What to Eat When Trying to Conceive
Fertility depends on zinc, folate, and selenium for both men and women. These foods provide the strongest combo of all three.
Foods ranked for a specific outcome, not generic health halos
Key nutrients explained in plain English
Actionable ways to use the list in real meals
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EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
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Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
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Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
Fertility in both men and women depends on nutrients that support hormone production, egg and sperm quality, and cellular integrity. Zinc, folate, and selenium have the strongest evidence, while antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E protect reproductive cells from oxidative damage.
What this guide optimizes for
Foods are ranked for this specific goal, not for generic “healthiness.” That keeps the list more useful in practice.
How the numbers work
All data comes from USDA FoodData Central and is standardized per 100g so foods can be compared on equal footing.
How to use it
Use the top few foods as anchors, then mix in the rest for variety, cost, and easier meal planning.
How to apply this goal guide
Goal guides are meant to help you build a pattern, not obsess over a single perfect food. The best choices here are foods that repeatedly support the outcome you care about.
Use first
Pick 2 or 3 high-ranking foods you will actually buy every week.
Then balance
Layer in cheaper, easier, or more enjoyable foods from lower down the list to stay consistent.
Watch tradeoffs
Strong foods for one goal can still be salty, fatty, or calorie-dense, so the caution notes matter.
Key Nutrients
Zinc
Daily Value: 11mg
Critical for testosterone production and sperm quality in men, and for egg development and hormonal balance in women.
Folate
Daily Value: 400mcg
Essential for DNA synthesis during rapid cell division. Important for egg quality and early embryonic development.
Selenium
Daily Value: 55mcg
Protects sperm from oxidative damage and is incorporated into the structural protein of sperm cells. Deficiency directly impairs male fertility.
Top 15 Foods
Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched
Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched scores near the top because it checks several of the boxes that matter most for fertility. 3491% of daily selenium from 100g is a big reason this food ranks so well.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 16.1g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Acerola, (west indian cherry), raw
Acerola, (west indian cherry), raw is one of the clearest fits for fertility once the relevant nutrients are weighted against each other.
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat rises to the top tier here because its nutrition profile lines up unusually well with fertility. 715% of daily zinc from 100g is a big reason this food ranks so well.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 79mg per 100g.
Turkey, all classes, liver, cooked, simmered
Turkey, all classes, liver, cooked, simmered is a strong option for fertility, especially if you want something that is easier to eat regularly than the top few entries. A 100g serving covers 185% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 648mg per 100g.
Seeds, sunflower seed butter, without salt
Seeds, sunflower seed butter, without salt earns this spot because it supports fertility well without needing to be perfect at every metric. 189% of daily selenium from 100g is a big reason this food ranks so well.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 4.68g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Turkey, young hen, skin only, cooked, roasted is a strong option for fertility, especially if you want something that is easier to eat regularly than the top few entries. A 100g serving covers 262% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 11.6g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Mollusks, octopus, common, cooked, moist heat earns this spot because it supports fertility well without needing to be perfect at every metric. A 100g serving covers 163% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 460mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Mollusks, mussel, blue, cooked, moist heat
Mollusks, mussel, blue, cooked, moist heat is a strong option for fertility, especially if you want something that is easier to eat regularly than the top few entries. A 100g serving covers 163% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Noodles, egg, dry, enriched
Noodles, egg, dry, enriched may not be the star of the list, but it still has a profile that can help with fertility. 143% of daily selenium from 100g is a big reason this food ranks so well.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 84mg per 100g.
Semolina, enriched
Semolina, enriched is lower on the page, but it is still a useful rotation food for fertility. A 100g serving covers 163% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Wheat, durum
Wheat, durum is lower on the page, but it is still a useful rotation food for fertility. A 100g serving covers 163% of daily selenium, which is unusually strong for a single food.
Seeds, sesame butter, paste
Seeds, sesame butter, paste rounds out the list as a practical supporting option for fertility. It supplies 66% of daily zinc, which is enough to matter without needing a huge portion.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 7.12g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Peppers, hot chili, green, raw
Peppers, hot chili, green, raw is lower on the page, but it is still a useful rotation food for fertility.
Beef, chuck, short ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised is lower on the page, but it is still a useful rotation food for fertility. 112% of daily zinc from 100g is a big reason this food ranks so well.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 108mg per 100g.
Guavas, common, raw
Guavas, common, raw is lower on the page, but it is still a useful rotation food for fertility.
Practical Tips
- ✓For men: zinc, selenium, and antioxidants (C, E) have the most evidence for improving sperm parameters. Oysters, nuts, and colorful vegetables cover all three.
- ✓For women: folate is non-negotiable, and iron status significantly affects ovulation regularity. Start optimizing nutrition 3 months before trying to conceive.
- ✓Alcohol, even moderate intake, is associated with reduced fertility in both sexes. This is one area where the evidence for abstinence during the fertility window is relatively strong.