Whether you’re planning to start a family soon or have been trying to conceive for a while, one of the most powerful ways to support your fertility is through the food you eat. The right nutrition can help balance hormones, protect egg and sperm quality, and create the foundation for a healthy pregnancy.
While a wholefoods diet is a great place to start, there are certain nutrients and phytonutrients (natural compounds in food that support health) that play a particularly important role in reproductive health.
A Balanced Plate: Macronutrients Matter
Fertility thrives on a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. A Mediterranean-style diet, which is rich in plant-based foods and healthy fats, has been linked to improved fertility outcomes. This way of eating encourages more protein from plant sources like legumes, nuts, and seeds, as well as quality fish and small amounts of meat. Reducing red and processed meats while increasing plant proteins appears especially beneficial for female fertility. Healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and oily fish such as sardines and salmon are key. Complex carbohydrates should come from wholegrains and legumes to support blood sugar balance and hormone regulation.
Antioxidants: Protecting Egg and Sperm Health
Egg and sperm cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress—a process where free radicals in the body cause damage to cells, including reproductive cells. Free radicals are produced as a natural part of metabolism and through exposure to things like air pollution, pesticides, smoking, alcohol, and highly processed foods. As we age, our body’s natural antioxidant defences also decline, making dietary sources of antioxidants even more important.
Some of the most helpful antioxidants for fertility include vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, Coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, and resveratrol. You can get these from colourful fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, good quality meat and oily fish, and a small amount of good quality dark chocolate (look for options with low sugar content).
Foods That Support Hormone Balance
Your reproductive hormones need to be in balance to support ovulation, regular menstrual cycles, healthy sperm production, and libido. When hormones are out of balance, it can lead to symptoms like irregular cycles, short periods, low sperm counts, and difficulty conceiving. Certain nutrients help regulate, produce, and eliminate hormones properly. These include zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin D, and beneficial compounds like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. These can be found in foods such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds, eggs, walnuts, chia seeds, avocado, oily fish, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, and kale. Vitamin D is best obtained through safe sun exposure, but dietary sources help too.
Food is Fertility Medicine
Eating to support your fertility doesn’t have to be complicated or restrictive. It’s about nourishing your body with foods that support hormone balance, reduce oxidative stress, and create the right environment for conception. The bonus is that these same foods also support your overall health, mood, energy, and digestion.
If you’re preparing for pregnancy or want to better understand how your diet could support your fertility, I offer free 15-minute introductory calls to explore how I can help. You can book online at little-village.com.au, or get in touch via phone on 0452 348 108 or email hello@little-village.com.au. I’d love to support you on your journey.
In good health,
Lee x