Fertility Nutrition: What to Eat When Trying to Conceive

Is there a best diet for fertility?

No single diet is guaranteed to improve fertility, but research suggests that overall dietary quality matters.

Studies have linked Mediterranean-style eating patterns with favourable reproductive outcomes. Emerging research also suggests that diets with greater inflammatory potential may be associated with infertility, while Mediterranean-style eating has also been linked with better sperm parameters.

What does this look like on your plate? Plenty of vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and fish, with smaller amounts of red and processed meat and processed foods.

The focus is on your overall eating pattern rather than individual fertility superfoods.

Five nutrition basics that matter

Eat enough to support reproductive health

Eating too little can affect reproductive hormones and ovulation. Low energy availability, particularly when combined with high levels of exercise, can disrupt menstrual cycles and make conception more difficult.

Rather than following restrictive diets, aim for regular, satisfying meals that provide enough energy and nutrients to meet your body’s needs.

Choose carbohydrates that nourish

Carbohydrates aren’t the enemy when trying to conceive!

Whole grains provide fibre, vitamins and minerals that support metabolic health and blood glucose regulation. This is particularly relevant for people with insulin resistance, which can affect reproductive hormones and ovulation. Emerging research also links higher-quality carbohydrate intake with favourable fertility treatment outcomes, although evidence remains limited.

Choose oats, quinoa, brown rice, wholewheat pasta and wholegrain bread more often. There’s no need to eliminate refined carbohydrates entirely.

Hit your 5 a day

Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help protect cells from oxidative stress, which can affect egg and sperm function. Emerging research links higher dietary antioxidant intake with favourable reproductive outcomes.

Different colours provide different nutrients and protective plant compounds. Green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are also rich in folate, which supports normal cell division and early foetal development.

Aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, including a variety of colours.

Don’t forget your healthy fats

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), support normal cell function and help regulate inflammatory processes. Some studies suggest that higher omega-3 intake may be associated with improved embryo quality and assisted reproduction outcomes, as well as improved pregnancy and fertilisation rates.

Oily fish, including salmon, sardines and trout, provide EPA and DHA directly. Aim for one to two portions of fish weekly (at least one oily) when trying to conceive.

Walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds provide plant-based omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid), although conversion to EPA and DHA is limited.

Feed your gut microbiome

Your gut microbiome plays an important role in immune and metabolic health, and emerging research suggests it may also be linked to fertility. For example, lower gut microbial diversity has been associated with infertility.

Support your gut microbiome with fibre-rich vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Aim for around 30g of fibre daily. Fermented foods, including live yoghurt and kefir, can also contribute beneficial microorganisms.

Three fertility food myths to forget

Myth 1: You need to cut out gluten

Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Despite online claims, there’s no convincing evidence that avoiding gluten improves fertility in people without coeliac disease or another gluten-related condition.

Unnecessary restriction may reduce fibre and micronutrient intake if suitable alternatives aren’t included. Unless medically indicated, there’s no need to avoid gluten.

Myth 2: You need to cut out dairy

Dairy is sometimes blamed for inflammation or hormonal disruption; however, research shows that dairy foods do not increase markers of chronic systemic inflammation, so you don’t need to avoid it for this reason.

Milk, yoghurt and cheese provide protein, calcium, iodine and B vitamins. Research suggests dairy may have anti-inflammatory properties. Observational studies have also linked dairy intake with slower declines in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve, and higher live birth rates following IVF.

Unless you have an allergy, intolerance or another reason to avoid dairy, it can form part of a fertility-supporting diet.

Myth 3: Seed cycling balances your hormones

Seed cycling is often suggested as a natural way to balance hormones, and it involves eating specific seeds during different phases of the menstrual cycle. While emerging research suggests potential benefits for menstrual health, there is insufficient high-quality evidence that seed cycling improves hormone balance, ovulation or fertility.

However, seeds are a nutritious addition to a fertility-supporting diet, providing healthy fats, fibre, zinc, vitamin E and antioxidants. Some research has also linked higher nut and seed consumption with improved fertility outcomes in men, although this does not establish cause and effect.

Enjoy a variety of seeds regularly, but there’s no need to match them to your menstrual cycle to benefit from their nutrients.

Focus on consistency

When it comes to fertility nutrition, the basics matter. Eating enough, enjoying varied plant foods, choosing nourishing carbohydrates, and including healthy fats can support reproductive health.

Forget rigid food rules and fertility superfoods. Focus on sustainable changes that work for you, and enjoy your food along the way.