm quality, sperm speed and DNA damage prevention. It helps prevent neural tube defects, infertility and miscarriage.
• It is rich in CoQ10, good for preventing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)[5].

Note

The reason real food nourishes us better than supplements is simply that the nutrients work synergistically in the food they’re in! Often, the dose of vitamin x, y, or z that a food contains is ultimately unimportant, as its effect in the food is far greater, even for a lower dose[6]. It’s the totality of the food that’s important!

Daily dose

About 100g or 3.5 oz of liver per day. Of course, you can’t eat ALL the best recommended foods at their daily dose; they often complement each other.

Note: I promise you my recipe for poultry liver pâté, chicken and port in the coming weeks!

You don’t like liver?

Look for a dietary supplement based on real liver to replace it. As a consumer for the past 3 years, before, during and after pregnancy, I have nothing but praise for this product. In Europe, I’ve only found the German brand Carnivoro making them.

Like liver, organ meats are also very rich and good for preparing for and maintaining pregnancy[7].

For example, beef heart is richer in CoQ10 than liver. As for vitamin A in offal (retinol), Nichols and Hendrickson-Jack assure us not to worry too much about it, as the effects of other nutrients in offal and retinol-rich foods would counterbalance the dangers of vitamin A on children. Only vitamin A, in very large, plant-based quantities, is thought to be responsible for fetal problems.[8]

Meat

Meat in general is rich in proteins, B vitamins, minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, amino acids important for fertility that are not present in sufficient quality in plants: glycine, taurine, glycine L-carnitine, creatine and others:

• Glycine in particular accumulates in oocytes, and is important for oogenesis.
• L-Carnitine is an antioxidant that helps burn fat, improves egg and sperm quality and is important for the thickness of endometrial tissue.
• Creatine: important for body tissues that need energy, such as reproductive organs. Important for sperm (speed and ability to fertilize the ovum), ovulation, plancenta function and fetal development.
• Of course, iron and zinc are very important for general health and fertility.
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12, important in preventing neural tube defects in babies.

Bone broths and tougher cuts of meat, suitable for slow-cooked, simmered dishes.

If you buy roasted chickens from time to time, or keep poultry bones in your freezer, you can make bone broth out of them! You’ll gain many essential nutrients! These include glycine and glutamine, which help digestive problems, aid nutrient absorption and restore hormonal balance. Try to buy quality pieces for added nutrition.

Oily fish and seafood

Rich in : Omega 3 (DHA), selenium, zinc, iodine, vitamins D, B6, B12, and good for baby’s health: his brain, his eyes!

• Omega 3 is important for early fetal development. For men, it is important for sperm quality and motility.
• Zinc is important for regulating insulin and thyroid hormones. This is especially important if you’ve been on the pill for more than 2 years.
• Seafood is rich in vitamin B12, selenium, zinc and copper, all of which play a vital role in regulating the female cycle, particularly post-partum. Crustaceans in particular (mussels, oysters, shellfish) and molluscs are to seafood what red meat is to meat: the richest in essential nutrients.
• You need iodine to conceive. The smallest shellfish is the least contaminated with mercury.

Did you know? Iodine is present in iodized salt, YES, but evaporates easily during storage and after stocks have been opened. It’s best to use sea salt, seaweed and seafood to satisfy your iodine requirements.

Dairy products

Dairy products are widely promoted for their nutritional value. In all their forms, they contain a wealth of essential nutrients. That’s why the medical world has been recommending them for decades, particularly in the USA, to poor families who can’t afford a varied diet.

Yet many people’s digestive systems are unable to cope with them. Why? Because of its high lactose content, which many people can’t digest, but also because of the types of protein contained in milk, particularly cow’s milk.[9] If you’re a vegetarian, dairy products can be an important source of essential nutrients. This makes it all the more important to eat high-quality products!

The conditions under which dairy products are beneficial: [10]

• Dairy products from cows are beneficial IF the cows are raised on pasture, their products are organic, and if they are not fed grains (corn and soy, often the case in the USA). Milk from these cows is richer in good fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Their vitamin levels are generally 20% higher, according to American studies.

• Eat whole foods! The fat-soluble vitamins in dairy products are found in fats, so low-fat products are of little benefit to your health (Vitamins A, D, E and K2). Don’t worry about cholesterol, which is essential for optimal hormone levels and the quality of your eggs![11]

• Unpasteurized, non-homogenized. It’s a rather controversial aspect, but you should know that products are more digestible and better assimilated if they contain the enzymes naturally present in raw milk.[12] If you prefer to avoid raw milk or can’t find it around you, raw milk cheese is also a good option for benefiting from fat-soluble nutrients!

Small animals

Dairy products from small animals such as goat and sheep[13] are generally easier to digest than cow’s milk products. As smaller animals, they also contain fewer inflammatory growth factors for humans (cow’s milk contains IG2 and goat’s and sheep’s milk IG1). Their composition is closer to that of human mother’s milk. Consumption of these products may therefore be better suited to your fertility, of course under the same quality conditions.

Fermented products

Fermentation is the oldest form of preservation. Thanks to the enzymes and bacteria developed by fermentation, food is easier to digest and certain nutrients are multiplied. That’s why the digestibility of yogurts and cheeses, butter and crème fraîche is generally higher than that of milk (especially if pasteurized and homogenized) – even if the fat content makes them heavy quite quickly!

There are many fermented products, and you can learn to make them yourself: all you need is a little sea salt and a few jars!

Sourdough digests wheat gluten and phytic acid in the grain, a barrier to the assimilation of nutrients. It changes the carbohydrate structure and reduces the glycemic index of bread.

Sauerkraut is a fermented food! Eat it without heating it, and you’ll get more bacteria, good for your digestive health!

You’ve heard of cheese, kimchi and kombucha, of course, but there are many other ways to consume fermented foods!

Fruits

Of course, fruit contains lots of vitamins and fibre, and satisfies your sweet tooth! They’re also essential for complete nutrition! Eat them in season, and preferably organic. However, a non-organic fruit is better than no fruit at all! Don’t forget that even fresh fruit juice with the pulp will never be equal to fresh fruit, chewed (thanks to the enzymes in your mouth) and digested more slowly than liquid food!

Vegetables

Like fruit, vegetables are also rich in fibre, minerals and vitamins. Prebiotic fibers are the favorite food of good bacteria! Don’t forget it. Eat them as uncooked as possible, as overcooking destroys vitamins and fibers! Also, a gentle cooking method like steam cooking will be optimal to keep nutritional benefits of your foods the best.

References

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[1] This article is largely inspired from a book written by two US nutrition and fertility specialists, Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson Jack “Real Food For Fertility” (2024). It’s very complete. For Anglophiles who’d like to check it out, here’s the link.

[2] Summary: A high daily dose of DHA during pregnancy influences the maternal immune system and may help reduce the risk of premature birth. See Valentine CJ et al. Higher-dose DHA supplementation modulates immune responses in pregnancy and is associated with decreased preterm birth. . Nutrients DOI: 10.3390/nu13124248 (2021)

[3] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pastured-vs-omega-3-vs-conventional-eggs#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4

[4] Garner, T.B., et al. “Role of zinc in female reproduction.” Biology of Reproduction 104(5) (2021): 976-994; Fallah, A., et al. “Zinc is an essential element for male fertility: a review of Zn roles in men’s health, germination, sperm quality, and fertilization.” Journal of Reproduction & Infertility 19(2) (2018): 69.

[5] Zhang T, He Q, Xiu H, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Chen Z, Hu H. Efficacy and Safety of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Reprod Sci. 2023 Apr;30(4):1033-1048. doi: 10.1007/s43032-022-01038-2. Epub 2022 Aug 8. PMID: 35941510. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35941510/

[6] Jacobs DR Jr, Gross MD, Tapsell LC. Food synergy: an operational concept for understanding nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1543S-1548S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736B. Epub 2009 Mar 11. PMID: 19279083; PMCID: PMC2731586. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2731586/

[7] For more information in French: https://www.saveursetvie.fr/actualite/les-abats-des-aliments-a-reintroduire-dans-lalimentation-des-personnes-agees/

[8] Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson Jack “Real Food For Fertility” (2024). Thoene, M., et al. “Effect of maternal retinol status at time of term delivery on placental retinol concentration, intrauterine transfer rate, and newborn retinol status.” Biomedicines 8(9) (2020): 321.

[9] Jianqin, S., et al. “Effects of milk containing only A2 beta casein versus milk containing both A1 and A2 beta casein proteins on gastrointestinal physiology, symptoms of discomfort, and cognitive behavior of people with self-reported intolerance to traditional cows’ milk.” Nutrition Journal 15(1) (2015): 35.

[10] Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson Jack “Real Food For Fertility” (2024), chapter 4.

[11] Huang, Q., et al. “The effects of cholesterol metabolism on follicular development and ovarian function.” Current Molecular Medicine 19(10) (2019): 719-730.

[12] Furthermore, farms that sell unpasteurized and non-homogenized milk are often subject to much higher safety standards than conventional farms. Berge, A.C., and T. Baars. “Raw milk producers with high levels of hygiene and safety.” Epidemiology & Infection 148 (2020).

[13] Roy D, Ye A, Moughan PJ, Singh H. Composition, Structure, and Digestive Dynamics of Milk From Different Species-A Review. Front Nutr. 2020 Oct 6;7:577759. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.577759. PMID: 33123547; PMCID: PMC7573072.