# What to Eat When You're Trying to Conceive
Most people think about nutrition once they see the positive test. But the truth is, the food you eat today directly influences the egg you will ovulate about 100 days from now. That is the length of the egg maturation cycle, and it means your pre-conception diet is not a warmup. It is the main event.
This guide draws on the Egg Quality Diet philosophy: reduce inflammation, nourish at the cellular level, and give your body the raw materials it needs to produce the healthiest eggs possible.
The 100-Day Window
Every egg goes through a roughly 100-day development process called folliculogenesis. During this window, the egg is especially sensitive to its environment: the nutrients available, the level of oxidative stress, and the inflammatory signals in your body.
This is good news. It means that meaningful changes to your diet can show up in your egg quality within three to four months. You do not need a year of perfection. You need a focused commitment during the window that matters.
What to Put on Your Plate
Pasture-Raised Eggs
The name of the diet says it all. Whole eggs (yolk very much included) are one of the most nutrient-dense fertility foods available. Each egg provides about 150mg of choline, high-quality protein, vitamin D, B12, and healthy fats. Aim for 2 to 3 eggs daily.
Bone Broth
Four to six ounces daily, at least five days per week. Bone broth is rich in collagen, glycine, and minerals that support gut health and reduce inflammation. Think of it as a warm, savory multivitamin. Make a batch on Sunday or buy a quality brand.
Wild-Caught Fish
Salmon, cod, halibut, and sardines are your best options. Wild-caught fish provides omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) that support egg cell membrane integrity and reduce systemic inflammation. Aim for 2 to 3 servings per week.
Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised Meats
Quality matters here. Grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and pasture-raised turkey provide iron, B vitamins, and complete protein without the hormones and antibiotics found in conventional options.
Organ Meats
Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Even a small serving (2 to 3 ounces, once or twice per week) delivers folate, vitamin A, iron, and B12 in their most bioavailable forms. If you cannot stomach the taste, chicken liver pate or liver capsules are a real option.
Sweet Potatoes
At least one per day. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A), fiber, and complex carbohydrates that support hormone balance without spiking blood sugar.
Cooked Leafy Greens and Cruciferous Vegetables
Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Cooking them makes the nutrients more bioavailable and is easier on digestion. Six to eight servings of vegetables daily is the target, with an emphasis on variety.
Healthy Fats
Avocado, ghee, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Fat should make up about 40 to 45 percent of your daily calories. Your body needs fat to produce hormones, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and maintain healthy cell membranes.
Fermented Foods
Raw sauerkraut, coconut yogurt, and other naturally fermented foods support the gut microbiome, which directly influences nutrient absorption and immune function.
What to Remove
These are not arbitrary restrictions. Each item on this list has documented links to inflammation, hormone disruption, or gut permeability, all of which can impact egg quality.
Gluten
Even if you do not have celiac disease, gluten can increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and trigger low-grade inflammation in many people. Remove it for at least 90 days and see how you feel.
Soy
Soy contains phytoestrogens that can disrupt hormone balance. This includes soy milk, tofu, edamame, soy sauce (use coconut aminos instead), and soy protein isolates hidden in processed foods.
Added Sugar
Keep added sugar under 15 grams per day. Sugar drives insulin resistance, which directly impacts ovulation and hormone balance. Read labels carefully. Sugar hides in everything from salad dressings to nut milks.
Processed Vegetable Oils
Corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and other industrial seed oils are highly inflammatory. Cook with ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil instead.
Artificial Sweeteners
These disrupt gut bacteria and can interfere with blood sugar regulation. Skip the diet sodas and sugar-free products.
Pesticides
Choose organic when possible, especially for the Dirty Dozen produce items. Pesticide residues are endocrine disruptors that can interfere with reproductive hormones.
A Sample Day
Breakfast (within 1 hour of waking): 3 eggs scrambled in ghee with sauteed spinach and roasted sweet potato, half an avocado
Mid-morning snack: 6 oz warm bone broth with sea salt and turmeric
Lunch: Wild salmon over roasted butternut squash with steamed broccoli and olive oil
Afternoon snack: Coconut yogurt with blueberries and collagen peptides
Dinner: Grass-fed beef stir fry with bok choy, carrots, and cauliflower rice in coconut aminos
Meal Timing Matters
Eat within one hour of waking. Eat every 2 to 3 hours. Every meal and snack should include protein, fat, and vegetables. This is not about restriction. It is about keeping your blood sugar stable, which keeps your hormones stable.
Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water daily. Room temperature or warm is better for digestion than ice cold.
The Macro Balance
The fertility sweet spot for most women is approximately:
- 40 to 45% fat from quality sources
- 25 to 30% protein (80 to 100 grams daily)
- 25 to 30% carbohydrates (100 to 115 grams daily from vegetables, sweet potatoes, and fruit)
This is not low-carb. Going below 75 grams of carbs daily can actually suppress ovulation and disrupt thyroid function. Your reproductive system needs adequate fuel.
Start Before You Are Ready
The best time to start eating this way is 3 to 6 months before you want to conceive. But even 30 days of focused nutrition makes a difference. Do not let the idea of perfection keep you from starting.
Your body knows what to do with good fuel. Give it the raw materials, and it will do the rest.
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For a complete 7-day TTC meal plan with grocery lists and supplement guides, visit our [free nutrition tool](/tools/nutrition).