Fertility food series - Nuts & Dry Fruits - Mother Nature's Boon !!

Fertility foods – Nuts & Dry fruits 

It is tea break !! don’t reach out for those samosas, vada, pastries , biscuits or any other fried or sweet snack, instead  choose to munch on dry fruits, nuts or fresh fruits. The choice and power is entirely in your hands and you can make a vast difference by taking a little bit of effort. Always keep a container filled with nuts and dry fruits in your office draw or wherever you have easy access. You can get a fruit on the way to office daily or alternatively take a  small break from your work to stroll down to the street vendor to get your fruit of the day. This will also help you to get some fresh air  and a  much needed break from the office chair and work.

Nuts like almonds (badam), pista, cashew, walnuts, peanuts etc.  are packed with proteins, omega- 3 essential fatty acids, zinc and vitamin E. You can conveniently carry them as snack and if taken in limited quantities,  nuts can make a great snack at breaks.   But don’t forget that too much of anything is bad even if it is good, so consume nuts only in limit, as they are loaded with calories. One fistful of nuts a day is considered safe. Sprouting  raw nuts will help in easy digestion. Avoid roasted nuts and seeds, especially those roasted in oil as they may be high in free radicals, which damages cellular health. 

Nuts are one of the most nutrient dense and delicious foods on earth. They are not only an important part of fertility nutrition,  but also supply the body with necessary fiber, protein, minerals and essential fatty acids. It is best to consume them in their raw form, which will ensure that all nutrients stay intact. Essential fatty acids and zinc in the nuts can be destroyed when heated. Dry fruits like raisins have antioxidant properties which will help in reducing free radicals. Have you ever tried munching raisins and almonds together? it is really delicious. You can better your culinary skills by using nuts in various forms of cooking. Sprinkle some nuts on the top of the salad, add them to oats porridge, you can even grind and add them to your curries to get a rich and creamy texture. Tickle your imagination and creativity.

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

Numerous researches suggests that men with poor sperm counts saw vast improvement in their counts after taking fish oil supplements high in omega-3 fats.

The popular EFA omega-3 supports healthy fertility by helping to regulate hormones, increase cervical mucous production, promote ovulation and improve the quality of the uterus by increasing the blood flow to the reproductive organs.. Omega-3 is also important for proper sperm production.  Walnuts and flax seeds are very good sources of omega 3

Zinc

Zinc is important for fertility because it plays an important role in proper development of ova and sperm, maintenance of hormonal balance, prevention of chromosomal defects and avoidance of recurrent miscarriage.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E can help in improving the sperm parameters  like motility and help in spermiogenesis. (sperm production) This is prescribed widely by infertility specialists. This vitamin  essential for fertility is also shown to support  nerve cells, red blood cells, the liver and the immune system.

Dr. Anita Mani
Infertility Specialist at Gift IVF Centre

anitadane@gmail.com

www.giftivf.com

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Dr. Anita Mani is a renowned infertility specialist in south India with 15 years experience in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). Dr. Anita has successfully set up ART hospitals in Cochin and Bangalore,  along with her spouse  Dr. S Mani. She completed MRCOG, from Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist  London, DFFP from  ART Warwick university and  worked in UK for 5 years. Dr. Anitha believes in scientific and ethical practice and is currently the director of Gift Gyno IVF centre Cochin and  Bangalore.  Apart from advanced laparoscopic surgeries, she is also an expert in various ART techniques including IVF, IUI, ICSI , donor egg / sperm. Her proficiency is in genetic abnormalities and high risk pregnancies.