What foods should I avoid for fertility?
7 Food Products to Avoid When Trying to Get Pregnant
Trying to get pregnant can be a frustrating experience for at least 1 in 8 couples who suffer from infertility. Fortunately, there are several medical treatments, like IVF and egg freezing, to help couples struggling with infertility get pregnant. When seeking fertility treatments it is very important to change your diet and eat foods that boost your fertility. There are certain foods that you definitely want to avoid all together or consume in minimal moderation. Here are 10 foods you want to avoid for fertility.
7 Foods to Avoid When Seeking Fertility Treatments
- Fried Fast Foods (Trans Fat):
Most fast food restaurants fry their food in vegetable oil which contains high levels of trans fat. Trans fat can cause harm to your blood vessels, disrupting the flow of essential nutrients to the reproductive system. They also cause inflammation and insulin resistance, which are both bad for fertility. To make things worse, trans fat is also harmful for a guy’s fertility, as consuming a lot of trans fat decreases sperm count.
- White Bread
Insulin spiking white bread has a high-glycemic-index which causes blood sugar to rise. Rise in blood sugar may cause inflammation, modifies our hormones, and disrupts ovulation.
- Low Fat Milk
When it comes to dairy products and fertility, high fat is the way to go. A US study found that women who consumed dairy products like low fat milk more than twice a day had ovulatory disorder. Low fat milk may also contain androgens that interfere with menstrual cycles.
- Processed Meats
Deli lunch meat, hot dogs and even smoked meats are all processed. Which also makes them vulnerable to being contaminated with listeria.
A study that was published online August 5, 2015 in Fertility & Sterility, found that eating processed meats can harm a man’s ability to fertilize an egg.
- Coke
A Danish study found that males that consumed a little over a liter or more of coca cola caused harm to their sperm compared to those who did not consume coke.
Several studies have found both diet and regular coke to lower fertility. The effects coke and diet coke give with blood sugar spikes, inflammation and gastrointestinal tract bacteria changes caused by artificial sweeteners all contribute to increase in infertility.
- Raw Eggs
Consuming eggs when cooked properly are actually considered a lean protein, which is good for fertility. However, many people like to get their quick fix of protein by adding a raw egg into their shake. The danger in raw eggs and fertility come into play with the risk of salmonella and other infections. These infections that can come from consuming raw eggs can infect a fetus if it passes through the placenta.
- Brie Cheese
Unpasteurized soft cheeses, like brie, are high risk in containing listeria, which may cause a miscarriage.
Eating a healthy diet and watching caloric intake is very important when trying to conceive. Working with a professional fertility diet specialist or nutritionist can benefit your knowledge in what is safe to consume while trying to get or if you are pregnant.
