This content is for educational purposes only. It has been reviewed for scientific accuracy, but it does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding medical questions or fertility treatment decisions.
Reviewed for scientific accuracy by: Dr. Mona Bungum
Last reviewed: November 2026
Lifestyle matters for fertility. A BMC Public Health study found that women with 4–5 healthy habits had a 59% lower risk of infertility.
Fill out the questionnaire, and get a personalised, holistic and evidence-based programme tailored to you.
takes 3 minutes to complete00:00:00 What you eat can have a big impact on your fertility and Raquel Monroy, a fertility nutritionist based here in the UK. And what I always ask my clients to do is to increase their antioxidants in their diet. Now, what I want to talk through today is what antioxidants are. Why are they good for fertility and what foods you can start incorporating into your diet now that will help increase your chances of conception. Now, antioxidants are compounds that help to protect our body's
00:00:27 Now, antioxidants are compounds that help to protect our body's cells from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules, which we produce through processes such as metabolism, metabolism, but also from external factors such as exposure to pollutants, pesticides, chemicals, ultra processed foods, smoking. Now what happens is that then increases oxidative stress in our body, and this damages our cells and increases inflammation. body, and this damages our cells and increases inflammation.
00:01:01 Now, there are various ways that antioxidants can help improve your chances of conception and to help to just make you healthier. Is that they. Number one, antioxidants can definitely improve egg and sperm health. Now, egg and sperm cells are really susceptible to oxidative stress. And when they become damaged, it can then really impact your chances of conception for women. What oxidative stress does is it can interfere with ovulation and of course, impact egg health.
00:01:27 can interfere with ovulation and of course, impact egg health. And for men, sperm can can be dramatically impacted by oxidative stress, which can lead to low sperm motility, low sperm count morphology, and also high DNA fragmentation, which is damage to the cells and sperm. Antioxidants also help to regulate your hormones. It's excellent for enhancing your uterine lining. Now, one of the key things is vitamin E we know is excellent for thickening the lining of the uterus,
00:01:59 vitamin E we know is excellent for thickening the lining of the uterus, and especially for those who may have suffered from miscarriage or going through into IVF, um, a really, um, Healthy uterus is makes it more receptive to implantation. And the other way that it can help to improve your chances of conception are through increasing and enhancing blood flow to the reproductive organs. Antioxidants also help to fight inflammation, which we know Antioxidants also help to fight inflammation, which we know
00:02:30 inflammation in the body, such as from conditions like endometriosis, has a real impact on fertility. So the foods that you can start incorporating now are things like your green leafy vegetables. Now these are excellent. These are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is one of the key antioxidants. So things like kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and also your citrus fruits, um, you know, your lemon and grapefruit and also your citrus fruits, um, you know, your lemon and grapefruit
00:03:01 are really all high in vitamin C, so you can start incorporating that into your diet. And also the cruciferous vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin K. So your kale and your broccoli and so on is really, really high in vitamin K. Another antioxidant that you need to start including is vitamin D. Now we know with vitamin D. Low vitamin D status has been linked with an increased risk of miscarriage and preterm birth. With vitamin D, the ideal source is, of course, the sun.
00:03:28 With vitamin D, the ideal source is, of course, the sun. But as we head into autumn and winter, food sources and supplementation is an excellent option. So food sources are things like mushrooms and of course um animal products like milk, butter, eggs are all excellent sources. Vitamin E, as I mentioned before, great for, um, improving the lining of the uterus. So things like avocado are really good. And also your nuts and seeds,
00:03:58 really good. And also your nuts and seeds, like your pumpkin seeds and so on. Sesame seeds are all excellent sources of vitamin E. And when it comes to nuts, Brazil nuts are a really good source of selenium, which is important for fertility. It's excellent for the thyroid. And we know thyroid function is important when it comes to reproduction. So I hope that's helped. Um, and I just want to.
