The Mediterranean Diet For Fertility: A Path to Better Women’s Health?

If you’re looking for ways to support your hormone health and fertility through diet, you may feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice. The truth is, nourishing your body doesn’t need to be through any complicated routines or extreme diets.

In fact, one of the most researched diets in the world, and often deemed as the ‘best’ diet in the world, promotes delicious, balanced eating and supports not only general health, but also reproductive health. And that is … The Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean Diet isn’t a strict meal plan—it’s more of a pattern of eating that centres around whole, plant-based foods that support long-term health. 

At its core, the Mediterranean Diet reflects the traditional dietary patterns of countries in the Mediterranean and emphasises fibre-rich vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains, along with healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil.

It encourages moderate intake of animal products - such as dairy, chicken, fish - and limits intakes of red and processed meats. (1) The overall diet is high in fibre, low in saturated fats, and promotes balanced blood sugar and improved digestion, keeping you feeling full and energised.

General health benefits of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered to have many health benefits (2), such as:

• It’s great for your heart -  A big study showed that people who stuck with the Mediterranean diet for 20 years had about a 30% lower chance of getting heart disease, and were 13% less likely to have a stroke.

• It helps prevent type 2 diabetes -  Lots of research shows that this way of eating helps keep blood sugar levels steady, which lowers the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

• It won’t make you gain weight - actually, the opposite! Even though the diet includes healthy fats (like olive oil and nuts), people following it often lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, especially if they were overweight to begin with.

• It’s good for your brain - This diet has been linked to better memory and a lower risk of diseases like dementia. Foods like leafy greens and berries seem to be especially helpful for keeping your brain sharp.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet for women’s health 

• PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
  Eating the Mediterranean way may help balance your insulin levels and improve insulin resistance (3), which is a big deal if you have PCOS. It focuses on anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, veggies, and healthy fats, which can lower inflammation -something that’s often linked to PCOS symptoms. It also helps improve cholesterol, blood sugar, and even reduces certain stress markers tied to cancer. While we still need more research, so far it looks pretty promising for managing PCOS.

• Endometriosis
  This diet might ease the pain and other symptoms of endometriosis. In a small study, women who followed a Mediterranean diet said their pain got better and they felt better overall (4). 

  On the flip side, eating lots of trans fats (think processed snacks, butter, and baked goods) seemed to raise the risk of developing endometriosis. Olive oil, a staple in the diet, may even act like a natural pain reliever—some say its anti-inflammatory effects are similar to ibuprofen. Plus, the diet’s high magnesium content could help relax muscles and reduce cramping and pelvic pain.

• Fertility
  Trying to conceive? The Mediterranean diet might give you a boost. Some studies have shown that women following this diet had more embryos and a better chance of egg fertilisation (4). One study even found that women doing IVF were nearly three times more likely to get pregnant and give birth if they followed a Mediterranean-style diet (5).

The Mediterranean diet on your plate

• Plenty of vegetables and fruits – the more colour and variety, the better

• Whole grains - brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, couscous, oats, barley, corn, millet, bulgur, etc.

• Legumes – chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, split peas, etc.

• Nuts – almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.

• Fish - especially fatty fish like salmon or sardines, which are high in omega-3s.

• Poultry – chicken, turkey, duck

• Dairy – plain, unsweetened yoghurt, milk, cheese in moderation

• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• Minimal red meat – beef, lamb, pork

Foods to limit on a Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet doesn’t strictly prohibit any certain foods, however, there are some which should be limited, as they aren’t associated with health benefits. These include:

• Red meat

• Alcohol

• Processed meat

• Refined carbohydrates, including refined sugar

Practical tips for a Mediterranean diet

Here are some simple & practical ways to incorporate a Mediterranean diet into your life:

• Blend beans into soups and pasta sauces; you can’t taste them, and they add extra fibre and gut diversity to your dishes!

• If you are used to having meat-based meals, try adding a few spoons of lentils or chickpeas into your meals, for example, lentils mixed into your Bolognese, then slowly add more lentils, and decrease the meat as your palate adapts. Try our lentil bolognese recipe!

• Try adding an extra vegetable to each meal you make to increase fibre and diversity.

• Similarly, try mixing out your fruits and vegetables in your shop, so you try a larger variety across the month.

• Cook with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) instead of reaching for butters and other refined oils. It also makes a great salad dressing, mixed with a bit of apple cider vinegar.

• Add a ‘no meat’ day into your week, focusing on meals with legumes or fish.

• Try vegetable sticks and hummus or a white bean dip for a snack, or an apple and nut butter, instead of highly processed alternatives like crisps.

Sample daily meal plan

Breakfast

Greek yoghurt bowl with fertility-friendly granola

• 200g full-fat Greek yoghurt

• Our fertility-friendly granola 

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp flax seeds

• 1 small handful of fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, etc.)

• 1 small handful of nuts

• 1 tsp honey

• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Mid-Morning Snack

Hummus + veggie sticks

• 3 tbsp hummus

• Carrot sticks, cucumber, and red pepper slices

Lunch

Mediterranean chickpea and quinoa salad

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

• 1/2 cup tinned chickpeas

• Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley

• 1 tbsp olive oil + lemon dressing

• 30g feta cheese crumbled on top

• Handful of rocket/spinach

Afternoon Snack

Small handful of mixed nuts + dried apricots

• 20g mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios)

• 3–4 dried apricots

Dinner

Citrus roasted salmon with roasted vegetables and whole grain couscous

In summary, the Mediterranean diet is associated with many health benefits, including supporting female reproductive health and fertility. The diet is heavily focused on plant foods and fibre, with many ways to incorporate the foods into your current lifestyle. Focusing on increasing plants and decreasing highly processed foods from your diet is a great place to start making small changes.

If you would like support for incorporating the Mediterranean way of eating into your diet then book a free discovery call with Claire, to help better understand and improve your health today!

References

1. Mediterranean diet and female reproductive health over lifespan

2. The Mediterranean diet and health

3. Dietary Interventions: A Promising Treatment for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

4. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Women and Reproductive Health across the Lifespan

5. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and IVF success rate among non-obese women attempting fertility

6. Mediterranean Diet