According to a recent study, men who follow a Mediterranean-style diet potentially have higher sperm counts than men who follow a comparatively unhealthy diet. In this article, we breakdown why a mediterranean-style diet could help with male fertility and what foods this includes.
Researchers from the University of Murcia School of Medicine in Spain has looked at the semen samples and diets of over 200 healthy male university students, and discovered that those who ate a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and reduced their intake of processed meat, salt and sugary foods had a sperm count approximately 65% higher than those who consumed an unhealthy diet.
There was also an improvement in the quality of the sperm when looking at morphology and an increase in the sperm motility. Although the number of participants was small compared to other studies, there is a significant amount of scientific evidence to suggest that diet and lifestyle can have a substantial impact on the concentration and quality of sperm.
What are the types of foods in a mediterranean diet that can help sperm for fertility?
The types of food you may expect in in a Mediterranean-style diet ranges from fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and a reduction in processed meats and sugary drinks. It’s a diet more commonly known as the Mediterranean-style Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet or “DASH” diet, and is often recommended by the American Heart Association to help prevent hypertension.
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The findings were published in the journal of human reproduction in September 2019
