Boosting egg quality through nutrition: Sandra Greenbank’s evidence-based tips

We caught up with expert nutritionist Sandra Greenbank to learn more about how nutrition may support egg quality and overall fertility health.

Fertility nutrition isn’t a magic bullet, so what should we focus on?

A woman’s diet can influence ovulation and egg health – two key areas of female fertility – as well as the environment inside the womb, where a baby will grow and develop throughout pregnancy. As it takes around three months for an egg to fully mature before ovulation, it can be helpful to focus this time on supporting your body ahead of conception.

The main building blocks of our diet are proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and research suggests that the quality of these nutrients may be particularly important when it comes to female fertility and supporting egg quality.

Carbohydrates provide the body with energy, proteins supply the building blocks needed for growth and repair, and fats not only provide energy but also form an essential part of the membrane surrounding every cell in the body.

Healthy cell membranes are important for cells to function well. Check out this brilliant 2026 briefing for an all stops Omega-3 for fertility round-up, to learn more.

Quality macros

The types of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in our diet can have an impact on female fertility. Some studies suggest that replacing carbohydrates with animal protein may negatively affect ovulation, whereas replacing carbohydrates with vegetable protein may have a more protective effect.

This does not necessarily mean that a vegan, plant-based or vegetarian diet is best for fertility, as these diets can lack certain nutrients that are important when trying to conceive. However, it may be worth considering increasing plant-based sources of protein such as nuts, seeds, pulses and legumes, while being mindful of the amount and quality of animal protein consumed.

It is important to note that there are currently no studies looking specifically at the quality of animal protein in relation to fertility. Conventionally reared animals are often kept in confinement, fed soya-based feed and routinely given antibiotics, which may affect the body differently compared to grass-fed and pasture-raised animals that are reared without unnecessary antibiotics.

Choosing organic and pasture-raised animal protein may therefore be beneficial, as it typically contains a more favourable fatty acid profile, lower levels of antibiotics and reduced pesticide exposure – all of which may individually influence fertility.

When it comes to fats, the female egg  (like every cell in the body) is surrounded by a lipid membrane. This membrane needs to remain flexible in order for sperm to successfully penetrate it. Certain dietary fats can make cell membranes more rigid, which is less than ideal for fertility health.

Research has shown that consuming trans fats instead of monounsaturated fats may significantly increase the risk of infertility, with links to ovulation and fertilisation issues. Trans fats are commonly found in pre-packaged and shelf-stable foods such as cakes, biscuits, margarine, chips and fried foods. Monounsaturated fats, on the other hand, are associated with better fertility health. Good sources include avocados, nuts and olive oil.

Carbohydrates

Several studies show that the type of carbohydrate consumed can make a significant difference, with one study showing a marked improvement in female fertility just by swapping from simple to complex carbohydrates. Always good to know when trying to conceive.

Simple carbohydrates are what you may hear a nutritionist refer to as the ‘sticky, fluffy, sweet’’ foods:

• White rice

• Pasta

• Instant oatmeal

• Baked goods

• White potatoes

• Flour-based products

Complex carbohydrates are those that are more close to their original form:

• Brown whole grain rice

• Quinoa

• Lentils

The mechanism behind this is possibly due to the different effects that these types of carbohydrates have on blood sugar. The simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to spike, which in turn creates raised inflammation in the body. The simple carbohydrates also tend to have a negative effect on hormones such as testosterone, which is associated with the ovulation problems in women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Aside from the main building blocks, the vitamins and minerals needed to build a healthy egg are many, but let’s highlight some of the main ones. The antioxidant nutrients are mostly talked about in relation to male fertility, however they are crucial for female fertility also. As we age, oxidative damage causes more and more problems for eggs. This is partly due to a reduced production of antioxidant enzymes in eggs from older women. Unfortunately, eggs from older women also produce more of the oxidising compounds, a combination which leads to poorer egg health as we age. However, the same scenario has also been found in younger women with unexplained infertility.

So how can we improve egg quality through nutrition?

Fortunately, it is thought that dietary antioxidants can help prevent or reverse some of this damage. Research shows that women with higher antioxidant levels during IVF cycles have greater IVF success rates. Some good sources of dietary antioxidants include the deeper coloured vegetables and berries, such as blueberries, beetroot, as well as nuts such as almonds and Brazil nuts. In reality the best policy is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables each day of a wide variety.

Orange foods

These are worth including in the female fertility diet, as they can help support a healthy endometrium (womb lining) and progesterone production. The corpus luteum – Latin for ‘yellow body’ – produces progesterone, which is necessary for pregnancy to progress. A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in 2014 suggests that when women boost their beta-carotene intake, their chances of becoming pregnant seem to improve.

Some orange foods that help to provide Beta-carotene in the diet include:

• Butternut squash

• Carrots

• Sweet potato

Most women who are trying to conceive will also have heard that folate is an important ingredient in the fertility diet. Folate is a type of B vitamin which is heavily involved in energy and cell replication – two processes that are key to a healthy conception.

Foods rich in folate include:

• Dark green leafy vegetables

• Nuts

• Beans

• Peas

• Seafood

• Eggs

The most important take-home message for anybody who is trying to navigate the fertility diet maze is this: It takes 12 months to make a baby, so what you eat in the 3 months prior to conception is arguably just as important as what you eat during pregnancy. Focus on eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. Eat mostly home cooked food, including a wide variety of plant foods every day. Would you eat it if you were pregnant already? If not, perhaps make a different choice.

We realise how important your diet is when trying to conceive. Hopefully this fertility blog has given you a deeper understanding of just why this is, whilst offering you ideas of foods which help fertility, when trying to improve your eqq quality.