10 Foods That Increase Fertility & Libido In Females 2024

Being a female can be complicated enough between hormones and juggling everything modern women do. So if you’re adding in the challenge of trying to conceive a child or boosting your libido, you need all the support available. 

Selecting a good fertility diet is one thing you can decide on that takes a stand for you and your baby’s future. Increasing your nutrients will increase your body’s blood flow, decrease stress hormones, and help prepare your body to carry a baby. 

Fertility foods are superfoods full of the vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants you need for a balanced diet if you’re trying to get pregnant. These can improve fertility and your overall health. 

There are foods that increase fertility in females and encourage a healthy sex drive at the same time. Read on to find out which foods to include and ones to avoid on your fertility journey.

10 Best Foods That Increase Fertility In Females

With about 11% of females^[1] in the United States encountering fertility problems at some point, many women seek fertility nutrition advice to help increase their libido and ability to conceive a child. Let’s review ten types of fertility-friendly foods that will support your reproductive organs.

Vegetables

This choice may be obvious to some, but many people do not consume the recommended amount of at least 2-3 cups of vegetables daily. The CDC says NINE out of 10 people are not getting enough vegetables.^[2] 

Choosing to consume vegetables will help boost fertility and blood flow to your reproductive organs with iron, calcium, and vitamin C. Vegetables are high in fiber and can help you feel full and maintain a healthy weight. 

They contain natural forms of folate, which is vital to support your body’s ability to detox and grow a healthy baby. Vegetables can help reduce inflammation, making them a great choice if you’re undergoing fertility treatment. 

This study^[3] shows that replacing animal protein with plant-based vegetable protein can reduce the risk of ovulatory infertility by more than 50%, even when vegetable protein only counts for 5% of your daily calories. This was especially impactful in preventing the most common cause of ovulation interference, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)^[4]. 

Some of the best vegetables to help boost fertility and libido are beets, asparagus, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms.

Figs

Figs are rich in iron and antioxidants that help to create healthy egg cells while supporting ovulation cycles, pregnancy, and libido. Figs may also boost male fertility and sperm health since this study on mice^[5] shows fig’s potential for increasing sperm count and fighting poor sperm motility by neutralizing toxicities^[5] of everyday environmental exposures.

Fish

Fish are full of vitamins and lean protein that encourage a healthy reproductive system. Many fish are oily and are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for your baby’s health and development. 

Harvard conducted a study a few years ago that tracked 501 couples for a year. The couples consuming at least two four-ounce servings of fish a week had sexual intercourse 22% more often than those who didn’t. The couples eating less fish had a 79% conception rate, while the ones eating more fish had a 92% pregnancy rate at the end of the year. 

Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds make an excellent source of plant-based protein and a good addition to most meal plans, especially when seeking to boost your reproductive health. Their high fiber content helps to keep your digestive system regulated and your hormones balanced. In addition, nuts and seeds are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, and omega fatty acids. A study on female fertility and supplementing omega fatty acids shows that those taking omega supplements were 1.5 times more likely to conceive. 

Here are a few examples of a nutrient-packed snack:

• Sunflower seeds 
• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Almond and sunflower seed butter
• Raw or roasted cashews, walnuts, and pine nuts

Beans

Beans are edible seeds with a good nutritional profile that make a great food choice when trying to increase libido and chances of conception. The protein in beans can reduce infertility and promote healthy ovulation like vegetables and other plant-based foods. 

Full of fiber, folate, iron, and fat-soluble vitamins, you can include beans in any meal of the day to promote the production of red blood cells and a healthy reproductive system. 

Some of the healthiest beans you can choose from are chickpeas, black beans, and pinto beans.  

Superfood Greens Powders

Making sure you have all the nutrients you need for boosting fertility, libido, and conception can be a challenge. Finding a good quality superfood greens powder is one of the easiest ways to help increase the amounts of vitamins and minerals you’re getting.

Greens powders are even an excellent choice to keep in your nutritious diet after conception since they contain many nutrients needed to support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum phase. Most of these powders include nutrient-dense greens like spirulina, alfalfa, wheat grass, and barley. 

These greens can take a lot of time to process and consume if not for the convenient powder form they come in. Simply blend the serving-size scoop of greens into your smoothie, juice, milk, or water, and enjoy the benefits.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a spice that comes from several different types of tree bark that can add flavor to your food and may add flavor to your love life, as well. 

There was a study^[6] done involving women who had PCOS, one of the major causes of infertility, and within six months of supplementation with cinnamon, there were reports of conception and significant improvement in menstrual cycle regulation. Without a regular menstrual cycle, it can be even harder to time ovulation and plan for pregnancy.

Fruits

Fresh fruits and citrus fruits like strawberries, pineapples, and pomegranates contain vitamin C, enhancing essential iron absorption. Iron helps to carry oxygen and increase blood flow throughout your body. 

Fruits are also a good source of vitamin B9, i.e., folate, and this helps form your blood and break down an amino acid called homocysteine which is pro-inflammatory if it’s not broken down; this inflammation contributes to vascular and heart disease.^[7]

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants like vitamins C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene that fight against cell-damaging free radicals. The beta-carotene they contain may also boost your progesterone levels for a healthy cycle and support baby development. This study^[8] shows these three antioxidants have the potential to shorten the time to pregnancy (TTP, or time it takes to conceive). 

Avocados

Avocados are a fertility-boosting type of fruit high in healthy fats, vitamin K, and other essential nutrients like fiber and folate. This folate study^[9] shows that higher folate intake may result in higher implantation rates, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. Folate is also important in fetal neurological development^[10], and deficiencies during early pregnancy have been linked to neural tube defects, e.g., spina bifida.

They are also a great source of antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats essential for fertility health and birth outcomes. They also contain vitamin D and ensuring you have enough vitamin D can help reduce your risk^[11] of infertility.

Foods To Avoid

Just as much as foods can increase your chances of fertility, certain foods can negatively affect fertility. So here are a few types to avoid if you’re trying to conceive. 

Too Much Folic Acid

Wait…isn’t folic acid a good thing? Folic acid is a man-made synthetic version^[12] of folate, the essential nutrient that naturally comes from most of the best fertility foods on the list above. Many women receive instructions to supplement with folic acid during the pre-pregnancy stage and throughout pregnancy, and it is also an ingredient in most prenatal vitamins, but this comes with risks that are not spoken about enough. 

Many folic acid supplements are 1,000 micrograms, which is already the top of the safety limit. When you add in the other food you eat throughout the day with additional folic acid, like bread, pasta, and cereal, eating any of these while supplementing will put you over the safety limit. 

Folic acid is not processed the same by the human body as folate is, and for many people with genetic mutations that affect homocysteine metabolism, like MTHFR,^[13] this can put them at risk for adverse effects and may cause birth defects.

There are at least three studies suggesting that high levels of folic acid^[14] during pregnancy may lead to negative brain development outcomes. (So, folic acid, don’t take too much! Natural forms of folate, you can’t get enough!)

Low-Fat Dairy Products

Simply put, eating low-fat dairy products leads to a higher risk of ovulatory infertility^[15] compared to high-fat dairy. In addition, many dairy products contain excess hormones that may mislead your body and place you at an increased risk for a hormone imbalance.

Refined Carbs And Sugar

Refined sugar is white sugar, and refined carbs are foods that have their nutrients stripped away during processing. These types of foods can cause blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance, and menstrual cycle irregularity due to affecting reproductive hormones that throw off ovulation. 

Complex carbs like whole grains digest slower than refined ones and encourage a healthier blood sugar level. You’ll also want to eat fewer carbs^[16] if you have PCOS. 

Saturated And Trans Fats 

Saturated and trans fats can increase the risk of ovulatory infertility. For example, hydrogenated oils are in processed foods, margarine, and fried foods. This review shows^[17] that a high intake of trans fats is a risk factor for infertility in both genders. Try olive oil as a replacement for oils high in unhealthy fats.  

The Bottom Line

Many nutrient-dense foods lead to improved fertility chances, affect ovulation positively,  and support fetal development. 

It’s important to know there are underlying conditions that increase the risk of infertility, like obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, being either under or overweight, or food choices may help improve these issues; however, you may need a professional healthcare team to provide extra guidance. 

Levels of physical activity and stress can also play a role in infertility. Keep in mind the mind-body connection.^[18] Starting with self-care can propel you forward in increasing your libido and chances of conception.  

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