A fertility smoothie? What on earth is that?!
Let me explain…
I’m at the age where a lot of my friend are either thinking about having a baby or actively trying. So I created this smoothie to give them, and anyone else hoping to get pregnant, a little nutritional boost in the right direction 🙂
There are certain foods that benefit our hormones, cycle and fertility more than others. So I wanted to design a smoothie that could be enjoyed daily or as often as you like, that would support health and chances of conceiving. This smoothie is beneficial for both men and women.
So what’s in this smoothie that makes it so special? I have included a section of very normal and everyday foods, which are all easily found in any good supermarket. But they contain nutrients that can help the body to prepare for the possibility of conceiving a baby:
1. Banana:
The magic nutrient in this popular fruit is vitamin B6. This is an essential vitamin in supporting fertility, because it helps to regulate our hormones. A deficiency in B6 can lead to an irregular menstrual cycle and poor development of both sperm and eggs.
2. Spinach
Leafy greens like spinach and kale contain high levels of lipoic acid, iron and folic acid. Lipoid acid is a necessary antioxidant to help protect the female reproductive system, as well as improve the quality of sperm. Iron is important to support ovulation and improve the health of the egg, while folic acid is one of the nutrients most associated with a healthy pregnancy. It’s crucial for preventing neural tube defects, congenital heart defects and cleft lips in the growing foetus.
3. Blackberries:
Blackberries are packed with vitamin C, which helps to improve hormone levels and increase fertility in women. In men, it improves the quality of sperm and protects it from DNA damage.
4, Pumpkin Seed Butter:
The important nutrient here is zinc. In women, a deficiency of the mineral can contribute to an imbalance of oestrogen and progesterone, while increasing levels of zinc levels in infertile men has been shown to boost sperm levels, improve the overall quality of sperm and decrease the likelihood of male infertility. The head of the sperm is based on zinc, so a deficiency of the nutrient will greatly affect the sperm’s ability to burrow into the egg to fertilise it.
Eating a healthy and well-planned diet to support fertility and increase your chances of falling pregnant, is so crucial in maximising the possibility of conception. Nutrition plays a huge part in balancing hormones and improving fertility, as nutrients help to produce hormones and support the health of sperm and eggs. So adding this smoothie regularly to a balanced diet full of unprocessed fresh whole foods will help to improve overall health, fertility and balance hormones.
Oh and did I mention that it tastes yummy too?!
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 handful baby spinach leaves
- 125g fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 heaped tsp raw pumpkin seed butter
- 125ml chilled coconut water or cold filtered water, to blend
- 3 ice cubes
- 4-5 drops liquid Stevia sweetener, to taste (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve chilled.
- Any leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days.