7 Science-Backed Foods That Improve Egg Quality After 35
Every month that passes, you feel it—the quiet panic that time is running out.
You're 35 (or over) and your doctor keeps mentioning "advanced maternal age" and "declining egg quality." Maybe you've been labeled with "unexplained infertility," or maybe you know exactly why you're struggling—PCOS, endometriosis, or just the reality of trying to conceive later in life.
But here's what they don't always tell you: while you can't turn back time, you absolutely CAN influence the quality of the egg you release each cycle.
The food you eat today matters for the egg you'll ovulate 3 months from now. And that means you have a real opportunity to make changes that could help you conceive and support a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Let's discuss 7 foods for egg quality (backed by science) and some ideas for getting them onto your plate as part of your fertility diet.
7 Evidence-Based Foods for Egg Quality (And How to Eat Them)
1. Wild-Caught Salmon (Omega-3 DHA)
Why it helps:
In case you didn't get the update, let me tell you—fat is good for you! In the right kinds, of course. DHA, a type of omega-3 fat, is one of the best you can consume for fertility health. It helps with hormones, egg and sperm health, and lowers inflammation.
Why women over 35 need this especially: As we age, inflammation naturally increases in the body. Omega-3s are your best defense against age-related inflammatory processes that can damage egg quality.
How much you need: 2-3 servings of low-mercury fish per week (salmon, sardines, halibut)
Easy addition: Canned Salmon Pasta
Instead of buying expensive fish every week, add a can of salmon to your meal. Sauté some canned salmon in avocado oil and garlic, toss with cooked whole wheat pasta, lemon, parmesan, and basil. Add any other quick-cooking veggies of your choice like cherry tomatoes or spinach. Done in 15 minutes.
2. Dark Leafy Greens (Folate)
Why it helps:
Deficiency in folate is related to recurrent miscarriage and developmental problems such as neural tube defects and congenital heart problems. Higher folate can help increase progesterone, the hormone that leads to healthier menstrual cycles and keeps you pregnant.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Folate supports healthy cell division—critical as chromosomal errors become more common with age.
How much you need: Many women have inadequate intake of folate. The recommended range is 400-600mcg—look for a prenatal that has this to supplement your diet.
Easy addition: Buy some kale, pre-chop it into small pieces, and keep it in a bag in the fridge so you can quickly add it into scrambled eggs, stir-fries, pasta sauces, or smoothies. I keep a container of pre-washed spinach for the same reason—it takes 30 seconds to add a handful to anything you're cooking.
3. Berries (Antioxidant Protection)
Why they help:
Oxidative stress is inevitable—from our environment, food, and inflammation in the body. This stress can disrupt ovulation and egg quality, and overall is a bad thing for fertility. So what's the solution? Antioxidants!
Antioxidants are how we protect ourselves from oxidative stress, enhance mitochondrial function, and help improve egg quality. Key antioxidant nutrients are vitamins C, D, and E, as well as folate and minerals like selenium and zinc.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Our natural antioxidant production decreases with age while oxidative stress increases. We need MORE antioxidants from food to compensate.
How much you need: Since antioxidants are a group of nutrients, there is no one recommended amount. I would say try to eat as much as possible by adding an array of colorful veggies into your diet. Supplementation can also be helpful as it can be hard to get enough from diet alone.
Easy addition: After buying from the store, wash berries as soon as you get home. Keep them in a glass container with some paper towel or a wooden chopstick for longer freshness (no more moldy berries!). Add to your breakfast plate or have them ready to go as a morning snack.
4. Eggs (Choline)
Why it helps:
Choline is one of the most important nutrients for preconception and pregnancy. It is critical for decreasing adverse birth outcomes and supporting fetal development. Something to note: the choline is found in the yolk, so it's important to eat the whole egg.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Choline supports healthy cell membranes and DNA integrity—both increasingly important as we age.
How much you need: 95% of women have inadequate intake of choline. One egg contains approximately 147mg of choline, which is about a third of your needs. Eating 2 eggs a day will get you well on your way to meeting your requirements.
Easy Addition:
One of my favorite breakfasts right now is sourdough with avocado, kimchi, and 2 eggs. For mornings when I'm really tired, I like to have boiled eggs in the fridge (they also make a great snack and last 5-7 days). Sunday meal prep tip: boil a dozen eggs and you have grab-and-go protein all week.
5. Nuts and Seeds (Magnesium and Selenium)
Why it helps:
Selenium is important for mitochondrial function, and magnesium helps lower oxidative stress and improve overall egg quality.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Mitochondrial function naturally declines with age—these nutrients help support your cellular energy production.
How much you need:
To get your RDA of selenium, just 2 Brazil nuts a day is an easy way to get there. For magnesium, 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds will give you roughly 40% of your RDA.
Easy addition:
Try sprinkling seeds on your meals for a magnesium boost. I like pumpkin seeds on my sweet foods (yogurt, oatmeal) and sesame seeds on savory dishes (salads, stir-fries, avocado toast). Keep a small container of mixed nuts and seeds on your counter for easy snacking.
6. Full-Fat Dairy (Saturated Fat)
Why it helps:
You may be surprised to see me recommending saturated fat, however, from quality sources, saturated fat is indeed good for us. Fatty acids in ovarian egg cells are mostly saturated and important for egg health and ovulatory function! Grass-fed, organic dairy has been shown to be beneficial to fertility health. Just avoid the low-fat, added sugar varieties and conventional dairy that contains hormones.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Hormone production requires adequate fat intake, and as fertility naturally declines with age, supporting optimal hormone levels becomes critical.
How much you need: 1 to 3 servings of dairy a day is the current recommendation to get enough calcium, and this amount should also give you a healthy amount of saturated fat.
Easy addition: Change out your low-fat milk in your coffee for full-fat, and buy organic or grass-fed if possible. Have some full-fat Greek yogurt with berries as an easy snack. I love full-fat cottage cheese with honey and cinnamon—tastes like dessert but is packed with protein and healthy fats.
7. Grass-Fed Beef (Protein)
Why it helps:
Protein helps to keep blood sugar balanced, and high blood sugar can raise inflammation in the body. Not eating enough protein can contribute to lower levels of reproductive hormones and lower egg quality. A target of 1.5-2.2g/kg of protein has been suggested for optimal preconception outcomes and beef or any quality meat can help you get there.
Why women over 35 need this especially: Adequate protein supports healthy hormone production and helps maintain stable blood sugar—both increasingly important for fertility as we age.
How much you need:
For a 150lb (68kg) woman, that's approximately 102-150g of protein daily. One beef steak is approximately 35g of protein, so depending on your personal protein needs, you can calculate how much more you would need. We want to get protein throughout the day and from different sources, so this would be part of your total intake.
Easy addition:
Grass-fed ground beef can be a more budget-friendly way to incorporate this meat. Having some already cooked and ready to go in the fridge means a fast meal. I like to do the viral beef and sweet potato bowl, adding some cottage cheese, honey, and avocado. So good and quick to make if you meal prep the beef and sweet potato beforehand.
Why You Should Start Now (Even If You're Not Trying to Conceive Yet This Month)
Finally, one thing you may not have considered is how hard it is to make diet changes during pregnancy, especially when you factor in tiredness and nausea. Focusing on preconception nutrition not only improves conception and pregnancy outcomes but also allows you to be in the habit of eating for your fertility before the tiredness and nausea hits.
Plus, every month you wait is another 30 days without optimizing the egg that will ovulate 3 months from now. If you start today, you're already working on improving the quality of the egg you could conceive with in 12-16 weeks.
Ready to Take the Guesswork Out of Your Fertility Diet?
These 7 foods are powerful, but I know what you might be thinking: "How do I put all of this together? What if I'm doing it wrong? What about my specific situation?"
You don't have to figure this out alone.
You've already spent months (maybe years) trying to figure this out on your own. Imagine what could change with personalized support starting today.
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Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes or starting supplementation, especially when trying to conceive. Individual results may vary, and nutrition is one component of a comprehensive fertility approach.
