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Did you know that some foods help those who want to get pregnant ? This is the “fertility diet”, which was initially described by researchers at Harvard Medical School . These foods to get pregnant benefit the female and male reproductive system, which can favor pregnancy. What makes these foods important is the wealth of vitamins they have.
In the research article , it is highlighted that the foods usually known as fertility foods such as oysters, ginseng, seaweed or yams , could not be recognized as the most important foods to get pregnant since the true fertility foods do part of a broader group.
Vitamins and Minerals That Help Fertility?
The scientists evaluated which substances are most important for the bodies of men and women in terms of fertility and identified the corresponding foods that are rich in those vitamins and minerals. Understand which foods and their important substance through the following table:
| Vitamin or Mineral | Food |
|---|---|
| Folic acid | Broccoli, spinach, citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables |
| Ferro | beans, dark green leafy vegetables and cereals |
| Vitamin A | Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, balanced dairy products with low fat content and eggs |
| Vitamin B | Dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, cereals, milk and preferably lean cheeses |
| Vitamin B6 | Lean meats, eggs and legumes (chickpeas, peas, beans, lentils) |
| Vitamin B12 | Lean meats, eggs and dairy products |
| C vitamin | Citrus fruits and dark green leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin E | Whole grains and vegetable oils (canola, sunflower, corn, extra virgin olive oil) |
| Zinc | Seafood and oilseeds |
| Selenium | Oil seeds (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, chestnuts) |
The Fertility Diet study was carried out over eight years and was supported by 18,000 women who revealed 10 food suggestions that help with fertility for the Nurse’s Health Study . It is a long-term study that looks at the effects of diet and other factors on the development of chronic diseases.
IMPORTANT: According to research conducted by the University of Rochester, in the United States, there are some food strategies that can be consumed or avoided in order to circumvent infertility.
Primary Recommendations in the Diet of Those Who Want to Get Pregnant
Avoid trans fats : fried foods, processed foods full of sodium and sugar should be avoided as much as possible in the diet.
Prefer vegetable proteins : consume mainly beans, oilseeds, dark green leafy vegetables, especially broccoli, among others. Ideally, more plant proteins are consumed than animals.
A glass of whole milk : dairy products are recommended, but always if they are consumed in balance, in the case of whole milk, the recommendation is only one glass a day.
Healthy weight : many women believe that having a lean body favors pregnancy, but not quite, the woman should not be too overweight for her structure and should not be underweight, which can also impair fertility .
Complementary Tips
Bet on acupuncture : according to research carried out by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the practice of acupuncture is able to improve the mobility of sperm in the ovaries.
Green tea : the powerful antioxidant action of green tea is able to combat what is called oxidative stress, the result of oxygen molecules that are dispersed in the body that can cause damage to both eggs and sperm.
Sexual intercourse in the fertile period : generally the period of ovulation occurs 14 days before menstruation , in this period the ideal is to have sexual intercourse every other day, which increases the quantity of sperm.
Avoid caffeine as much as possible : coffee or the presence of caffeine in greater quantities in some drinks can be harmful, increasing the chances of a miscarriage . Another factor in relation to caffeine is that it stimulates the production of hormones that awaken the state of attention, as is the case of adrenaline, which can cause increased anxiety, which is not welcome in cases of women who are trying to get pregnant.
Complex Carbohydrates Help You Get Pregnant
Complex carbohydrates are those that take the longest to digest. They can help a woman get pregnant faster. On the other hand there are simple carbohydrates that are digested quickly and that instantly turn into blood sugar like white bread, rice, potatoes, sugar or soft drinks.
IMPORTANT: Simple carbohydrates do not help with conception.
Complex carbohydrates are present in foods such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta and bread or sweet potatoes . Another advantage of the consumption of complex carbohydrates is that due to the richness in fibers and because they take longer to digest, they prevent glycemic peaks, which mainly favor the onset or worsening of diabetes cases during pregnancy .
What is usually recommended is a change in habits when the woman is already pregnant, but what scientific research around the world has pointed out is that women who want a pregnancy, need to include foods with high value in the diet nutritional, quality, which in addition to favoring various aspects of health, are also foods that help with fertility.
See also: Tea to Get Pregnant
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
