Want to party without messing up your preconception plan? We get it. With New Year’s just around the corner, we thought we’d round up a few ideas for healthy drinks and snacks that will impress your guests – and improve your fertility.
The Drinks
So, it’s likely that you’re going to want to have a few drinks to mark the end of (another) strange and stressful year. Can you drink whilst trying to conceive? Scientists say yes – kind of. Whilst there is evidence that regular or intense alcohol consumption could have a negative impact on your sperm – one glass of champagne at midnight isn’t going to ruin the quality of your sperm.
However, if you’re trying to cut back on booze as part of a fertility health kick, there are some amazing alcohol-free beers on the market nowadays. Even better, why don’t you mix up some mocktails that are bursting with sperm superfoods? Here are some of our favourites.
Lemon Pineapple Kiwi Sparkling Mocktail
Citrus fruits are great for male fertility – and this drink is a triple threat. Pineapple is both an aphrodisiac and an antioxidant which is great news for baby-making and reducing oxidative stress that can harm sperm. Lemon is high in vitamin C, as is the kiwi, which is also a great natural source of folate – which can help support healthy pregnancies.
Ingredients
- 1 kiwi
- 3 teaspoons pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon (or more if you like it sweet) raw honey
- 1 can La Croix sparkling lemon water
- Ice cubes with fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Peel and slice the kiwi and place into a small food processor or blender
- Add the pineapple juice and raw honey (warm the honey up in the microwave for a little bit first, so it turns to liquid)
- Pulse or blend to make a thin, well-blended puree
- Pour 3/4 cup sparkling water into each glass. Divide the puree and pour in each glass
- Serve with mint ice cubes if desired
Pomegranate Mojito Mocktail
Pomegranate has to be our go-to sperm superfood. Not only does it taste great, but it’s loaded with Vitamin C – and other great minerals are known to support male fertility. It also has a really high content of phytochemicals called punicalagin, which have shown very strong antioxidant properties – making this mojito a must drink for male fertility.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- Big bunch mint
- 2 limes, quartered, plus slices to garnish
- 1 litre of pomegranate juice
- 500ml lemonade
Instructions
- A day ahead, divide the pomegranate seeds between the holes in an ice cube tray, top up with water and freeze.
- Reserve half the mint for serving, and tear the rest into a large jug with the lime quarters.
- Using a rolling pin, bash the mint and lime to release the flavours.
- Add the pomegranate juice and lemonade.
- Put ice cubes in each glass, then strain over the pomegranate mix through a small sieve.
- Garnish with lime slices and more mint.
Mint Berry Smash Mocktail
All berries are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, magnesium, iron and potassium so the combination of raspberries and blueberries in this mocktail make it a real sperm health winner.
Ingredients
- 1 handful raspberry
- 1 handful blueberry
- 1 sprig of fresh mint
- 1 oz lime juice(30 mL)
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar, or honey
- ice
- 1 splash soda water, or seltzer water
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, or tall glass, muddle raspberries, blueberries, and mint.
- Add lime juice, sweetener, and ice, and shake until well combined. If you do not have a cocktail shaker, simply pour back and forth between two glasses until combined.
- Strain mixture over ice and top with a splash of soda water.
- Garnish with berries and mint.
- Enjoy!
The Snacks
Oysters
Oysters have a reputation for being natural aphrodisiacs – but they could improve your baby-making chances in more ways than one. They are brilliant for boosting male fertility as they are exceptionally high in zinc and selenium and are also loaded with vitamin B12, iron, and copper. The taste might not be for everyone, but this spicy recipe will definitely tantalise the tastebuds – and make your party feel 1000 times more classy.
Ingredients
- 12 oysters, shucked (see method for tips on preparing your oysters)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- bunch chives, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Shuck your oysters if not already prepared. Here’s a handy video guide from BBC Good Food.
- To make the sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the sauce over the oysters, then sprinkle with chopped chives and serve straight away.
Avocado & Shrimp Canapes
We love this simple recipe – and your swimmers will too. Avocados are full of healthy fatty acids, vitamin K, B6, B9, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium and potassium whilst shrimp are high in protein and important micronutrients such as vitamin B12, B6 and B3, vitamin E, vitamin D and selenium. Considering this party snack contains not one but two sperm superfoods, it’s seriously easy to make!
Ingredients
- 16 whole-wheat crackers
- 1 avocado, cut into 16 slices
- 16 cooked shrimp
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Top each cracker with 1 slice of avocado, 1 shrimp and a squeeze of lime juice – you’re done!.
Spiced Nuts
We haven’t quite got the dream of having a bar installed in our house yet, but these spicy nuts can at least bring a real bar snack vibe to your evening. Nuts are amazing for your nuts – they’re packed with protein, fibre, vitamin B6, folate, and minerals including copper, zinc, and magnesium – making them the ideal thing to nibble on if you’re trying to get pregnant.
Ingredients
- 500 g mixed nuts (unsalted – a mix of cashews, brazils, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts or unpeeled almonds)
- 25 g butter
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika (or ordinary paprika will do)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 3 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Place the nuts on a baking tray, and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until turning golden (but watch carefully – they burn quickly!)
- Meanwhile, melt the butter, then stir in the spices, sugar and salt.
- Place the hot toasted nuts into a large bowl, add the spiced butter and continue to mix until they are all evenly coated. When they are cool enough to handle, taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Serve and enjoy your fertility-friendly bar snack!
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