The Best Foods To Eat For Reproductive Health

A healthy reproductive system is critical to your overall wellbeing. However, a lot of factors may interfere with normal reproductive functions. For example, Johns Hopkins Medicine shares that hormonal imbalances in both males and females can negatively impact reproductive functions such as menstrual cycles or fertility, reducing the chances of conception. At times, there may be some internal conditions affecting a man or woman, leading to issues with fertility. Moreover, unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive drinking, a lack of physical activity, and even diet play an integral role in affecting reproductive health, according to a 2012 study published in the Journal of International Medical Research.

While consuming foods for improving your reproductive health, you may want to keep the end goals in mind. Maybe you wish to get pregnant soon or would like to enjoy intercourse and boost your sex drive. It's also possible that you're looking for a diet that helps maintain hormonal balance. In any case, a healthy diet may be able to move you closer to your goals.

Leafy green vegetables are the perfect foods to add to your diet for healthy reproductive functioning. Certified nutrition expert, Jayne Williams, shared in an interview with Glamour that dark green vegetables such as Swiss chard, spinach, and kale are packed with essential nutrients like fiber, iron, and folate. These can be especially important for family planning and pregnancy as the folate can help prevent birth defects. Similarly, she adds that male fertility may get a boost by adding more sunflower seeds to the diet. Sunflower seeds benefit males by increasing their sperm count and motility (via Verywell Family).

Additionally, Everyday Health explains that your body needs numerous antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds to reduce infection risk in the genitals, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberries, for instance, contain powerful anthocyanins that can be particularly protective against UTIs in women. Similarly, Medicine Net advises consuming citrus fruits daily to get sufficient vitamins for normal reproductive health.