Women who are looking to get pregnant can try making changes to their diet to increase their odds of conceiving. Studies have shown that some foods have an effect on a woman’s fertility and could increase her chances of getting pregnant. These foods may also contain nutrients that would be essential during the first few weeks of pregnancy.
By just including the right meals in your diet, you have a better chance of conceiving.
In today’s article, we would be looking at some Nigerian foods you can eat when you are trying to get pregnant.
1. Whole Grains
If you want to conceive, you should try replacing your regular grains with whole grains. Whole grains are grains with all parts complete.
They are considered more healthy and nutritious than regular grains, which have gone through one form of processing or the other. Whole grains do not go through any form of processing and still have all their nutrients, including fibre, potassium, iron, magnesium, and a range of vitamins.
Whole grains are an example of complex carbs, which take time to digest. This helps to regulate blood sugar levels and decrease insulin resistance, and this can have a positive impact on trying to conceive.
Examples of whole grains in Nigeria include acha (fonio), oats, brown rice, whole wheat, and millet.
2. Eggs
This might seem a bit obvious, but eating eggs can increase your odds of conceiving. Eggs might be small, but they are loaded with lots of nutrients, making them a special healthy food.
One of the nutrients they contain is vitamin D, which has been shown to improve fertility in women. In addition to that, it is also rich in other nutrients like folic acid, vitamin B-12, and Omega-3 fatty acids, all of which play a role in increasing a woman’s chance of conceiving.
3. Green Leafy Vegetables
Including green leafy vegetables in your diet for any reason at all is always a good idea, and it would also pay off if you do it to increase your odds of conceiving.
Many leafy green vegetables in Nigeria such as bitter leaf, pumpkin leaf (Ugu), spinach, romaine, and so forth are stacked with nutrients, from vitamins to antioxidants.
Some of the nutrients, like iron, folic acid, and copper, play active roles in a woman’s reproductive health, including increasing her chances of becoming pregnant.
4. Beans
Beans, or at least, what we call beans in Nigeria (which is technically called cowpea), is another excellent food to eat if you are trying to get pregnant. Beans is a great source of protein, as well as other nutrients like iron, which helps to boost the chances of producing an egg during ovulation.
In Nigeria, we enjoy beans in so many ways, and with any way you choose to eat it, you would gain the nutrients from it. Other legumes in Nigeria like pigeon peas (fio fio) can also be eaten when try to conceive.
5. Yams
If you want to conceive, you can never go wrong with yams. Yam is a tuber, and it is considered a stable food in Nigeria. It is rich in carbohydrates and is very filling. Some studies have shown that yam could have a healthy effect on ovulation because it contains a hormone called phytoestrogen, and this could help stimulate multiple ovulation.
6. Walnuts
Walnuts are another healthy food that both men and women should consume when trying to conceive.
They are an amazing source of omega-3 fats and vitamin E, B vitamins, and magnesium, which help increase progesterone production.
Furthermore, in a medical study conducted in 2012, healthy young men aged 21 to 35 who ate 75 grams of walnuts every day for 12 weeks experienced increased sperm vitality, motility, and morphology.
7. Greek Yogurt
Full-fat dairy products such as Greek yogurt can boost fertility chances.
Greek yogurt is loaded with calcium, probiotics, and vitamin D, all of which help boost ovulation. In addition, you’ll get a significant amount of protein from each food, which increases the odds of having a successful pregnancy.
Conclusion
Although when you consumes the above Nigerian foods to eat when trying to conceive, you can improve your fertility chances. However, there are things you must do when trying to conceive. They include:
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
- Get enough sleep and rest
- Try taking multivitamins
- Engage in regular physical exercise
- Reduce your consumption of carbs and junk
- Reduce stress
- Reduce caffeine intake.
YOU SHOULD ALSO READ:
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- 10 Nigerian Foods to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
- 7 Healthy Nigerian Foods for Hypertensive Patients
- 8 Nigerian Foods That Are Rich In Folic Acid
- 12 Nigerian Foods That Boost Breast milk Production
Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
