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The Mediterranean Diet is a Fertility Diet

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Fertility, Nutrition, Recipes

You’ve probably heard that the Mediterranean diet promotes heart health, protects against diabetes and increases longevity. Research shows that the Mediterranean diet is a fertility diet too,  increasing the chance of IVF success.

So what do you eat on a Mediterranean diet? Lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and olive oil. Less dairy, eggs and poultry. Even less red meat. And forget fast food.

3 Easy Ways to Start Eating a Fertility Friendly Mediterranean Diet

  1. Add a salad or a side of steamed or roasted veggies to each meal. Dress with olive oil and lemon.
  2. Start adding beans to your diet. For starters, think hummus, chickpeas tossed into a salad or lentil soup.
  3. Swap out a burger for a wild salmon burger.

Need more fertility diet inspiration? Try this easy recipe:

White Bean and Collard Green* Stew

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 TB Olive Oil
  • 1 Small Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 Bunch Collard Greens, washed, de-stemmed, cut into thin ribbons
  • 1 14.5 oz Can White Beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar optional

Method
 

  1. Heat a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, onion and carrot. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Sauté until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and collard greens, and cook until greens are starting to wilt.
  3. Add beans, tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. Just before serving you can stir in 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon to brighten the flavors.

Notes

*If you're not a fan of collard greens, feel free to sub kale or chard.

Need more convincing that diet and fertility are related? Another study showed that a diet lower in fruit and higher in fast food was associated with modest increases in the amount of time it takes to get pregnant and infertility.

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