Fertility-Friendly Herbs: 5 Herbs and Spices to Try When Trying to Conceive

Written by Jess Kasriel, Fertility Nutritional Therapist

The journey to fertility often involves a holistic approach, and one delicious way to support this endeavor is through the inclusion of fertility-friendly herbs in your daily cooking. Not only do these herbs add a burst of flavour to your meals, but their medicinal properties are believed to contribute to reproductive health. Consider purchasing these herbs from local markets or grocers, where they often come without plastic packaging, or better yet, nurture them in your own kitchen garden!

When you're trying to conceive, it can sometimes feel as though fertility has taken over your entire life.

You're thinking about your cycle, your nutrition, your supplements, your hormones and everything you could possibly be doing to support your chances of getting pregnant.

But supporting your fertility doesn't have to mean making every meal complicated or following a long list of rules.

One of the things I love about nutrition is that some of the simplest changes can be really enjoyable — and herbs and spices are a lovely example.

Adding herbs and spices to your cooking can bring colour, flavour and variety to your meals, while some have also been traditionally used in different systems of herbal medicine to support women's health.

It's important to say that herbs aren't fertility medicines, and there isn't good evidence that any individual herb can guarantee pregnancy or "boost" fertility on its own.

Some herbs may also interact with medication or may not be appropriate during pregnancy, so I always recommend looking at the individual herb, dose and circumstances rather than assuming that something is safe simply because it's natural.

With that in mind, here are five herbs and spices you might like to explore.

1. Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Maca comes from the Andes and has a long history of use as a traditional food and herbal ingredient.

You'll often find it as a powder, with a slightly nutty, earthy flavour.

It's particularly popular in the wellness world and is often marketed for women's hormones, energy and fertility. However, the evidence for maca directly improving female fertility is still limited, so I wouldn't describe it as a proven fertility supplement.

If you enjoy the flavour, you could add a small amount of maca powder to a smoothie, porridge or homemade energy balls.

I personally love adding a little maca to a morning protein smoothie.

The key here is to enjoy it as one small part of an overall nourishing diet, rather than expecting it to transform your fertility.

And if you're taking maca as a concentrated supplement rather than simply using it as a food ingredient, it's worth getting personalised advice, particularly if you're taking medication or could be pregnant.

2. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum)

Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices because it's so easy to incorporate into everyday meals.

Add it to porridge, overnight oats, stewed apples, smoothies or homemade baking, or use it in savoury dishes such as curries and tagines.

Cinnamon has been studied in relation to blood sugar and metabolic health, and there is some interest in its potential role for women with conditions such as PCOS.

But this is an area where we need to distinguish between promising research and proven fertility effects.

You don't need to take large quantities of cinnamon or use it as a supplement to enjoy it.

Simply incorporating it into your cooking is a delicious way to add variety to your diet.

3. Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)

Dong quai is a traditional Chinese medicine herb that has historically been used in women's health and is sometimes referred to as "female ginseng".

It has traditionally been used for menstrual and reproductive health, but evidence for using dong quai specifically to improve fertility is limited.

This is also one of the herbs where I would not recommend simply buying a supplement and taking it because you're trying to conceive.

Herbal products can interact with medications, and safety can be particularly important when pregnancy is possible.

If dong quai is something you're interested in exploring from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, I would recommend working with a suitably qualified practitioner who can consider your individual circumstances.

This is a good example of why "natural" doesn't automatically mean "safe for everyone".

4. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Turmeric is probably the easiest herb on this list to incorporate into your everyday meals.

It's wonderfully versatile and adds a beautiful golden colour to curries, soups, rice dishes and roasted vegetables.

You can use fresh turmeric root or ground turmeric in cooking, and it can be a lovely addition to a nourishing diet.

Turmeric and its active compounds, including curcumin, have been studied for a number of health conditions, but there isn't enough evidence to say that turmeric supplementation improves fertility.

This is another situation where food and concentrated supplements aren't necessarily the same thing.

Using turmeric as a culinary spice is very different from taking a high-dose curcumin supplement.

Some highly bioavailable curcumin products have been associated with liver injury, and NCCIH advises that turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe.

So enjoy the spice in your cooking, but be more cautious with concentrated supplements — particularly if you're trying to conceive and pregnancy could occur.

5. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)

Shatavari is an Ayurvedic herb traditionally used to support women's reproductive and hormonal health.

It's sometimes described as a women's tonic and has become increasingly popular in fertility and women's wellness supplements.

There is some emerging research into shatavari, including recent studies looking at areas such as PCOS and women's sexual wellbeing, but this research is still relatively early and doesn't mean that shatavari has been proven to improve fertility or pregnancy rates.

If you're considering shatavari as a supplement, I'd recommend getting individual advice rather than automatically adding it to your fertility routine.

This is particularly important once you're pregnant, as the safety of many herbal supplements during pregnancy isn't well established.

Herbs, spices and your fertility: keep it simple

I love herbs and spices because they can make healthy food more enjoyable, rather than making your diet feel like another thing you have to get right.

You could start with the herbs and spices you already enjoy.

Try adding cinnamon to your breakfast, turmeric to your evening curry, fresh herbs to salads and roasted vegetables, or experimenting with different spices to make simple meals more interesting.

You don't need to buy every fertility herb on the market.

And you definitely don't need to take five different supplements because you've read that they're supposed to "balance your hormones".

When it comes to fertility, I much prefer looking at the whole picture.

Your diet.

Your menstrual cycle.

Your digestion.

Your sleep.

Your stress levels.

Your lifestyle.

Your health history.

Your supplements.

And, importantly, what is actually going on for you.

That's where herbs can become part of a much bigger conversation rather than being seen as a magic solution.

A note about herbs when you're trying to conceive

If you're trying to conceive, it's worth being a little more cautious with herbal supplements than you might be with herbs used simply in cooking.

Many herbal products haven't been adequately studied in pregnancy, and some can interact with medications or have effects that aren't appropriate once you're pregnant.

So if you're taking a concentrated herbal supplement, particularly alongside fertility medication or other prescribed medication, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before starting it.

And once you know you're pregnant, review any herbal supplements you're taking rather than assuming they're automatically safe.

Your fertility doesn't need another long list of "shoulds"

If you're trying to conceive, it's very easy to get caught up in all the things you could be doing.

The latest supplement.

The perfect fertility diet.

The right herbs.

The right timing.

The right exercise.

The right everything.

But your fertility journey shouldn't feel like another full-time job.

Herbs and spices can be a lovely part of a nourishing, varied diet, but they're just one small piece of the bigger picture.

Rather than asking:

"What's the best herb for fertility?"

I'd much rather help you ask:

"What does my body actually need?"

I'm Jess Kasriel, a Fertility Nutritional Therapist and Practitioner based in Finchley, North London, and I support women who are trying to conceive and want personalised guidance around nutrition, lifestyle, cycle awareness and their wider wellbeing.

My approach is about helping you cut through the fertility overwhelm and focus on the things that are actually relevant to you.

Want personalised support with your fertility journey?

If you're overwhelmed by fertility information and want help understanding where to focus your energy, I offer three ways to work with me:

🌿 Fertility Clarity Session — 1:1, 60 minutes

A focused session to explore your fertility journey, answer your questions and identify personalised next steps.

🌿 Fertility Reset Programme — 1:1, 6 weeks

A deeper 1:1 programme to understand your body, uncover your fertility foundations and create a clear path forward.

🌿 Fertility Rebalance Programme — 1:1, 3 months

My most comprehensive level of personalised support, combining fertility nutrition, lifestyle, cycle awareness, healing, Reiki and ongoing 1:1 support.

Any questions just drop me an email (jess@jesskasriel.com). Look forward to connecting with you soon, Jess x

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