We all know that our diet is a very important factor when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but many of us are not aware of the significant impact our diet has on our body’s natural functions, fertility being one of them. A common reason why a lot of women have trouble conceiving is due to a poor diet. A lot of research has been carried out on this topic and I am going to go through 6 super foods that are known to boost pregnancy chances. It is important to note here, that this is for the men amongst you as well. As the expression goes, it takes two to tango!

The first important superfood that should be included in your diet while trying to conceive are green vegetables, the darker the green the better! Vegetables like spinach, broccoli and Kale are rich in folate, which can help to improve sperm quality for the men and ovulation for the women. It is also beneficial to the baby as it is known to prevent birth defects and miscarriage.

Whole grain foods are another example of a great super food. Try to cut out white refined carbohydrates, such as white rice and white bread, as these raise your blood sugar levels, which essentially, messes up your reproductive system. Whole wheat pasta and rice and other complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, help to reduce your blood sugar levels as they release energy at a much slower rate, which in turn helps to increase your fertility.

Iron is one of the most important minerals to help boost fertility, therefore having a diet high in iron content is essential. One amazing superfood that has been described as helping to increase fertility by up to 40% are pumpkin seeds. You can find pumpkin seeds in many supermarkets now so I would highly recommend these as a daily snack or to sprinkle on salads.

Fish is my superfood number four, rich in protein and a wide selection of important oils, this has to be on the menu for those of you that are trying or even expecting. Salmon, for example is full of omega 3 fatty acids, which help tremendously with hormone regulation and good healthy blood flow.

My fifth superfood for fertility is full fat dairy. Try to avoid the reduced fat dairy as this is not as beneficial. It is a good idea to drink a large glass of full fat milk a day to improve your bone strength and overall fertility levels. So you now have a good excuse to eat ice cream without feeling guilty!

My last superfood, but certainly not least, is beta-carotene. If you have problems with unbalanced hormones, beta-carotene, which can be found in many fruits and vegetables, is your perfect match. This is also known to help decreases any chance of a miscarriage. Carrots, oranges and any other orange or yellow coloured fruit or vegetable have high levels of this magic superfood.

If you consider adding these super foods into your daily diets, you and your partner will almost definitely have a much better chance of conceiving in the near future.

About this article: This article has been written by Mary Murphy, the communications manager for Irish based website www.eumom.ie – Ireland’s largest online community website for mothers with over 100,000 members. The website publishes regular articles on pregnancy and also features a section with advice on getting pregnant. Feel free to visit the website and join our happy community – www.eumom.ie

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