Fertility Diet: Foods to Avoid When Trying to Get Pregnant
A fertility diet provides nutrition for women who are trying to conceive. It works by making several changes in your routine diet and lifestyle. These changes include consuming certain foods that boost fertility, full-fat dairy products, and plant protein. At the same time, avoiding certain foods such as soda, trans-fat, etc.
When you plan to have a baby, you can’t predict the time when you’ll conceive. It is not easy for a young couple to have a child today because of stress and a hectic schedule, which is a major contributing factor in late conception. Also, not all couples can conceive at the first go, and many opt for different medical options.
In non-medical options, diet plays a vital role in conceiving. A healthy diet can boost your chances of fertility. However, most women are unaware of what to eat or avoid when trying to conceive. Thus, if you want to know what foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant, continue reading below.
1. Foods With High Sugar
If you’re one of those who can’t resist foods with high sugar, then this would be a tough thing to do, but you’ll have to change your eating ways. You must limit your consumption of foods with carbs and high sugar when you’re trying to conceive.
The refined sugar in sweet foods is exposed to a process that removes all nutrients vital to boost fertility. Sugar and carbs can spike the blood sugar in the body that’ll affect the ovaries, thus reducing your chance of conception.
In women who suffer from PCOS, high in carbs and sugar could cause hormonal imbalance.
2. Foods Rich in Trans-fat
Can’t resist cookies, cakes, fried foods, chips, and candies? But, you’ll have to part ways with such foods while trying to get pregnant. One research has proved that foods high in trans-fat are directly linked to infertility.
A mere 2 or 3% of trans-fat intake can impact fertility by up to 75%. These foods obstruct the production of insulin in the body, which affects the blood sugar level. It affects the ovaries and causes hormonal imbalance in the body. Intake of these foods can also affect body weight and increase cholesterol levels.
Avoid using cookies, cakes, fried foods, chips, and candies
3. Foods With Contaminants
Some types of fishes contain a high level of mercury, which can increase your chances of miscarriage. The types that you need to completely avoid are Shark, Swordfish, and Marlin.
You need to limit tuna to two servings a week. Limit oily fish and rock salmon to not more than two portions a week. You need to avoid red meat as it may reduce your chances of conception. And all of these temporary changes in your diet can help you to get positive results.
4. Foods With High Glycemic Index
Foods that are high in glycemic index can make your blood sugar spike, especially if you pair foods that cause a slowdown in the rise, which may affect your system. Blood sugar spikes or a high-level of insulin in the body causes hormonal imbalance, which will again reduce your chance of conceiving.
These foods cause inflammation in the body and impede the ovulation process. You can replace refined foods with slow-burning carb foods like – brown bread and brown rice. Combine these foods with healthy fats and fiber to boost your fertility.
Replace refined foods with slow-burning carb foods
Drink boiled water or filtered water
5. Unfiltered Water
Water is important for keeping your body hydrated and ensuring that your various bodily functions are functioning optimally.
Unfiltered water contains many chemicals, microbes in different forms, impurities, and other harmful contaminants. Drinking such water in large quantities can reduce salts from your body and cause blood pressure problems.
Thus, it is best to drink boiled water or filtered water when following a fertility diet.
6. Raw Foods
Green vegetables have all the important nutrients and minerals required for the body’s healthy functioning, which is why this may come as a revelation to women who follow a fertility diet.
While some veggies are great for this diet, raw veggies should be avoided. Raw veggies like radish and sprouts carry a form of bacteria that may affect your chances of conceiving.
Stick to a diet of freshly cooked foods. Well-cooked organic food is better than raw foods when you want to get pregnant. Also, avoid any raw foods (legumes, sprouts, meat) and unprocessed foods that may harm your body during this time.
7. Coffee
According to research, drinking coffee can affect the fertility rate of women. But that does not mean you have to give up on coffee, especially if you are a coffee addict. What you can do is limit your coffee intake to not more than one cup daily.
Drinking more than 200 mg of caffeine a day may increase the risk of miscarriage. Cutting down on coffee should be a part of your fertility diet if you’re trying your best to conceive. Energy drinks and certain sodas also have a high caffeine level, so you should completely avoid these drinks to stay safe.
8. Peas
You must not eat peas if you’re trying to conceive. A recent study has proved that women who eat peas have a lower rate of conception. It has certain chemicals and compounds that can obstruct the sperm from fertilizing the egg. Simply put, it acts as a natural contraceptive.
9. Alcohol
Stop drinking alcohol if you want to get pregnant. Consuming more than two drinks a day affects the fertility rate and gives rise to other complications. It has a high level of mercury that depletes your body of vitamin B, an important vitamin that improves your chance of getting pregnant.
10. Soy-based Foods
Most soy-based foods have certain compounds that affect fertility in women. It contains plant-driven estrogen, known as isoflavones. This reduces your chance of getting pregnant. If you are too fond of having soy products and can’t avoid them, then look for alternatives that increase your chances of conception.
To Sum Up,
Eating right doesn’t always mean eating simple, especially when you’re trying to have a baby. Along with yoga and stress relief exercises, you need to have a good diet plan, as a fertility diet may increase your chances of conception. Thus, make the most of the information given above, and to learn more about what foods to eat to boost fertility, check out this in-depth infographic.
Foods That Can Increase Fertility in Women [Infographic] 
