Based on the belief that cooking destroys valuable nutrients and enzymes in your food, the raw food diet embraces a range of fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds that haven't been heated over 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically vegan, this style of eating eschews animal products and byproducts along with avoiding cooked items. Although the raw food diet can offer short-term health perks, its effects on fertility may be unfavorable.
Effects
Although research involving the raw food diet is limited, this diet appears to have a negative impact on fertility, particularly for women. According to a study by Corinna Koebnick, et al., published in the "Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism," subjects eating long-term raw food diets experienced significant drops in body weight that impacted their reproductive health. The study found that approximately 14.7 percent of male and 25 percent of female raw foodists were underweight according to body mass index scores, and 30 percent of the pre-menopausal women had irregular or absent periods. The level of reproductive dysfunction was worse for those who adhered most strictly to their raw diet.
Cause
Because raw food diets reduce your calorie intake by excluding most calorie-dense foods, they tend to promote very low body weight, which in turn affects reproductive health. As Fertility Journey explains, being significantly underweight can cause fertility problems by hindering the production of gonadotropin releasing hormone, which is regulated by body fat and required for ovulation and sperm production. In women, low levels of this hormone can make it more difficult for an embryo to implant in the uterus during pregnancy; in men, low levels can reduce sperm count or impair sperm function. In addition, strict raw food diets may cause deficiencies a mineral crucial for fertility: zinc. According to the Giessen Raw Food Study conducted in Germany, raw food dieters tend to have very low intakes of this nutrient because few raw plant foods contain it in large amounts. A zinc deficiency can impair ovulation, menstruation, testosterone production and sperm maturation.
Solution
If you consume a raw food diet or are considering embarking on one, maintaining a healthy body weight and getting an adequate intake of all nutrients is imperative for your fertility and your overall health. Energy-dense raw foods such as nuts, coconut and avocado can help you increase your energy intake, and eating some cooked foods such as grains, legumes and animal products can add additional calories to a mostly-raw diet. Along with zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium and iron tend to be low among raw food dieters, according to the Giessen Raw Food Study. Supplementing these nutrients can help fill in nutritional gaps.
Considerations
Although raw plant foods can provide an abundance of antioxidants, fiber and certain nutrients, a strictly raw diet increases your risk of developing deficiencies and reaching an unhealthily low body weight. Some claims by raw food diet advocates, such as cooking being universally harmful, are unsupported by science. Consult your physician before consuming a raw food diet or other highly restrictive eating plan, especially if you're trying to conceive.
References
- Living and Raw Foods: The Living and Raw Foods Frequently Asked Questions
- "Human Reproduction Update"; The Importance of Folate, Zinc and Antioxidants in the Pathogenesis and Prevention of Subfertility; Inge M. Ebisch, et al.; November 2006
- "Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism"; Corinna Koebnick, et al.; 1999
- Fertility Journey: Weight
- Giessen Raw Food Study; Carola B. Strassner, et al.; March 1997
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