When a couple makes the decision to have children, time seems to slow down. And suddenly, all they want is to see a positive pregnancy test result. Sometimes it’s fast, other times it takes longer than you’d like. Unfortunately, there is no right formula, but food can really help.

Conclusion from work done by Harvard University, which has been revised and updated and published In the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Although the research authors assert that there are no magic formulas, there is in fact a connection between certain foods and a reduced frequency of infertility. What we eat can also help the success of treatments such as IVF.

Fertility-friendly foods

Fatty fish (tuna and salmon)
– nuts
– soybean
Fish oil
– oysters
– birds
– All the grains
– Fruits and vegetables

These foods are associated with increased fertility in women and in men’s semen quality. Researchers also suggest that a folic acid supplement can help prevent neural tube defects (birth defects of the brain, spine, and spinal cord).

Foods that harm fertility

– cheese
– yolk
Vitamin D fortified cereal (unless you are deficient in Vitamin D)
Antioxidant Supplements

The researchers added that foods once considered harmful to fertility, such as dairy and soy, are now forgotten — and there is no way to guarantee they are linked to fertility problems. The same goes for alcohol and caffeine.

* Article published in 2018 and updated on November 9, 2022.