If you have been thinking about fertility for a while, you have probably come across plenty of advice about what you should and should not eat.
One article tells you to eat more avocados. Another recommends a particular supplement, smoothie or superfood. Before long, trying to eat “for fertility” can feel like another complicated thing to get right.
The reality is much less dramatic.
Nutrition can play an important role in reproductive health, but there is no single food that can transform fertility and no perfect diet that guarantees conception.
What the research does suggest is that certain nutrients and overall patterns of eating are associated with better reproductive health.
So rather than chasing fertility superfoods, it is more useful to understand the nutritional foundations that support your body and how to build more of them into everyday life.
No miracle promises. Just practical, research-informed guidance.
Does what you eat really affect fertility?
Yes, although it is important to understand what that means.
Your body relies on nutrients to support hundreds of processes involved in reproductive health, from normal hormone production and cell division to energy metabolism and the development of healthy tissues.
Research has also found associations between certain dietary patterns and fertility outcomes.
Diets high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars and trans fats have been associated with poorer ovulatory outcomes, while dietary patterns rich in vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, healthy fats and plant proteins appear to be more supportive.
That does not mean one meal changes your fertility.
It is the overall pattern that matters.
The dietary approach with some of the strongest research behind it is the Mediterranean-style diet, built around vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, fish and minimally processed foods.
A 2024 review published in Nutrients also examined the relationship between Mediterranean-style eating and reproductive health, adding to the growing body of evidence around this way of eating.
The useful thing about this approach is that it is not particularly restrictive.
It is less about following a “fertility diet” and more about regularly giving your body the nutrients it needs.
Trying to conceive in your late 30s or 40s
A lot of fertility advice seems to be written for women in their twenties and early thirties.
If you are trying to conceive later, the conversation can feel different.
You may also be experiencing changes that have little to do with fertility on the surface: interrupted sleep, shifting energy levels, changes to your menstrual cycle or simply feeling less predictable month to month.
Changes like these can sometimes accompany the hormonal shifts of perimenopause, although they can have many other causes too.
What is not discussed often enough is that fertility and perimenopause are not completely separate life stages.
It is entirely possible to be trying to conceive while beginning to experience some of the hormonal changes associated with perimenopause.
That does not mean nutrition can reverse age-related changes in fertility. It cannot.
But supporting your nutritional health remains worthwhile.
Many of the nutrients that matter during preconception, including folate, vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fats and magnesium, are also important for general health and wellbeing through your late thirties, forties and beyond.
Rather than treating these as two completely separate conversations, there is a useful amount of overlap.
Folate: one nutrient that really does matter
Folate is vitamin B9 and is one of the most important nutrients in the preconception conversation.
It is required for normal cell division and DNA synthesis, processes that become particularly important during the earliest stages of pregnancy.
Its best-established role is helping to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, serious abnormalities affecting the developing brain and spinal cord.
Timing matters because neural tube development happens very early in pregnancy, sometimes before you know you are pregnant.
For that reason, UK guidance recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid each day before pregnancy and until you are 12 weeks pregnant for most women trying to conceive.
Some people will be advised to take a higher dose because of their medical history or other circumstances, so follow the advice of your GP, midwife or healthcare professional if this applies to you.
Where can you get folate from food?
Naturally occurring folate is found in foods including:
- leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale
- broccoli
- asparagus
- lentils
- beans
- peas
- oranges and other citrus fruits
You do not need to rebuild your entire diet around them.
Adding spinach to scrambled eggs, throwing beans or lentils into soups and pasta sauces, or adding an extra portion of green vegetables to dinner are all easy ways to increase intake.
Food sources are valuable, but folic acid supplementation is still recommended when you are trying to conceive because it is difficult to reliably meet preconception requirements through diet alone.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats with important roles throughout the body.
Two particular types, EPA and DHA, are commonly found in oily fish and are involved in normal cell function and inflammatory processes.
There is also growing research into the relationship between omega-3 intake and female reproductive health.
A 2024 meta-analysis reported positive associations between omega-3 intake and some fertility outcomes, although research in this area is still developing and does not mean taking omega-3 will increase fertility for every woman.
There is, however, good reason to include omega-3-rich foods as part of a balanced diet.
Good sources of omega-3
Oily fish are some of the richest sources of EPA and DHA.
Examples include:
- salmon
- sardines
- mackerel
- trout
- anchovies
If you are trying to conceive, it is worth following current NHS advice around fish intake because certain fish contain higher levels of mercury or other contaminants.
Plant foods such as walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed also contain omega-3 in the form of ALA.
Your body can convert some ALA into EPA and DHA, although the conversion is limited.
For women who do not eat fish, algae-derived omega-3 supplements can provide DHA, and sometimes EPA, directly.
If you are considering supplementation while trying to conceive, particularly alongside other vitamins or medicines, speak with a healthcare professional first.
Vitamin D: particularly important in the UK
Vitamin D supports a wide range of functions within the body and has been the subject of increasing research in reproductive health.
Vitamin D receptors are present within female reproductive tissues, and researchers continue to explore the relationship between vitamin D status, ovarian function and pregnancy outcomes.
A 2024 review examined the potential relationship between vitamin D and female reproductive health, although more research is still needed to establish exactly how supplementation affects fertility outcomes.
What we do know is that vitamin D deficiency is common.
In the UK, sunlight is not strong enough during autumn and winter for most people to produce sufficient vitamin D through their skin.
That is why UK public-health guidance recommends that adults consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during autumn and winter.
Food sources include:
- oily fish
- egg yolks
- fortified breakfast cereals
- fortified dairy alternatives
- some fortified dairy products
Food can contribute, but it can be difficult to obtain enough vitamin D from diet alone.
If you are concerned about deficiency, particularly if you have risk factors for low vitamin D, speak with your GP.
Iron: easy to overlook
Iron is particularly relevant to women of reproductive age because it is lost through menstruation.
Women who experience heavy periods may be more vulnerable to low iron stores, and changes in bleeding patterns during perimenopause can sometimes increase that risk further.
Iron is required for normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin, which help transport oxygen around the body.
Low iron can contribute to symptoms including tiredness, low energy and difficulty concentrating, although these symptoms have many possible causes.
During pregnancy, iron requirements also increase.
Where to get iron
There are two main forms of dietary iron.
Haem iron is found in animal foods such as meat and is generally absorbed more readily.
Non-haem iron is found in foods including:
- lentils
- beans
- tofu
- spinach
- nuts and seeds
- fortified cereals
Pairing plant-based iron sources with vitamin C can help your body absorb more of the iron they contain.
For example:
- lentils with tomato
- spinach with peppers
- beans with broccoli
- fortified cereal with berries
Tea and coffee can reduce iron absorption when consumed with meals, so leaving a little time between them can help.
If you suspect you may have low iron, avoid automatically reaching for a high-dose supplement.
Your GP can check your haemoglobin and ferritin levels and advise you on whether supplementation is appropriate.
Colourful vegetables and fruit
There is no single fruit or vegetable that protects fertility.
What matters is variety.
Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and a huge range of plant compounds, including antioxidants.
Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress, a normal process that happens throughout the body.
Researchers continue to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and reproductive ageing, but you do not need a specialist “antioxidant fertility diet” to support your intake.
Simply eating a wider variety of colourful plant foods is a sensible place to start.
Think:
- dark leafy greens
- berries
- peppers
- tomatoes
- broccoli
- carrots
- citrus fruits
- beans and pulses
Rather than counting individual antioxidants, aim to regularly put several different colours on your plate.
It is one of the simplest ways to increase the variety of nutrients and plant compounds in your diet.
Magnesium: an important everyday mineral
Magnesium tends to receive less attention in fertility conversations than folate or vitamin D, but it remains an important mineral for overall health.
It contributes to:
- normal functioning of the nervous system
- normal psychological function
- normal energy-yielding metabolism
- normal muscle function
- the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
Food sources include:
- leafy green vegetables
- pumpkin seeds
- almonds and other nuts
- whole grains
- beans and pulses
- dark chocolate
For women juggling work, family, disrupted routines and everything else life throws at them, eating a perfectly balanced diet every day is not always realistic.
That is one reason it can be useful to think about nutrition in terms of consistent foundations rather than perfection.
If you struggle to meet your magnesium needs through food, Settle provides magnesium in a carefully considered formula created specifically for women and designed to fit easily into everyday life.
It is not a fertility treatment, and it is not designed to change reproductive outcomes.
It is simply another way to support normal magnesium intake alongside a balanced diet.
The Mediterranean approach brings it all together
Looking at individual nutrients can be useful, but nutrition research consistently reminds us not to lose sight of the bigger picture.
Your body does not experience folate, omega-3, magnesium or iron in isolation.
It experiences your overall diet.
That is why Mediterranean-style eating is such a useful framework.
At its simplest, that means eating more:
- vegetables and fruit
- beans and lentils
- whole grains
- nuts and seeds
- olive oil
- fish
and relying less heavily on highly processed foods.
It does not require a meal plan or a kitchen full of unfamiliar ingredients.
For everyday life, it might mean:
swapping white bread for wholegrain;
adding lentils to a curry or pasta sauce;
having salmon one evening;
adding berries and seeds to breakfast;
using olive oil more often;
or simply adding another vegetable to meals you already make.
None of these changes are dramatic.
That is precisely the point.
Sustainable habits are more useful than a two-week fertility diet that makes eating feel like another job.
What about foods to limit?
It is easy for fertility nutrition to become overly restrictive.
That is not the aim here.
You do not need to eat perfectly.
But there are some dietary patterns worth being conscious of.
Trans fats
Higher trans-fat intake has been associated with poorer cardiovascular and metabolic health and has also appeared in research looking at ovulatory fertility.
UK food manufacturing has significantly reduced the amount of industrial trans fat found in foods, so for most people this is less of an issue than it once was.
The wider principle remains useful: prioritise minimally processed sources of fat such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish where you can.
Refined carbohydrates and added sugars
Carbohydrates are not the enemy.
But repeatedly relying on highly refined carbohydrates and sugary foods can make it harder to maintain a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
Wholegrain carbohydrates such as oats, brown rice, wholegrain bread and quinoa generally offer more fibre and micronutrients.
For women with PCOS or insulin resistance, individual dietary advice may be particularly useful, and this is an area where working with a registered dietitian can be worthwhile.
Ultra-processed foods
A growing area of research is examining the relationship between ultra-processed foods and reproductive health.
A 2025 cross-sectional study reported an association between higher ultra-processed food consumption and female infertility.
Importantly, studies like this show association rather than proving that ultra-processed foods cause infertility.
You also do not need to remove every processed food from your diet.
The more practical aim is simply to make whole and minimally processed foods the foundation most of the time.
What about alcohol?
If you are pregnant or think you could be pregnant, NHS advice is that the safest approach is not to drink alcohol.
If you are trying to conceive, many women also choose to reduce their alcohol intake.
Alcohol is only one part of a much bigger fertility picture, but reducing it can be a sensible and manageable step during preconception.
Does going gluten-free improve fertility?
Unless there is a medical reason to avoid gluten, current evidence does not support recommending a gluten-free diet to every woman trying to conceive.
This is worth saying because gluten-free eating is frequently promoted online as a way to improve fertility.
For women with coeliac disease, the situation is different.
Untreated coeliac disease can damage the small intestine and interfere with absorption of important nutrients including iron and folate, so diagnosis and appropriate treatment matter.
But if you do not have coeliac disease or another clinically identified reason to avoid gluten, there is no need to automatically remove it from your diet for fertility reasons.
Wholegrain foods containing gluten can provide fibre, B vitamins and minerals and form part of a healthy diet.
If you suspect coeliac disease, speak with your GP before removing gluten because testing is most accurate while you are still eating it.
Beyond food
Nutrition matters, but fertility is influenced by far more than what is on your plate.
Age, genetics, reproductive health conditions, sperm health, underlying medical conditions and many other factors can all affect the chances of conception.
Lifestyle factors matter too.
Smoking is one of the clearest examples.
Smoking is associated with reduced fertility and earlier reproductive ageing, alongside its many other health effects.
Stopping smoking is beneficial at any stage.
Sleep, movement and stress management also matter for general health and wellbeing.
That does not mean poor sleep or feeling stressed is the reason someone has not conceived.
Fertility is far too complex for that kind of simplistic explanation.
But looking after yourself while trying to conceive is still worthwhile, regardless of the outcome.
The takeaway
There are no magic fertility foods.
What the evidence supports much more strongly is a consistent nutritional foundation.
That means prioritising a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, healthy fats and fish, while making sure important nutrients such as folate, vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fats and magnesium are not overlooked.
For women trying to conceive in their late 30s and 40s, that nutritional foundation can matter beyond fertility too.
It supports the body you are living in now, through changing energy levels, busy lives and the wider hormonal shifts that can begin during this stage of life.
Start small.
Add another vegetable to dinner.
Swap one refined grain for a wholegrain version.
Add beans or lentils to something you already cook.
Think about whether you are getting enough folate, iron and vitamin D.
And if you are unsure, speak with your GP or a registered dietitian rather than trying to solve everything alone through supplements.
Nutrition cannot guarantee pregnancy.
But nourishing your body well is still one of the most useful things you can do for your health, whether you are trying to conceive now or simply taking better care of yourself for the years ahead.