20 Foods To Boost Fertility Naturally

Looking for foods to boost fertility?

Whether you eat all the right things, or your diet needs a complete transformation, the foods you eat affect multiple aspects of your life…

And that includes your fertility health! It’s obvious that eating fried foods each day with hardly any fruits and vegetables in bad for your health.

If you’re serious about trying to conceive, the fried and sugary treats will not help you.

In fact, these types of foods can lower your likelihood of becoming pregnant.

Now matter what stage you are in of your fertility journey, it’s time for your diet to get an overhaul to improve your chances of conceiving.

Don’t worry it doesn’t have to be an overnight dramatic diet change.

Just add these 20 fertility foods to get pregnant faster!

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you click on them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Foods To Boost Fertility

1. Beans and lentils

Beans and lentils are densely packed with nutrients to aid fertility.

They combine a high amount of essential nutrients like iron, folic acid, and protein.

While many get confused between beans and lentils, the only difference is the size and shape.

Typically, beans are round and large in size and lentils are flat shaped and small.

Both beans and lentils are perfect for throwing in a salad, adding to a soup, or mixing in a pasta side dish.

If you’re unfamiliar with beans and lentils, here are some common examples:

Black beans
Chickpeas
Pinto beans
Beluga lentils
Great northern beans
Brown lentils
Green split peas
Navy beans
Yellow lentils
Kidney Beans

So what exactly can beans and lentils do for your fertility?

Beans and lentils are packed with folate. Folate is the same as folic acid. The only difference is folate is found naturally in foods, while folic acid is synthetic.

Getting enough folate or folic acid is recommended for women before conceiving a baby because it helps baby develop a proper working nervous system free of Neural Tube Defects.

Folate and the fiber in beans and lentils can also help balance hormone levels, while plant-based protein promotes a healthier ovulation.

Research shows that when animal-based proteins are replaced with plant-based proteins women are able to drop their risk of infertility due to anovulation by over 50%!

On top of potentially helping your future baby to develop properly, beans and lentils contain high amounts of polyamine spermidine that will help sperm fertilize an egg.

Here are some easy recipes with beans and lentils!

2. Berries

Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are considered to be “superfoods” for the body.

All three berries provide antioxidants, folate, and vitamin C to promote fetal growth, aid weight loss and balance hormones.

Blueberries, specifically contain the compound anthocyanin. This gives blueberries its rick purple-blue hue.

Research suggests this same compound can boost pregnancy rates in women going through infertility treatment.

This superfood berry also helps:

-Keep fallopian tubes clear

-Reduces cellular damage to eggs

-Keeps the uterine lining healthy to prepare for implantation

Here are some easy ways to add more berries to your fertility diet:

Overnight oats
Salad with toasted almonds, blueberries, grilled chicken, and feta cheese
Greek yogurt topped with berries and granola
Berry smoothie

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3. Avocados

Avocados offer high does of vitamin K and potassium, plus healthy fats.

While vitamin K helps your body process nutrients from other foods, potassium regulates blood pressure.

Foods to boost fertility like avocadoes help to improve the uterine lignin to increase the odds of implantation due to high amounts of vitamin E.

So slather avocados on toast, serve up some guacamole with chips, and even make ice cream with it with these fertility increasing foods.

4. Quinoa

Quinoa is a whole grain providing you with a great amount of protein, folic acid along with enough amino acids to rival meat.

The best benefit it provides for fertility is by being less acidic compared to other whole grains.

This lower acidic whole grain can help lower the acidity of cervical mucus to create a more hospitable environment for sperm to survive in.

Since it is a whole grain with tons of nutrients it’s a complex carb that holds blood sugar levels stead.

In turn, steady blood sugar levels help regulate periods.

Quinoa is also a powerful source of zinc. Zinc helps increase fertility by balancing hormones, maintaining follicular fluid levels, and help boost egg production.

Here’s one of my favorite recipes Mediterranean Quinoa Salad!

5. Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is one of the best foods to boost fertility!

According to nutritional experts, Greek yogurt is good for you! It contains a healthy amount of vitamin D and calcium which help ovary follicles mature.

Although more research needs to be done, the initial research suggests a connection between probiotics and fertility.

Probiotics are the good bacteria in your body preventing an overgrowth of bad bacteria.

An overgrowth of bad bacteria in the vagina can actually kill sperm, clumping them together and preventing them from fertilizing an egg.

In a 2015 study, researchers found bad bacteria introduced to mice caused a decrease in fertility.

But when probiotics were introduced the mice regained their normal fertility.

While this study was conducted with mice, it still holds promising results for human fertility rates.

My favorite way to eat Greek yogurt is with two tablespoons of flaxseed and a handful of blueberries.

6. Salmon

Out of all the fish, salmon is by far the heathiest! It contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and protein. Salmon is also low in mercury and contains anti-inflammatory properties.

This fatty fish offers the following benefits for fertility:

-DHA helps eye and brain development in babies

– Protein produces hormones essential for fertility

-Omega-3 promotes regular menses

-Vitamin D aids the growth of ovary cells

Here are some wonderful salmon recipes to give you some dinner ideas!

7. Asparagus

Asparagus contains over 50% of the daily total intake of folic, plus all of the daily total intake for vitamin K. But asparagus does one better, it contains the antioxidant glutathione.

Research found that the naturally occurring antioxidant glutathione promotes the reduction of oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress occurs when reactive oxygen and free radicals are overly present in the reproductive system.

This leads to the reproductive system having reduced nutrients.

When oxidative stress occurs it leads to a reduction in fertility by reducing the body’s ability to creative viable eggs.

Further research also shows oxidative stress increases the chances of miscarriage, birth defects, and developmental disabilities.

To reap the essential nutrients and lower oxidative stress, try and add in asparagus to your meals.

My favorite way to eat asparagus is to roast it with a little olive oil, salt, and lemon. It pairs perfectly with salmon!

8. Eggs

Eggs contain 6 grams of protein to help you start your day! But don’t skip the egg yolks to cut back on calories.

Egg yolks contain most of the essential nutrients in an egg. But what’s so great about eating eggs for fertility?

Egg yolks contain B vitamins and omega-3’s. The B vitamin folate can help a potential embryo attach to the uterine lining because it creates red blood cells during pregnancy.

Omega-3 fatty acids also help increase the health and development of an embryo after conception.

The simplest way to add more eggs to your diet is to eat eggs for breakfast. I don’t need to tell you how many egg recipes there are… There’s a million!

With that many things you can do with eggs, you have no excuse not to add more eggs to your diet to increase fertility. It’s one of the best fertility foods to get pregnant!

9. Dark leafy greens

When it comes to lettuce, always opt for dark colors! Dark leafy greens are full of essential vitamins for your fertility diet.

Not only do they aid in weight loss when consumed more often, they contain high amounts of folate (the natural form of folic acid). Folate is shown to improve ovulation.

But dark leafy greens also have another surprising benefit for women’s fertility… They increase libido!

So I guess if your sex life has gotten a little boring lately from trying to conceive a baby, eat a dark leafy salad to help get you in the mood!

Here’s some dark leafy greens to try for increased fertility:

-Spinach

-Romaine

-Arugula

-Broccoli

-Kale

-Swiss Chard

-Collard greens

-Cabbage

10. Almonds

Almonds are a fertility superfood! Not only do they taste great and can be added to almost anything, they help heart health by lowering cholesterol.

While that’s great for everyone, what exactly do they do for women who are trying to conceive?

They provide a substantial amount of vitamin E to….

-Regulate cervical mucus production

-Regulate hormones

-Help improve insulin resistance for women with PCOS

-Remove free radicals from the reproductive system

-Increase blood flow to the uterus

Just add a handful of these foods to boost fertility!

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11. Liver

Yes, you read that right… Liver! Especially cow’s liver is loaded with vitamin A.

Vitamin A is responsible for helping eggs mature and aiding follicles in producing hormones to help fertilize an egg.

Liver also contains these essential fertility vitamins:

Iron- will help prevent miscarriages and anemia
Vitamin B12- helps make red blood cells and DNA
Choline- protects against birth defects like cleft lip and neural tube defects

Don’t worry, if you’re not a fan of eating liver, there are plenty of other foods to boost fertility on this list to help you conceive in no time!

But if you do love eating liver, HERE are some recipes to try!

12. Oysters

Oysters are not on the menu for many people. But if your love life is lacking lately from TTC, oysters may be the perfect appetizer before a romantic dinner to get you in the mood.

Oysters are a well known aphrodisiac.

Foods to boost fertility like oysters increase sexual desire.

But oysters are not just one of the fertility foods to get pregnant because of it’s aphrodisiac effect, it offers essential vitamins for fertility as well.

Although increasing sexual desire is a plus to TTC couples, oysters contain the following vitamins and minerals for fertility:

-Vitamin B12 (408% over the daily recommendation)

-Zinc (188% over the daily recommendation)

-Selenium (187% over the daily recommendation)

-Iron (43% of the daily recommendation)

Oysters are typically eaten raw on a half shell. However, you can bake them as well with THIS recipe.

13. Walnuts

I’m allergic to walnuts so I never indulged in them for my fertility health. But if you’re not allergic, walnuts are one of the best foods that increase fertility!

Walnuts contain a sufficient amount of omega-3, plus a good amount of magnesium.

Magnesium is responsible for regulating muscle function, regulating blood sugar levels, and helping to make protein, bone, and DNA.

But what does magnesium do for your fertility? It helps increase blood flow to your uterus and helps to produce progesterone.

Although I don’t have many recommendations for how to add more walnuts to your fertility foods diet, I’ve heard they are great as a salad topping (just remember the dark leafy greens).

14. Pineapple

Ever wondered why you see pineapple as a symbol related to fertility treatment?

It’s a long held belief that eating the core of a pineapple.

Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain which has been shown to aid in the implantation of an embryo.

According to Reproductive Sciences, pineapple contains anti-inflammatory properties, bromelain and beta carotene.

All three of which are capable of decreasing inflammation in the body to help aid conception.

While there’s no concreate science behind whether pineapple can help you conceive, there’s no harm in testing the theory out.

To use pineapple for increasing implantation, always consume pineapple after ovulation.

Consuming too much pineapple before ovulation increases the acidity of your cervical mucus making it an inhospitable environment for sperm.

Normally, pineapple is consumed the day after ovulation, IUI, or IVF embryo transfer up until a positive pregnancy or the start of your period. The best way to go about eating pineapple is to buy a fresh whole pineapple and split the core into five pieces. Consume one piece each day for the next five days.

The bromelain inside the core of the pineapple is thought to increase the chances of implantation because it is a natural blood thinner that promotes more blood flow to the uterus.

Now, pineapple cores are very chewy and are not enjoyable to eat! But if the enzyme bromelain can help you conceive than why not?!

On a side note, remember to always eat fresh pineapple and not canned pineapple!

Canned pineapple has been heated before canning which destroys bromelain.

15. Cinnamon

Who doesn’t love cinnamon in cookies or on top of pumpkin pie?! Cinnamon is more than just a garnish spice however.

It is one of the best and easiest fertility increasing foods to add to your diet!

For women with PCOS, cinnamon is shown to decrease uterine fibroids, promotes a regular menstrual cycle and even helps aid weight loss.

While you could indulge in a dozen Snickerdoodle cookies to get your daily dose of cinnamon for fertility, you might want to stick to the healthier ways of consuming cinnamon.

Here are some healthy alternative options for you!

-Ground cinnamon sprinkled over warm whole milk before bed

-Daily dose of cinnamon spice supplement

-Sprinkle cinnamon over oatmeal for breakfast

-Try a tincture added to your water for extra flavor

Always remember to discuss supplements with your healthcare provider before consuming. Cinnamon offers many benefits to your health, but for some people cinnamon may pose issues especially for those on blood thinning medication and individuals with ulcers.

16. Beets

Personally not one of my favorite healthy foods to eat… But beets serve as one of the best foods that increase fertility!

While there’s many ways to eat beets, it’s recommended to drink 300 mls of beetroot juice.

Beetroot juice aids implantation because it contains nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has the amazing ability to provide the body with rick oxygenated blood that travels to the ovaries and uterus. It is theorized that some women suffer from a “cold uterus.”

Essentially, this means the uterus is lacking a sufficient amount of oxygenated blood for an embryo to implant and to keep a pregnancy. So how do you avoid a “cold uterus”?

Try some of the following ways to add more beets to your diet:

-Use a juicer to make beetroot juice

-Slice or shred beets into your salad

-Bake them (whole or sliced)

-Make beet chips

17. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are root vegetable chalk full of B vitamins and is a high source of vitamin A.

Studies have shown that a lack of vitamin A or vitamin A deficiency causes secondary infertility.

While this is only proven in animal studies, it’s worth increasing your vitamin A intake if you’re trying to conceive a child.

On top of massive amounts of vitamin A, sweet potatoes contain a high dose of iron.

Iron deficiency, also known as anemia can cause infertility in women.

Research has found that increasing your iron intake reduces ovulatory infertility (issues related to ovulation) making it on the top of my own fertility increasing foods list!

Although I love sweet potato pie, I love baked sweet potato fries even more! HERE’S a great recipe for sweet potato fries!

18. Bee pollen

There are three types of sources related to this fertility superfood, bee pollen, bee propolis, and royal jelly.

All of which are made from bees. Many people believe all three bee products contain essential fertility boosting nutrients.

But what does research say about bee products and fertility?

A 2007 research study from Japan found royal jelly helps balance hormones by mimicking estrogen in the body.

Another study from Fertility and Sterility found women who took 500 mg’s of bee propolis twice a day for a 9 month period became pregnant compared to women who didn’t take bee propolis.

Bee pollen is typically found in the form of granules and can be added to yogurts, smoothies, and so much more.

Most women prefer to consume Royal Jelly in pill/supplement form. Bee propolis can be found either in supplement form or as honey.

Remember- While all three bee products can help with fertility, each of them are different.

For further research about the differences between the three read THIS article.

19. Maca

Maca is also known as Peruvian Ginseng and it’s native to the Andes mountains of Peru.

It’s been used for years as part of the fertility increasing foods diet to increase libido.

Lately, this vegetable root has gain popularity among the TTC community for helping to balance hormones. This is extremely beneficial to women with estrogen dominance.

Including maca in your diet could help balance your estrogen and progesterone.

Maca can be added to baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, and more.

While most consume maca in powder form, it’s also available in a tincture or capsule form.

20. Coconut

You either love it or you don’t… Personally, I love the taste of coconut.

While you could always overindulge in Almond Joys, coconut oil is one of the best foods that increase fertility!

Coconut oil is full of healthy fats that can actually help lower belly fat. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found women who consumed coconut oil regularly had less belly fat tissue compared to those who consumed olive oil.

Extra body weight, especially around the belly area can negatively affect fertility.

Coconut oil contains the following benefits to your fertility:

-Maintains a healthy pH balance for the vagina to help create a hospitable environment for sperm

-Helps keep steady blood sugar levels (too much insulin causes high testosterone levels that interrupt the menstrual cycle)

-Saturated fats in coconut oil help keep the thyroid functioning properly

Although you can use coconut oil as a natural lubricant in the bedroom while TTC, you can easily add coconut oil to your diet by replacing any other cooking oils you use (vegetable, olive, butter, etc.) with coconut oil.

Final Thoughts About Foods To Boost Fertility

I am a firm believer in the saying “You are what you eat.” Eat good nutritious food packed full of vitamins and your body will thank you… Along with your fertility health!

While you won’t become pregnant overnight just by changing your diet to include the above 20 superfoods, I do believe your body will be in better condition to get pregnant and maintain a pregnancy.

If you are doing fertility treatment, changing your diet is often the first step to improving your chances of implantation success after ICI, IUI, and IVF.

So what are you waiting for?! Add one or all 20 of the above foods to boost fertility today!