Avocados and diet for fertility

Avocados contain several ingredients that have a positive effect on fertility, so it's worth eating them regularly to increase your chances of trying and getting pregnant.

Vitamin E

Above all, avocados are a source of fat-soluble vitamin E, which has an invaluable effect on fertility. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that delays cellular ageing and protects sperm from damage. Vitamin E also has a positive effect on the endometrium and therefore on the implantation of the embryo. In this way, it helps to get pregnant.

Glutathione

Another component of avocados is glutathione. This is an antioxidant that is produced in our liver, but it is also worth taking in externally. Among other things, glutathione has a role in improving sperm parameters and alleviating inflammation in endometriosis.

Folic acid

Avocados are also a source of folic acid, which not only prevents foetal malformations, but is also involved in DNA synthesis and improves the quality of oocytes and sperm.

ATTENTION DIABETICS! Adding avocado to a meal can lower its glycaemic index due to its fat content, which prolongs the digestion of carbohydrates.

Ways to use avocados

Avocados are much loved by some and quite the opposite by others. However, due to its range of valuable ingredients, it is welcome in a fertility-enhancing diet. It is worth giving it a chance and looking for a way to introduce it into your diet that suits you.

My suggestion for those who are not convinced to eat avocado is a paste consisting of avocado, hard-boiled egg and garlic squeezed through a press, served on bread with tomato slices.
Avocados can also be added to smoothies, such as orange and spinach or in a sweeter mix with banana, melon or mango.
The avocado can also be eaten simply on a sandwich made of whole-grain bread - for variety, a fried egg, a poached egg or slices of hard-boiled egg can be placed on top and the whole thing sprinkled with pepper, salt and sprouts.

Need some inspiration? Check out recipes for a delicious smoothie and a healthy avocado salad.

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

avocado
banana
pineapple
spinach
lime juice
teaspoon of honey
coconut milk
vanilla extract

Blend everything together in a blender, taste and season as desired. You can always add more lime juice or honey. We also recommend throwing a handful of chia seeds or hemp seeds into the smoothie.

SALAD WITH AVOCADO, PUMPKIN AND QUINOA

Salad ingredients:

250 g mushy pumpkin
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
120 g broccoli
250 g quinoa
handful of coriander or parsley
handful of mint
4 spring onions
50 g of pomegranate seeds
20 g pistachios or almonds
1 ripe avocado
juice of ½ lemon
handful of sprouts of your choice

Dressing ingredients:

1 tbsp tahini
½ a small ripe avocado
small handful of coriander, parsley, mint
zest and juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 200℃ and roast the pumpkin, cut into cubes, spread out on baking paper and drizzled with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, add the broccoli pieces to the baking tray and bake the whole thing for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a food processor, add 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Blend, adding a little more water if necessary.

Cook a bag of quinoa. When the semolina is ready, transfer it to a bowl, mix, then add the herbs, chopped spring onions, pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the whole thing, season and mix thoroughly. Add the roasted vegetables as well.

Pour the dressing over the salad. Dice the avocado and mix gently with the previously prepared ingredients. Squeeze in the lemon juice, arrange the sprouts on top and sprinkle with a little pepper.

Allow yourself to be creative in the kitchen. However, if your BMI is not in the normal range, watch out for the calorie content of your avocado meals. There are 160 kcal in 100 grams of avocado. Mostly one avocado weighs 140g and contains 237 calories.

You can read about the impact of BMI on fertility in the article: Obesity and infertility. The impact of BMI on female and male fertility.

This article was prepared by Adrianna Barczyńska, a dietician at the InviMed clinic in Katowice, Poland. On a daily basis, she helps patients of the InviMed clinic to choose a diet that can be helpful in infertility treatment.

DIETARY TELEPORTATION

Our specialist also provides dietary advice over the phone. No matter where you live, you can benefit from her expertise. To arrange a dietetic teleportation, call the InviMed Helpline on: 500 900 888.