Foods of love - your pre-conception diet 

• A little aperitif
• Just for starters
• The main meal
• The sweetest thing

A little aperitif

Before you even think about having a baby you need to look at your general well-being to improve your chances of conceiving. Doctors and nutritionists across the world are united when it comes to pre-conceptual dietary advice.

Dr Marilyn Glenville is a nutritionist and fertility expert who looks at diet and lifestyle in a natural, holistic way. She says, "Everything that you eat can be turned into the fuel that your body uses to produce hormones, enzymes, blood, bone - in fact, every single cell in your body, and all the processes that take place, are determined by what goes into your mouth."

In 1995 a study by the National Food Survey showed that less than 1 in 10 people receive the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for zinc, which is the most important mineral for female hormones and male fertility.

A further study conducted by the University of Surrey showed that couples with a previous history of infertility who made changes in their lifestyle, diet and took nutritional supplements had an 80 per cent success rate.

Some good supplements to take before conception include;

Folic acid. This is one of the B vitamins and has been shown to reduce the risk of spina bifida in babies. Research has shown that taken with B6 it increases a woman's fertility and with B12 it can increase sperm counts.

Zinc. This is necessary for your body to 'attract and hold' (utilise efficiently) the reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. It also makes up the outer layer of the sperm and is essential for male fertility.

Vitamin E. This is an antioxidant and can increase fertility in both men and women.

Selenium. This is an antioxidant that can prevent chromosome breakage, which is known to be a cause of birth defects and miscarriages.

Vitamin C. Another antioxidant, known to enhance sperm.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Vital for hormone balance and healthy sperm cells.

Just for starters

Before deciding on what to eat, it's worth knowing what not to eat. Dr Glenville advises against using processed foods as they often contain xenoestrogens which can disrupt your hormonal balance. She says, "We have, as a culture, begun to eat far too many processed, convenience and refined foods that have been stripped of essential nutrients during the manufacturing process."

Dr John Briffa encourages everyone to keep their diet as natural and unprocessed as possible. In his book Natural Health for Kids, he says, "Food processing generally detracts from the nutritional attributes of a food and often adds to it things that are far from healthy."

Both experts recommend following an organic, wholefood diet, avoiding additives, preservatives and chemicals such as artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame. Once in the body, aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde, the substance used to preserve dead bodies. Avoid fizzy drinks altogether and drink lots of filtered water instead.

It is also recommended that couples trying to conceive avoid;

Caffeine - known to decrease fertility and as well as coffee is found in tea and cola

Alcohol - can reduce fertility by half and the more you drink the more likely you will be affected. It also inhibits the absorption of zinc so partners need to be careful too.

The main meal

So now that you know what to avoid, which foods are best for boosting both your fertility and your mood? Much has been written about the use of aphrodisiacs and some of these double-up as an effective fertility boost so choose your menu from the following.

Vegetables

Asparagus Apart from its obvious symbolic appearance, this vegetable is rich in Vitamin E and folic acid. ·

Leafy vegetables Broccoli, kale and spinach are all naturally high in folates.

Mushrooms Along with lentils, onions and tomatoes are good source of selenium.

Fish

Oysters Long known for their aphrodisiac properties, these shellfish are a rich source of zinc. Incidentally, it's believed that Casanova ate 50 raw oysters every day for breakfast!

Salmon, organic, of course! Along with other oily fish, are high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids.

Lobster Like white fish, lobster is high in zinc.

Carbohydrates

Oats, brown rice and wholemeal bread. As well as being rich in Vitamin E, these complex, healthy carbohydrates are important to maintain energy for couples trying to conceive.

Meats

Chicken/turkey White meat is rich in zinc.

Herbs and spices

Chilli Not surprisingly, chilli stimulates the circulation but it is also high in Vitamin C.

Garlic A great energiser, the not-so-pleasant after effects can be neutralised by chewing parsley, which in itself is beneficial due to its high Vitamin E content.

The sweetest thing

Like it or not, sugar is bad for you but what is a meal without some of the sweet stuff? With this in mind, it's worth remembering a few things.

According to the medical profession, the smell of chocolate acts on the olfactory and emotion centres in the brain, releasing hormones and neurotransmitters that stimulate sexual desires.

Honey is reputed to be a fast acting stimulant which, 'rejuvenates the sexual glands'. Its claims to benefit conception are backed by research.

Read The sweetest aid to conception for more about why honey can aid conception

Vitamins can be found in abundance in many fruits and blackberries are a particularly high source of Vitamin E.

Where to next?

• Trying for a baby? Talk to others in the same situation on our forum
• Your top ten fertility questions answered
• Go to trying for a baby main menu
• See the babyworld pre-pregnancy checklist
• Visit our trying for baby discussion forum
• Find out the secrets of conception
• See how to keep sex fun
• Talk to others about trying for a baby in our chat rooms
• Read the steamy results of the babyworld Valentine's Sex Survey