Feeding Fertility: What Food Has to Do With It.

By Judith Ototo, RDN, LD

If you're dealing with fertility struggles, most conversations start with doctors, hormones, and test results. That makes sense — those things matter most. But there's another piece worth talking about, food. It won't fix everything, and it's not a replacement for medical care. But it's something you have control over every single day, and research shows it can make a real difference.

Here's what studies actually say.

Omega-3s Help Eggs and Sperm

Omega-3 fats — the kind found in fatty fish, like salmon and sardines, walnuts, and grass-fed beef — have some of the best research behind them. A study published in 2024 looked at many past studies together and found that women who got more omega-3s had better pregnancy and fertilization rates. Then in early 2026, doctors running fertility treatments in Iran tested this directly. Women who followed a fertility-focused diet with omega-3 supplements had noticeably better fertilization rates and made more usable embryos than women who just got standard diet advice.

For men, research has connected higher omega-3 intake — especially from fish and nuts — with healthier sperm.

Fish is the most concentrated natural source of these omega-3 fats. But not everyone eats fish often, which is one reason grass-fed beef matters too. How an animal eats changes the fat in its meat, so grass-fed beef carries more of these good omega-3 fats than beef from animals raised on grain.

Zinc Matters More Than People Think

Everyone talks about folic acid for fertility. Zinc doesn't get nearly as much attention, but the research on it is strong — especially for men. Zinc is directly involved in making healthy sperm, helping sperm move well, and keeping testosterone at normal levels. Studies have found that men with higher zinc in their semen tend to have higher sperm counts.

That matters because roughly half of all fertility problems involve the male partner, not just the female partner.

Red meat is one of the best sources of zinc your body can actually absorb and use — better than most plant sources, where other compounds block zinc absorption. Eggs are another solid source, and they bring along protein, B vitamins, and choline at the same time.

Liver Covers Three Bases at Once

Three nutrients keep showing up in fertility research: iron, choline, and B12. And all three happen to be packed into one food — liver.

Iron: Studies have linked getting enough iron to a lower risk of infertility caused by ovulation problems.

Choline: Most people don't get enough of this nutrient, and it plays a key role in early development.

B12: Needed for healthy cell division, which matters for both conception and the earliest stages of pregnancy.

This is part of why we build our Restore & Rebuild box around a blend of 90% ground beef, 7% liver, and 3% heart. It's not a gimmick — it's a practical way to get these nutrients in without having to cook liver plain, which most people don't enjoy.

The Bigger Picture

No single food is magic. What the research keeps showing is that overall eating patterns matter most. Diets full of processed food, sugar, and cheap vegetable oils are linked to more inflammation and insulin resistance — both of which throw off hormones and ovulation. Diets built around whole foods, good protein — whether that's beef, fish, poultry, or eggs — and healthy fat are linked to better outcomes, over and over, across many studies.

That's the whole idea behind how we approach food at Ranch Table Club — not chasing one superfood but making it easy to eat this way consistently.

One Honest Note

Food isn't a cure for infertility. Plenty of causes need real medical treatment, and no diet changes that. But nutrition is one of the few things you actually control in a process that can feel completely out of your hands. Getting it right takes one more variable off the table.

Talk to your doctor about your specific situation. Consider what's on your plate as one piece of a much bigger picture.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or fertility specialist about your own situation.

About the Author

Judith Ototo is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Licensed Dietitian (RDN, LD) with a background in culinary arts. A 2021 graduate of Johnson & Wales University's nutrition program, she is Co-Founder of Ranch Table Club, where she leads nutrition guidance and clinical consultation built around real food from pasture-raised sources.