By Sue Bedford
Now that we are about to enter Summer time why not eat more fresh strawberries to help boost fertility?
Strawberries help to reduce inflammation in the body and have shown to reduce creative protein (CRP) levels, which is a medical marker of inflammation when a portion is consumed daily.
Strawberries give fertility a boost as they are rich in folate. Folate is vital for cell division, reducing birth defects. Folate also helps to counteract ovulation problems. 125g of strawberries provides ten per cent of your daily folate needs along with a whole day’s amount of vitamin C.
Vitamin C boost’s the immune system and fights infection and also helps with iron absorption which is essential for both men and women when trying to conceive. Vitamin C is also important for sperm motility and vitality so why not both of you start your day off with porridge sprinkled with strawberries (plus your other favourite berries) or a strawberry smoothie.
Top tips
- Try to buy organic strawberries wherever possible or grow some of your own. Many non-organic strawberries are heavily sprayed with pesticides so ensure that you wash them thoroughly before eating.
- Make sure you eat strawberries within two days of buying them as the amount of vitamin C and polyphenols quickly decrease.
Very berry summer salad
(All berries are great for a fertility boost as they are packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Antioxidants are important disease fighting compounds – in addition to strawberries go for raspberries, blueberries and blackberries to pack in those vital nutrients).
With the warm weekend forecast ahead why not make this healthy salad to enjoy and pack in some of your seven a day.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
- 4 cups of salad leaves/watercress of your choice
- 1/2 cup of fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup of blueberries
- 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella/halloumi or cheese of your choice (or cooked chicken)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 red onion finely sliced
For the dressing
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground pepper,to taste
Method
- Place the leaves/watercress into a salad bowl.
- Add the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cheese/chicken, red onion and avocado slices.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour over salad, gently mix together and serve.
Don’t forget to send us images of your nutritional creations. Or do you have a recipe you use to boost your fertility? We’d love to hear from you, email mystory@ivfbabble.com or contact us via our social media pages, @ivfbabble on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter