Most women don’t even start thinking about making healthier choices for the benefit of their baby until they are actually pregnant. But, many studies have shown that preconception nutrition can improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes. In fact, combining certain dietary patterns is referred to as the “fertility diet” and may favorably influence fertility in otherwise healthy women. So, when you start thinking about cute little toes and baby carriages, start making some of these pre-pregnancy nutrition and lifestyle changes too.
- Add vitamins to your routine. It is well known that taking folic acid before pregnancy can prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, so be sure you are taking a supplement either as part of a multivitamin or by itself. Another important nutrient to add is iron. Many women tend to be low in iron, and iron needs will increase during pregnancy. Starting pregnancy with good iron levels by taking supplements or eating iron-rich plant based food seems to be the most helpful. In addition, adding a multivitamin to your day may increase your fertility.
- Be choosy about your fats. More mono-unsaturated fats and fewer trans-fats make for a healthier preconception (and overall) diet. This means passing more often on meat and pre-packaged foods like some doughnuts and chips, and using more olive oil, nuts and avocados. Interestingly, one study also showed that choosing full fat dairy products (while keeping overall saturated fat in the diet low) along with other dietary changes improved fertility.
- Go vegetarian more often. Vegetables have healthy phytochemicals, low calories and fat, and fiber. Using more vegetable based protein, in place of animal proteins, has been shown to be beneficial to a pre-pregnancy diet. This would include using foods like beans and tofu as your main protein source in a meal.
- Keep your glycemic index low. The glycemic index can seem confusing, but it is basically a measure of how quickly carbohydrates turn into sugar and are released into the bloodstream. Carbohydrates that quickly turn into sugar have high glycemic scores and those that slowly break down have lower scores. There are charts that list foods with their scores if you want a to look up each food, but for the most part, foods in their more natural state have a lower glycemic index than more processed food. For example, most fruits, vegetables and whole grains have a low glycemic index where most white bread and white rice have high scores. Women who eat a diet with a high glycemic load seem to be more likely to experience infertility. A diet with a low glycemic load has been associated with healthy weight and improved fertility.
Control your weight. Women who fall within their normal weight range have improved fertility and better pregnancy outcomes. Because body fat affects the amount of hormones produced in the body, being overweight or underweight can affect fertility. It is estimated that about 12% of infertility is caused by weight issues. In one study, a woman’s fertility decreased by 4% for every BMI unit over 29. Before you become pregnant work to have a BMI (body mass index) of 18.5-24.9 (click here to calculate your BMI ).
- Put your best foot forward. Being physically active (anything from walking to cycling—just get out there and move) helps you feel good and can improve your fertility. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight and improves cardiovascular health, which are both helpful to sustain healthy pregnancy outcomes.
Black Bean Burgers with Corn and Tomato Salsa
Here is a great tasting way to try a plant based protein as your main dish.
- 2 cans black beans, drained
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, rough chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, rough chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for the pan
- Juice from one lime
- Salt to taste
- Corn and Tomato Salsa (see recipe below)
- Sour cream
Puree all ingredients on this list from the black beans down through salt in a food processor. Adjust seasonings.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Divide the black bean mixture into patties. Place the patties in the skillet and cook 3-5 minutes on each side or until warm all the way through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and corn and tomato salsa.
Corn and Tomato Salsa
- 1 ear of fresh corn, kernels cut off
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- ½ medium red or yellow pepper, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons scallions, chopped small
- Juice from ½ of a lime (or to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
Mix ingredients together. Serve with black bean burgers.
Reference: Chavarro J.E., Rich-Edwards J.W., Rosner B., Willett W.C. Diet and lifestyle in the prevention of ovulatory disorder infertility. Obstet Gynecol 2007; 110(5): 1050-58. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://www.obgyn.ubc.ca/Education/REI/docs/DietandLifestyle_000.pdf
