THE BEST FOODS TO EAT IF YOU’RE TRYING TO FALL PREGNANT

Thinking about having a baby? Start eating these foods right now to boost your fertility and prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy.

SPINACH CONTAINS FERTILITY-BOOSTING FOLATE
All leafy green veggies contain folate/folic acid (also known as vitamin B9), which is essential during pregnancy for building healthy cells and preventing birth defects. It’s recommended that you increase your folic acid intake for at least a month before falling pregnant, so pack in the spinach and broccoli. Try to have at least two servings of leafy green veg every day.

MILK, YOGHURT AND CHEESE ARE CALCIUM-RICH
Dairy products provide you with calcium, needed by both men and women’s reproductive systems to function well. Calcium also aids conception by providing an alkaline environment, increasing the chances of the sperm reaching the egg. Three servings daily are good, and full-fat dairy products increase your chance of conceiving. Once you’re pregnant, calcium is needed for the baby’s bones and teeth.

LEAN BEEF, CHICKEN AND EGGS ARE GOOD SOURCES OF IRON AND PROTEIN
Iron is the transporter of oxygen in the body so every cell depends on a good supply. If you lack iron, your baby might be underweight or be born prematurely. Protein is often referred to as the building blocks of cells – it’s needed to repair cells and, of course, make the new ones that will become your baby.

CHICKPEAS, BEANS AND LENTILS ARE GREAT PLANT SOURCES OF PROTEIN AND FOLATE
Beans of all kinds (kidney, butter, black) and other plant-based proteins are a convenient, inexpensive and delicious way to get these nutritional benefits. They’re great in curries, stews, salads and mashed to make veggie burgers. Three portions daily of animal or plant protein, or a combination of the two, are recommended.

ORANGES ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF VITAMIN C
All citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, naartjies) are well known for their immune-boosting nutritional content, e.g. in fighting colds and flu. But they also contain calcium and assist fertility by increasing your ability to absorb iron from non-animal sources. Enjoy them daily as a drink (juice, or hot water and lemon) or added to salads, yoghurt or cereals.

SALMON, SARDINES, NUTS AND SEEDS CONTAIN OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
The ‘good’ fats! Some studies show enhanced fertility results, thought to be due to regulating the hormones that cause women to ovulate (produce eggs) and increase blood flow to the reproductive system. Another study did not show any benefits specific to falling pregnant, but all studies showed that omega-3s are beneficial during pregnancy and recovery from pregnancy. So including ‘fatty’ fish, nuts and seeds in your diet seem a good idea, especially as they’ll give your man’s fertility a boost too – they’ve been shown to improve sperm quality.

AVOID THESE FOODS TO INCREASE FERTILITY

Sugar – we’ve all heard that sugar isn’t good for us, but too many cakes, sweets and cool drinks might actually reduce your ability to fall pregnant.
Trans fats – these are the ‘bad’ fats so read labels carefully. They are found in baked goods, fried food and some kinds of margarine, and research at Harvard University in the USA showed that they increase the risk of developing ovulatory infertility (inability to produce eggs).
Caffeine – you don’t have to give up coffee completely but try to reduce your intake to one or two cups a day, as large amounts may cause a delay in falling pregnant.

Sources
https://www.whattoexpect.com/getting-pregnant/health-and-wellness/foods-to-enjoy/prepregnancy-diet.aspx
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-fertility-tips-to-get-pregnant
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/trans-fats-may-raise-risk-infertility