Drinking, no raw seafood and no soft cheeses are some of the big no-nos when you are expecting, but how good are women at eating healthy foods before they become pregnant? More than 7500 women were asked to fill out questionnaires about their dietary habits during the three months around conception and the results showed that their dietary quality is often not what is recommended. About 34% of the women consumed empty calories from sugar-sweetened beverages, pasta, and grain deserts.
Boosting your diet quality
Research has shown that pre-conception nutrition is an important step in boosting fertility. Iron, folate and vitamin c are three important vitamins and minerals that can help boost your fertility. However, the main sources that many women use to get these vitamins and minerals are juices and whole grain bread. According to experts, women looking to conceive should switch to whole grains, vegetables, peas, beans and seafood that doesn’t contain high levels of mercury.
If you are planning to conceive, here are 8 fertility-boosting foods that will open the door for a healthy pregnancy.
Dairy
Saturated fat is great for conception. According to a study, women who include full-fat lactic based products in their meals experience less ovulation problems. Dairy products like milk and heavy cheese are also rich in other nutrients like vitamins A, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin K2.
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How to add dairy to your diet: You can add dairy to your diet by including full-fat cream milk in your regular diet. If you eat yogurt, replace the low-fat yogurt with a full-fat yogurt.
RELATED: Having Trouble Conceiving? Here Are 7 Options For Fertility Treatment
Tomatoes
It takes two to conceive right? Well, that’s were tomatoes come in handy. Research published in Asian Journal of Andrology’s article Lycopene and Male Infertility, shows that a nutrient called lycopene works great in boosting male fertility by improving semen health. This power-packed antioxidant can be found in tomatoes.
How to add tomatoes to your diet: All tomatoes contain lycopene, but you get double the quantity if you cook your tomatoes. There are so many ways to incorporate cooked tomatoes into your diet including soup and sauces.
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are great at boosting fertility for both males and females because they contain polyamine putrescine, a compound that helps improve the sperm quality in males and egg’s potential to conceive in females.
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How to add citrus fruits to your diet: Fruits are best and most productive when they are fresh. Try adding them to your salad or throwing them in a smoothie.
Beans and legumes
Lentils, legumes and beans are packed with fiber that works well to treat hormonal imbalance. They also contain polyamine spermidine, which helps fertilize the egg. Additionally, if you need protein, they are a much healthier alternative than meat.
How to add beans and legumes to your diet: Beans can easily be incorporated into your diet as
