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Diet will not by itself fix a blocked tube or a low sperm count. What it does do is remove the things that measurably work against you — and two of those, smoking and weight at either extreme, matter more than every supplement on the shelf.
Eat more of these
| What it gives you | Foods | How much a day |
|---|---|---|
| Folate | Methi, palak and other leafy shaak · sprouted moong and matki · chana · beetroot · oranges and mosambi | A bowl of green shaak or sprouts every day. Start folic acid tablets three months before you try — food alone is not enough for this one. |
| Iron | Bajra and jowar rotla · methi and palak · sprouted moong · gur and til (til-gur chikki) · dry anjeer and khajur | Two bajra or jowar rotla a day is a good baseline. Squeeze lemon over the shaak — it roughly doubles how much iron you absorb. |
| Protein | Moong, toor, chana and urad dal · paneer · dahi and chaas · sprouts · dry fruit · eggs and fish if you eat them | Dal at both meals, and one more protein — paneer, dahi or sprouts. Aim for something protein-rich at every meal rather than one big serving. |
| Zinc — for him too | Sprouted moong and chana · til and pumpkin seeds · cashew and badam · whole-wheat rotli · dahi | A handful of seeds or nuts daily. This column matters as much for him as for you — sperm production is far more diet-sensitive than people think. |
A day laid out
An example, not a rule. Swap anything for something similar you actually like — a chart you will not follow is worth nothing.
| When | Example |
|---|---|
| On waking | 8–10 badam soaked overnight, and a glass of water. If you have been told to take folic acid, take it now so you do not forget. |
| Breakfast | Methi thepla with dahi · or moong dal chilla · or bajra dhokla. Add a fruit. |
| Mid-morning | Chaas, or a seasonal fruit — mosambi, orange, papaya or apple. |
| Lunch | Bajra or jowar rotla · a bowl of dal · green shaak · kachumber salad with lemon · chaas. Tea and coffee an hour either side, not with the meal. |
| Evening | Sprouts chaat with lemon and onion · or roasted chana · or khakhra. Something real, not biscuits. |
| Dinner | Khichdi and kadhi · or rotli, dal and shaak. Keep it lighter than lunch and eat two to three hours before bed. |
Be careful with
Smoking, for both of you. This is the clearest finding in the whole field and stopping helps. If you take one thing from this chart, take this one.
Heavy alcohol. Heat for men — long hot baths, laptops on laps, hours of driving.
Most fertility supplements sold in bottles with a baby on the label have little behind them. Folic acid is the exception and it matters. Ask us before you spend money on the rest.
Weekly tracker
Fill it in here, or print it and write on it. Bring it to your next visit — these are the things your consultant will ask about.
| Day | Folic acid | Medicines | Water | Walk | Anything to mention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | |||||
| Tuesday | |||||
| Wednesday | |||||
| Thursday | |||||
| Friday | |||||
| Saturday | |||||
| Sunday |
General guidance for this stage, not a plan written for you. Written by Dr. Hardik Vansjaliya, Gujarat Medical Council G/24936, last checked September 2026.
Quantities follow the ICMR-NIN Recommended Dietary Allowances for Indians (2020) and the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024). Your iron dose is set from your own haemoglobin, not from this chart.