Fruit is rich in vitamins, fibre and of course, antioxidants, making it a great
source of nutrition when you are trying to conceive... but are you wondering which are
the BEST fruits for boosting fertility? Well, stay tuned and I'll reveal my top 5...
Welcome to Nourish! My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a fertility and pregnancy dietitian. I work
with parents-to-be to help you get pregnant and give your baby the best start in life.
If you haven't already done so, pause this video and download my free fertility meal
plan from www.melaniemcgrice.com/fertility, but make sure you come back because in this video,
I'm going to describe my top five favourite fruits for boosting fertility.
So, starting in fifth place, I'm going to give this to pineapple. Pineapple has long
been known as a fertility superfood, believed to increase rates of embryo implantation.
Although there are zero studies to back up this myth, the theory actually holds some weight!
Pineapple core is rich in a nutrient called bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme which is
beneficial for reducing inflammation and thinning the blood, both of which are VERY beneficial
strategies for increasing implantation. In addition to bromelain, pineapples are
a particularly rich source of vitamin C, which helps to boost iron absorption, AND acts as an
antioxidant, defending your eggs against oxidative stress which can cause chromosomal damage. So,
although there's no proof that they increase embryo implantation, they have so many fertility
health benefits that they earn fifth spot in my best fruits for boosting fertility list.
I've awarded forth place to red grapes. Red grapes are one of the richest sources
of resveratrol. Resveratrol is polyphenol which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
It is also what makes red grapes red, consequently there are much higher rates
of resveratrol in red grapes than in green grapes. But, what excites me as a fertility
dietitian is that emerging studies have found that resveratrol may protect human follicular cells,
which are the cells that will become your eggs, from oxidative stress - which is one of the most
common causes of damage to our eggs. So, my advice to you is to include a handful
or two of red grapes, or other fruits rich in resveratrol, in your preconception meal plan.
Third place goes to acai berries. We know that fruits are rich in nutrients that are beneficial
for fertility, but few fruits have directly been studied. Acai berries are one of the few!
Emerging research suggests that acai berries may be beneficial for fertility of women who
are trying to conceive a little later in life. There's a lot more research to be done until
this advice can be stated categorically, but until then, it's good enough to make
my list of best fruits for boosting fertility. Unfortunately, acai berries are difficult to
buy fresh, so most commonly come frozen or in powdered form. I'd recommend purchasing
the frozen variety and using for smoothie bowls for an antioxidant-rich breakfast.
Runner up for Melanie's 'best fruit for boosting fertility' goes to..... avocado!
Yes, avocado is actually a fruit because it has a seed. Avocados are extremely rich in folate,
fibre, good monounsaturated fats and fat-soluble antioxidants,
all of which have been linked to improvements in fertility. In fact, two thirds of the fatty
acids in avocados are good monounsaturated fats, which have been connected to reducing weight,
high blood pressure and insulin resistance, all of which are great for optimising fertility.
So I'd recommend that you look at which high saturated fat foods you can
substitute for avocado. For example, swap butter
for avo on your toast or sandwich and you'll reduce your bad saturated fat intake from 10.3
grams to just 0.8 grams. Or, swap mayo on your salad to an avocado dressing, or bacon with your
eggs to slices of avocado. All these small swaps will go a long way to boosting your fertility.
Now, first place! Can you guess which fruit I've awarded my 'best fruit for boosting fertility'
prize to? Drumroll please! First place goes to.... blueberries! Did you guess right?
Blueberries have up to 9.2millimol of antioxidants per one hundred grams (or 3.5 ounces), making them
one of the richest sources of antioxidants of all fruit. Researchers have found that
blueberries can assist with reducing inflammation and even changing the expression of certain genes,
making them in my eyes a true fertility superfood. Blueberries are great added to yoghurt, smoothies,
waffles, and even salads, but personally, I love to snack on them as an after dinner
snack while I'm relaxing. And, if they're not in season, don't worry, because frozen blueberries
often have an even higher concentration of antioxidants than fresh ones do!
I hope you've enjoyed my top five best fruits for boosting fertility,
but remember that all fruits are nutritious and it's great to eat
a rainbow of coloured fruits to get a diversity of nutrients and antioxidants.
If you haven't done so already, make sure you subscribe and check out some of my other
fertility videos on topics such as how to make a fertility juice and beetroot for fertility.
I'll look forward to seeing you in my next video!