What To Eat On The Fertility Diet

 

                                    (Photo credit: Shecares.com)

Many women struggle with getting pregnant due to several factors including age and fertility. In 1976, researchers performed a study on female patients between the ages of 30-55. The study required the women to adjust their diets in a way that increased ovulation thus improving their chances of getting pregnant. The diet focused on consuming plant proteins, whole grains, and "good" fats which improved the patient's egg supply. The females who stuck to a diet of red meat, soda, and "bad" fats showed a higher risk of infertility by producing fewer eggs. 

How To Follow The Fertility Diet

The diet is backed by research with 10-steps that help boost fertility especially, in women who suffer from fibroids, ovulation disorders, damaged fallopian tubes, polycystic ovary syndrome (POS), uterine polyps, immune disorders, and endometriosis. The goal of the fertility diet is to stick to plant-based proteins, healthy fats, whole milk, and whole grains daily. Replace red meat with fatty fish, beans, eggs, full-fat dairy products, and nuts for your sources of protein. Here is a sample idea of what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks on the fertility diet. 

Breakfast:

Coffee

Oatmeal

Blueberries

Whole-wheat toast

Whole milk

Lunch: 

Green tea

Salad with legumes and vegetables

Boneless, skinless chicken breast

Cauliflower rice

Snacks:

Yogurt with fruit 

Frozen bananas with honey

Raw vegetables and hummus

Tofu

Dinner:

Salmon, tuna, cod, tilapia fillets

Chili-lime shrimp

Chicken or turkey

Spinach, tomatoes, beets, peas, beans

You can still go out to eat at restaurants without worry on the fertility diet. It's best to eat a light snack before you go out to prevent making poor choices and overeating. Grab a full-fat string cheese, grapes, or snack on some edamame 30-60 minutes before. At restaurants, search the menu for roasted vegetables. You'll want to make sure they aren't smothered in sauces or vegetable oils. Avoid fried foods and dessert. 

This is not a starvation diet as your three meals and two snacks per day should total up to 2,000 calories. What makes this diet great is the fact that there is a high chance you will stick with it during and after your pregnancy.