4 Fertility Diet Recipes
Impaired male fertility is becoming a growing problem. Often, couples invest a great deal of time and expense in to finding a solution through doctors and specialists, often to no avail.
Up to 40% of all infertility problems in the western world are a direct result of poor sperm quality – and studies show that the quality of our sperm is still declining, largely due to factors in our lifestyle that are directly within our control. The large amounts of processed foods, packed full of artificial additives and preservatives in the modern day diet, has been cited as the main reason for the 50% drop in sperm count over the last 20 years.
What you will learn
Why food influences male fertility
Which nutrients boost male fertility
Four recipes packed with male fertility nutrients
How to boost male fertility through food supplements
Nutrition and Fertility
Fortunately, there are mounting studies that clearly show the positive impact good nutrition can have on male fertility; and these studies show a conclusive relationship between the quality of a man’s diet, and the quality of his sperm motility, sperm count, and ejaculate volume.
Following a diet abundant in natural, unprocessed foods using fertility diet recipes has been proven to have a dramatic impact on male fertility, and studies have shown that several key nutrients have a large role to play in the health of the male reproductive system. These nutrients are broken down into the following three categories:
Amino Acids
Semen is made of protein, and as amino acids are the building block of protein, studies have shown that the quality of a man’s semen is directly affected by the quality of the protein in his diet. Whilst the overall quality of protein is important, three amino acids have been identified to have the most positive effect on male fertility.
These are Arginine, Carnitine, and Cysteine. They help improve sperm count and morphology, as well as protecting against free radical damage to the sperm. Red meat is an excellent source of Arginine and Carnitine, whilst Cysteine can also be found in pork, chicken, salmon and sunflower seeds.
Vitamins
Studies have shown that certain vitamins have been proven to boost male fertility. The following vitamins are critical to the health of your reproductive system:
Vitamin C – helps to balance hormones and strengthens the immune system, and studies have shown that lower levels of Vitamin C can lead to decreased sperm count and greater risk of damage to the sperm cells themselves. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, dark green vegetables, kiwis, strawberries, and red and green peppers.
Folic Acid – Also known as Vitamin B9, Folic Acid has been proven to reduce chromosome defects in sperm. It’s essential for many critical processes in the body, including cell division and regeneration. Good sources of Folic Acid include dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus and avocado.
Vitamin E – Essential for the absorption of Omegas 3 and 6, which are used to make hormones. Vitamin E is found in almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and extra virgin olive oil.
Vitamin D – Vital for a healthy immune system, mineral absorption and production of new cells. Vitamin D is produced mainly by our own bodies through exposure to sunlight; however it is also found in oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, and wild salmon.
Beta Carotene – Essential for healthy cell regeneration and a powerful antioxidant, Beta Carotene is abundant in brightly coloured vegetables such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and beetroot.
Trace Elements
Along with taking in the correct amounts of the amino acids and vitamins mentioned above, there are two trace elements which are vital for the health of your reproductive system. The first is Zinc, which is essential for boosting male sexual hormone levels and improving sperm quality.
Oysters and red meat are the best sources of Zinc, but it can also be found in pumpkin seeds, pork and chicken. Selenium is also very important, and has been proved to improve sperm motility. Selenium is also sourced through red meat, as well as brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and tuna.
Antioxidants
In addition to the nutrients above, a diet high in antioxidants is highly advised, as they directly protect the sperm cells from free radical damage. Foods high in antioxidants include blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate, red grapes and dark chocolate.
Whilst all this information may seem like a lot to take in, it’s fairly easy to follow once you get the hang of it. It’s highly important to focus your diet around whole, unprocessed foods, whilst cutting out anything artificial. Processed foods have a proven detrimental effect on your all round health, let alone the reproductive system.
Organic foods are preferred where possible, as pesticides and hormones used in ‘standard’ production of meats, fruits and vegetables have been shown to disrupt the body’s own hormones – however, simply upping your intake of ‘real’ foods is a great place to start. An example daily meal plan, specifically designed to meet your daily targets of the required nutrients, is listed below:
Breakfast
Spinach and red pepper omelette
Ingredients:- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 1 large handful fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed
- 3 free range eggs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the red pepper, and sizzle for a couple of minutes until lightly charred. Add the spinach and cook for 20 – 30 seconds until lightly wilted, then transfer the contents of the pan to a small bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add a little more olive oil if necessary.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs with a little salt and pepper. Pour into the pan, and cook for 30 – 45 seconds before flipping the omelette with a spatula. Cook for a further two minutes on the other side, before checking that the face down side is well coloured.
- Pour the red pepper and spinach mixture onto one side of the omelette, before folding in half so that it becomes a ‘filling’. Cook folded for a further minute, before serving.
The eggs in this meal provide an excellent source of protein, including approximately 1000mg Arginine and 400mg cysteine (well over your minimum daily requirement), whilst the spinach and red pepper will provide approximately 150mg vitamin C, 1800mcg beta carotene, and 250mcg folic acid.
Lunch
Tuna, mango and green bean salad with a lime and coriander dressing (serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 1 large handful fresh Asian leaves, i.e rocket / mizuna
- 14 – 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small mango, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 100g fine green beans
- 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped (optional)
- 2 medium tuna steak, preferably sushi grade
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
- 75ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice 1 lime
- 1 handful fresh coriander
- ½ clove garlic, crushed
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Method:
- To make the dressing, blitz all ingredients for 20 – 30 seconds in a high powered blender, then pour the contents into a jam jar. Set aside and keep refrigerated.
- For the salad, add the Asian leaves to two separate salad bowls and toss in the diced mango and cherry tomatoes.
- Heat half the coconut oil in a frying pan. Add the red onion and green beans, and lightly sauté for two or three minutes. Divide the contents between the two salad bowls, then return the pan to a high heat with the remaining coconut oil.
- Add the tuna steaks to the pan and flash fry for a minute or so each side, so that they are still rare in the middle. Transfer them to a chopping board, before slicing and adding to the salad bowls. Drizzle over a little of the dressing before serving.
100g fresh tuna steak will net you a whopping 1500mg Arginine, 270g Cysteine and 118mcg Selenium. You’ll also benefit from approximately 35mg vitamin C and over 700mcg of Beta Carotene per serving from the tomatoes and mango alone – as well as the abundance of folic acid in the green salad and beans.
Snack
Handful of strawberries, almonds, and pumpkin seeds
Almonds make a brilliant snack, because they are loaded with vitamin E and folic acid, and are a good source of protein. Pumpkin seeds also deliver a much needed mid afternoon protein boost, along with a good amount of folic acid. With the handful of strawberries included, you’ll benefit from approximately 60mg Vitamin C, 74mcg folic acid and 20mg Vitamin E.
Dinner
Spiced Lamb Chops with Sweet Potato Mash and Steamed Rainbow Chard (serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 4 medium sized lamb chops, trimmed of fat
- 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, crushed
- Juice half lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
- 300g fresh rainbow chard (or Swiss chard if you can’t find any rainbow)
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F.
- Crush the garlic cloves and ginger to form a paste, then add the lemon juice and remaining spices. With a sharp knife, score the lamb chops with 3 – 4 incisions on each side. Rub the paste well into the meat, especially in the scored part of the meat, and set aside to marinade for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, add your sweet potatoes to the oven and roast in their skins for an hour.
- 10 minutes before serving, wash the rainbow chard and roughly chop. Pour some hot water into your steamer, but don’t add the chard to the steamer basket until just a couple of minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan to a medium heat – not too hot, as you don’t want to burn the delicate flavours of the spices. Fry the lamb for 2 – 3 minutes each side, depending on thickness. They should be a rich, golden colour on the outside, but still pink and juicy in the middle.
- Remove the roasted sweet potatoes from the oven. Remove their skin, then transfer to a large bowl and mash. Add 1 tbsp good quality mango chutney or chilli sauce to ramp up the flavour – but watch out for any nasty ingredients. Serve alongside the chops and the lightly steamed chard.
This recipe includes
Arginine: 3300mg
Carnitine: 180mg
Cysteine: 600mg
Vitamin D: Trace
Vitamin C: 59.6mg
Vitamin E: 4.1mg
Folic Acid: 25.6mcg
Zinc: 9.9mg
Selenium: 21.8mcg
Beta Carotene: 13120mcg
As you can see from the meal plans above, you can achieve high levels of the required nutrients simply by consuming good quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, nuts and seeds.
To make sure you consistently reach the daily minimum nutrient requirements, you should consider taking a food supplement. Consistence is key, because high male sperm quality is the product of long-term healthy lifestyle efforts.
Male fertility supplements are
- Without side effects
- able to increase sperm motility by up to 23%,
- able to increase ejaculate volume by up to 33%
- able to increase sperm count by up to 215%1
- Relatively inexpensive
- Effective after three months
In addition to a high quality diet, supplements are able to deliver all the key nutrients in the required quantities more (cost) effectively and efficiently than any regular diet.
The market has on offer a large variety of male fertility supplements. However, they vary significantly in terms of price and nutrient composition. Menfertility.org has carefully compared 10 male fertility supplements in terms of value for money and nutrients on offer.
Bibliography
- Imhof M, Lackner J, Lipovac M, Chedraui P, Riedl C. Improvement of sperm quality after micronutrient supplementation. e-SPEN Journal. 2012. 7(1): e50-e53 ↩
That’s a good question. The heat from the loaptp could, in theory, kill sperm temporarily. Not permenantly. Same applies to warm baths, tight jeans or underwear. Constriction and heat will kill the little critters in the short term (some, not all it is by no means a reliable form of birth control). I don’t think any studies have been conducted on the long term effects of using a loaptp for men, but it is safe to assume that it will hinder the sperm that are produced provided the heat is enough to put them down.
Hi
i have seen a Urologist in my country (HCG) was prescribe for me for over seven month now i am using this injection but i am still having low ejaculation during sexual intercourse please i need help
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