The study found that the type of carbohydrates you eat has a significant influence on fertility. It found that diets high in refined and easily digested carbohydrates increased the odds of ovulatory infertility. Fast carbohydrates (high GI foods) bring a quick influx of glucose into the blood stream which then leads to a rapid rise in insulin. This is often associated with a quick energy high followed by a depressing low. Fast carbs include foods made with white flour and refined sugar, russet potatoes, alcohol, candy, cookies, pastries, doughnuts, chips, and sodas. On the other hand, diets that were rich in high fibre, slow carbohydrates (low GI foods) were associated with improved fertility. Low GI foods include whole grains, brown rice, legumes, and vegetables. This lines up nicely with work showing that a diet rich in these slow carbs and fibre before pregnancy helps prevent gestational diabetes, an increasingly common problem for pregnant women and their babies.

Carbohydrates are the primary determinant of blood sugar and insulin levels. Fats and protein are digested slowly and do not have much impact on blood sugar by themselves. When blood sugar and insulin levels rise too high, they disrupt ovulation.

In fact, the study found that the amount of carbohydrates in the diet was as important as the type. Women whose diet contained at least 60% calories from slow carbohydrates tended to be a healthier weight than women who generally avoiding carbs. The slow carb eaters tended to also tended to have an overall healthier lifestyle including more exercise, less alcohol and coffee, less fat and animal protein and more plant protein.

Fertility Diet Recommendations:

You can improve ovulation with a diet based on at least 60% of calories from slow release carbohydrates such as whole grains, dried beans and peas, vegetables and whole fruits. Eat mostly low and medium GI foods, and avoid those foods with a high GI.

Examples of GI of Common Foods

Low GI = 55 or less
Sprouted grain bread/tortillas
Sweet potato
Oat bran, Pumpernickel or Buckwheat bread
Al dente (firm) pasta
Lentils/kidney/
Chickpeas
Quinoa, bulgur, barley
Bran Buds with Psyllium™
Fruits and vegetables
Whole milk
Yogurt

Medium GI = 56 – 69
Potato (new or red)
Oats
Popcorn
Split pea or green pea soup
Brown rice
Couscous
Basmati rice
Shredded Wheat cereal
Whole grain bread
Rye bread/Ryvita™ crackers

High GI = 70 or more
Instant mashed potatoes
Potato, baking (russet)
White and Instant rice
Whole wheat flour bread
Pancakes, waffles
Most breakfast cereals
Bagel
Soda crackers
Candy/pop
French fries
Energy bars
Sports drinks
Most granola bars

The GI of a meal can be lowered by adding:

• lemon juice or vinegar (add broccoli with lemon juice or a salad with dressing to a meal with high or medium GI foods i.e. brown rice)
• healthy fats like olive oil, walnut oil or organic butter
• mixing low GI food with a medium/high GI food (eg beans and brown basmati rice)

Here are some examples:

• Breakfast: free-range eggs, sprouted whole grain toast or steel cut oatmeal with nuts and blueberrie
• Lunch: salmon on sprouted tortilla, salad with oil and lemon juice
• Dinner: bean or vegetable chili over browm rice, fresh whole fruit salad

For a complete listing of the glycemic index or more foods, see www.glycemicindex.com.

Don’t get too lost in the glycemic index. The important part is to focus on eating more legumes, whole grains and vegetables in place of fruit, juice or processed grains (breads, muffins, cakes, cookies).