​The Two ‘Dirty Dozens’ and Fertility Boosting Foods

You may have heard of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list – a list of fruits and vegetables to buy organic. These 12 fruits and vegetables (see list below) are likely to have the most pesticides when they are not bought organic. These pesticides (DDT and DPCP) are also found on another ‘Dirty Dozen’ list that names them and other chemicals to avoid while trying to conceive a baby. The second list mentioned above was crafted by the American Fertility Association and includes such chemicals as lead and lead compounds found in bullets and weights. It also lists chemicals like Bisphenol-A or BPA, used to line plastic food containers. These can also have a negative impact on fertility. Do your best to avoid these chemicals to help increase your ability to conceive.

On the plus side, there are many fertility-boosting foods that can be fun, tasty and colorful. For example, try eating oysters because of their zinc content. Zinc helps to increase testosterone and sperm. If you don’t like oysters, you can get zinc from other foods like beef, pumpkin seeds and beans. You can also take a multivitamin. 

Have you ever tried pomegranate juice? Research has shown that pomegranate juice may help boost sperm count and quality, so drink away! Need a snack to pair with your fruit or juice? Dark chocolate is a good choice and may also boost fertility. Other foods that have been known to boost fertility are tomatoes, walnuts and lentils.

On the other hand, there are foods and drinks you should avoid while trying to conceive. These include caffeinated drinks, alcohol and high-mercury fish like tuna steak. You should also avoid junk food. Junk food has a lot of calories from sugar and fat with low protein, vitamins and minerals. Being overweight can also lower the chances of men fathering a child.

If you want to try something both yummy and romantic, we’ve got you covered. Try tasty recipes like red and green frittatas for breakfast or open face veggie melts for lunch. These foods may fire up your fertility engines. For dinner, try citrus shrimp with sugar snap peas. Need a late night snack? No worries. Reach for Parmesan cheese popcorn. It’s light and good for fertility. Alcohol and coffee are no-no’s, but water and pomegranate juice are great options to serve with these meals. Bon appetit!