Why You Need Fats in Your Diet for Fertility
Fats can get a really bad rap. This is especially true if you were around during the no fat/low fat craze that swept the nation in the 90s.
Here’s the deal though, you need fats in your diet for healthy hormones and a functioning reproductive pathway. So if you want improved ovarian function, better periods, and optimized fertility, it’s time to put down the Wow Chips and step away from the Snackwell’s and learn to love healthy fats.
Fats Should be Celebrated, Not Feared
In addition to adding delicious flavor to your plate that helps you feel satisfied after a meal, fats serve several important purposes in the body.
Fat helps build healthy supple cells and neurons. It helps protect the brain and keeps inflammation at bay. Research has also shown certain fats can help regulate oil production in your skin, balance hydration, and minimize signs of aging––uh, yes please!
Fats also seem to improve mental health and reduce the risk of developing dementia. Moreover, healthy intake of essential fats is linked with better insulin and glucose control.
Fats and Fertility
Fats provide the building blocks for sex and steroid hormones - like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone. In other words, all the hormones you need to get and stay pregnant are made from fat.
Fats also aids in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are important for fertility and ovulatory function. So when you don’t eat enough fat, your body will not be able to absorb these important nutrients effectively.
It is also shown that women who eat more full-fat dairy have lower risk of ovulatory infertility compared to women with higher low-fat dairy intake.
Types of Fats
There are 3 types of dietary fats: unsaturated, saturated, and trans.
Unsaturated fats are predominately found in plant-based foods. They come can be classified as monounsaturated fatty acids or polyunsaturated fatty acids or as MUFAs or PUFAs, which is arguably more fun to say. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids are both PUFAs.
Saturated fats are found predominantly in animal based products and some plant-based products like coconut oil.
Trans fats are mostly produced artificially with a few forms occurring naturally. Manufacturers have been banned from adding them since 2018.
In general, and especially for fertility health, you want to prioritize unsaturated fats, moderate saturated fats, and avoid trans fats. To reiterate, you don’t need to eliminate saturated fats, but you do want to be mindful of how much you consume.
Choosing Healthy Fats
When you talk about health fats, that is most often referring to Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids (AKA PUFAs). They have a wide range of benefits such as improving brain function, decreasing the risk of heart disease, decreasing inflammation, regulating ovulation, and impacting fertility by increasing blood flow to the uterus.
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in cold water fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and dark leafy greens. They help lower triglyceride levels and blood pressure by regulating your heartbeats and slowing the development of plaque in your arteries.
Omega-3s are also essential components of creating and maintaining cell membranes along with synthesizing hormones and promoting hormone function.
Omega 6 fats include foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, soybeans, and sunflower and canola oils. These fats lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and raise “good” HDL cholesterol, stimulate skin and hair growth, regulate metabolism, and contribute to the maintenance of the reproductive system.
Although these fats are loaded with beneficial properties, no need to over indulge. The general guidelines are to aim for a 1:4 ratio of omega-3s to omega 6s.
Fat Intake
In general, I recommend 30 (ish) percent of your daily intake coming from fat, but the right number for you depends on your needs. You might need more or less depending on blood sugar balance and activity levels. That doesn’t mean you have to lose your mind tracking every single bite of food. You can achieve this by using the balanced plate method. Instead of following a strict set of guidelines or eliminating food groups, you just use the following formula when you put a meal together: 1/2 plate of fruits and veggies, 1/4 plate of protein, 1/4 plate of carbs, and 1-2 thumb sizes of healthy fats.
Easy ways to add health fats
Is your diet is need of a boost of healthy fats? Here are some super low key ways to incorporate more into your diet.
Sprinkle a spoonful of chia seeds in yogurt or use them to make overnight oats or chocolate chia pudding
Use pepitas as a topper for salads and soups, add into trail mix, or sprinkle on a banana with nut butter.
Toss a handful of walnuts on a salad or pair with a piece of fruit or handful of berries for a snack.
Add half an avocado to your smoothie or have some avocado toast with a hard boiled egg for an energizing snack.
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Feel overwhelmed with all the information out there about fertility and nutrition? I would love to help you regain your vitality and optimize your fertility with a nutrition and supplement protocol designed to support the specific needs of your body!
Both my Science of Self Care and Burnout to Bebe programs have self-based modules to teach you the basics and include 1:1 sessions to help you refine what works for you. Head to the links above to learn more about the programs or click here to schedule a free consultation call.
