Can some foods increase our chances of conceiving?

Can some foods increase our chances of conceiving?


By Bridget Swinney, Nutritionist [See Biography]


Question: Can some foods increase our chances of conceiving?

Answer: Beliefs about the wondrous powers of so-called fertility foods such as shark's fin, camel's hump, ginseng, pine nuts, prunes, or even chocolate date to early civilizations. Unfortunately, most are pure fiction. Many are based on the simplistic notion that eating foods that look like sexual organs, such as figs or eggs, will help those organs function better. Also, no evidence proves the theory that eating spicy foods can increase sexual potency by raising your blood pressure and pulse rate.

There's some scientific proof that eating oysters can boost fertility. Oysters are packed with zinc, which plays a role in semen and testosterone production in men, and in ovulation and fertility in women. That doesn't mean you should down a plate of oysters on the half shell at every meal. Maintaining the recommended dietary allowance of zinc (15 mg a day) can help keep your reproductive system working properly, but excessive amounts of zinc (or any nutrient for that matter) will not turn either of you into a babymaking machine. In fact, super-high doses of vitamins and minerals may actually reduce your fertility.

Re: Can some foods increase our chances of conceiving?

Thanks for the tips.