I am always scouting the internet for new and interesting “fertility recipes.” I found this one last summer, tailored it to my needs, and I absolutely love it. I think it tastes like a specialty lemon mocktail that I would sip on a fancy terrace on some European beach somewhere. It is made with a whole lemon and a huge chunk of ginger, and it is very strong. So strong in fact that my husband and brother make awful faces when they try it. My mother thought it was delicious, however. I think the drink tastes good if your body needs it!
In this blog post I’m going to give you the recipe for the fertility tonic and then I’m going to talk about why each of the ingredients is so good for fertility.
First, I have to give credit where credit is due. I found this drink while doing Gabriela Rosa’s free 14 Day Fertility Challenge. Most of what Gabriela does in this challenge, I had already done- clean eating, eliminated soy, dairy, gluten, etc., eliminated toxins, reduced exposure to chemicals harmful for fertility, etc. But this lemon drink was a totally new idea to me. She got the drink idea from Peter de Ruyter who originally developed it as a holistic cleanse for healing the liver and overall health. Gabriela’s recipe is here and Peter’s recipe is here.
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Lemon-Ginger Fertility Tonic Overview
Okay, let’s get talking about the drink. Ideally you are drinking it three times a day spaced out, but I just drink it in the morning and the evening. You can drink it before or after eating, whatever feels better to you. In the morning I drink it with breakfast, and then I usually drink the second 30 minutes after dinner. Sometimes, however, I only think to make it in the afternoon, then I’ll just drink it then, and finish it in the evening. No big deal! Make sure to drink plenty of filtered water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support the gentle detoxification.
Sometimes I worry about the acid and my teeth! For this reason I invested in some stainless steel straws, so I could know they were non-toxic, and the lemon could skip past my teeth. I use these when drinking apple cider vinegar water also.
So, why is this lemon-ginger drink good for fertility?
The number one reason I drink this is because it helps make my body more alkaline- in a major way. This is important because – and I’m about to get graphic here- you NEED your vagina and cervix to be alkaline so the sperm are welcome. An acidic environment is not good for sperm. I’ll confess- I don’t drink this tonic every day, but I do just before and around ovulation. As I drink it, I imagine myself becoming healthy, and my, ahem, parts, becoming receptive and welcoming to my husband’s sperm.
Ideally, you are drinking it every day.
The number two reason I drink this is because of its powerful health effects overall. Just the combination of a whole lemon and a huge piece of fresh ginger is enough to stop a cold in its track! Whenever I feel my immune system struggling I make this drink! I also love that it is supporting my liver. As I drink this I feel myself becoming more robustly healthy.
The number three reason is that when I mentioned this drink to my acupuncturist, and to my brother who is an acupuncturist, they both approved. They said that lemon aids in nutrition, meaning that it would stimulate my body to hold on to nutrients better. So when I drink the tonic I think about it helping me fully nourish my body.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t drink this?
You shouldn’t drink this if 1) It tastes terrible to you, or it makes you feel sick, 2) you are taking any prescription medications which the lemon peel pectin might interact with, or 3) you have a very, very sensitive stomach. The full lemon might just be too much for you.
Why each ingredient is good for you!
Lemon– Lemon is chock-full of Vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant for fertility, and is thought to prevent age-related decline in ovarian function. Vitamin C is also associated with a shorter time until pregnancy. The lemon peel has pectin which helps emulsify the fats you add in and the lemon oils. Lemon peel also has additional antioxidants which are crucial for developing healthy eggs (these particular ones are oligomeric proanthocyanidins or OPCs). Supposedly some of the substances in the lemon peel also help remove harmful forms of estrogen from your body (like those from chemicals).
Ginger– Ginger is an incredible food that reduces inflammatory responses in the body (good for fertility) and encourages healthy, gentle, detoxification (good for fertility). It also helps in overall digestion, which increases your ability to nourish yourself. Further, it is believed to stimulate circulation of blood in the body- making sure plenty gets to your uterus and eggs!
Walnut Oil or other Fat- Getting enough essential fatty acids is absolutely crucial to fertility. Body fat cells produce estrogen which is essential for getting pregnant. Low body fat can lead to infertility problems such as anovulation. Ladies, babies are made from protein and fat! You need to consume healthy fats! I use Walnut Oil because it is good for endometriosis and provides me with Omega-3s. You can sub in whatever is most appropriate for you and your condition- flax oil, coconut butter (good for everyone), fish oil, or other healthy fat. Coconut butter tastes the best! :-). This is the kind of coconut butter (“manna”) I use!
Sunflower Lecithin– Lecithin (NOT soy lecithin) is naturally occurring in many foods, including eggs. In fact if there was an organic egg yolk lecithin I would totally use that instead of the sunflower! But all my research shows that sunflower lecithin is a helpful supplement for overall health. It has healing effects on the liver, nervous system, and kidney. The choline in lecithin is an essential nutrient that lowers the risk of neural tube defects and helps prevent homocysteine levels (which are associated with miscarriage) from becoming too high. Most women don’t get enough choline, so this is a good way to add it to your diet.
Vitamin E– Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxident that is thought to have a beneficial effect on egg quality. Some studies show it reduces free radical damage in ovarian follicles. A good multi-tocopherol Vitamin E is a good supplement to the fertility diet, and the body processes it best when taken with Vitamin C. Although the people who originally developed this recipe recommend huge doses of Vitamin E, I have some concerns about large doses of Vitamin E over long periods of time. I advise you to talk to your doctor and do your own research to decide on your dosage. Out of an abundance of caution I I personally use a very modest dosage of 100 IU.
Cinnamon– The cinnamon is optional as I think it changes the overall taste and sensation of the drink. The one really great thing about ceylon cinnamon is that it helps balance blood sugar levels- something very important for women with PCOS. Try your drink with and without the cinnamon and see what you think! Don’t put in more than the ½ tsp, as it can be harmful in large doses. Honestly, I usually skip this, I’m not a fan of the taste.
Filtered Water– I feel so much better making this from clean, filtered water that I know is free of fertility-harming toxins. Check out my blog post on why it is important to filter your tap water and how to pick the best one for your budget!
One drink for now, and one for later! You can see my strainer set-up on the right!
Are you already drinking lemon water every day? Are you going to try this whole-lemon drink? Leave a comment with what you thought of the taste!
Lemon Ginger Fertility Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 5
- Yield: 1 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A delicious lemon and ginger fertility smoothie to boost chances of conception!
Ingredients
1 whole organic lemon
1 large knob of fresh ginger, peeled (I do about the size of my thumb, but you could do less)
1 tbsp organic walnut oil (or other fat- coconut butter, fish oil, flax oil)
2 tsp organic sunflower lecithin (NOT SOY LECITHIN!!!!)
1 capsule Vitamin E 100 IU Mixed Tocopherols
1 ¾ cup filtered water (just enough to reach the Max Fill line in my Nutribullet tall cup)
Optional: Add 1/2 tsp of organic ceylon cinnamon (especially good for those with PCOS)
Instructions
Gently scrub the lemon to make sure it is clean- we use this natural scrubber with coconut bristles and love it. Put all the ingredients into your Nutribullet tall cup or other blender. Blend for 30 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh strainer (we use one from this set). I use a spoon to help push it through, because I lack patience. Pour into two glass containers- one to drink now, and one that you can put a top on (like a pint size mason jar) and put in the fridge for later. Drink the second within 24 hours!
Notes
Optional: Swap the lemon for a lime
Optional: Increase Vitamin E levels
As a note- although you can substitute different oils, I think coconut butter tastes the best!
- Category: Snoothies
- Method: Nutribullet
- Cuisine: Beverage
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: fertility beverage, lemon and ginger for fertility
Nicole says
12/28/2017 at 12:38 amI’ve been drinking this the last week or so. I like the taste. I was wondering what you do with pulp? I would like to do something with it, but I’m not sure what. Thanks.
Anna says
12/28/2017 at 7:28 pmHi Nicole! I used to put it in our compost but then I read that citrus debris is terrible for compost. So I’ve got no idea ?. You can blend longer and have less pulp and reduce waste a little bit. If you come up with seen idea, let me know!!
ALison says
02/02/2018 at 7:12 pmHello,
I’m just wondering if you know off this is safe to drink after ovulation (when waiting to take a pregnancy test) and if it is safe during pregnancy.
Thanks
Anna says
02/03/2018 at 8:13 amYes, safe to drink during two week wait after ovulation and during pregnancy, with ONE caveat– some studies have said that truly huge amounts of ginger cause contractions. But we are talking like popping multiple pills of straight up ginger. So, if you’re going to do this drink while pregnant (which I certainly have- I make it every time I think I’m getting sick or am sick with a cold/flu), don’t ALSO ingest a ton of ginger in other ways throughout the day. Does that make sense? Ginger is a common and safe pregnancy herb and treatment for morning sickness, etc., but you don’t want to overdose! Be well and baby dust!
Oge says
04/09/2018 at 4:52 amThe pulp can be mixed with a little whole flour to bake yummy ginger cookies, u can add a little coconut to the mix too.
You can also use the pulp as flavour while steaming your chicken, meats and other cooking.
Anna says
04/15/2018 at 1:08 pmThat’s awesome!!! Thank you!
Shereen says
04/23/2018 at 10:19 amThis may be a silly question but are you putting the whole lemon or the juice of one lemon?
Anna Rapp says
02/12/2019 at 9:33 amI don’t know how I missed this! The whole lemon!
Margalit says
05/03/2018 at 8:58 pmMy first round of this was less tasty than the second round-the key difference is add enough coconut butter-that made a huge difference in the smoothness. (I’m mildly allergic to nuts) thanks for the recipes and inspiration!
Anna says
05/09/2018 at 8:44 amYes, coconut butter makes a huge difference!!
Ayo says
04/30/2019 at 7:50 amThanks I will definitely give it a try and I pray it works for me so that I can also use it to touch peoples life. As for the coconut butter, how will i get it? I’m I to use the back of the lemon or just the water?
Ebere says
05/17/2018 at 4:33 amHonestly I just tried this yesterday and it seems to be awesome. Though it was just lemon peel that I started with. I normally have this burning sensation in my lower abdomen which suggests to me that my body is too acidic. But immediately I ate lemon peel yesterday, my body became cool and I believe I will have greater testimony to share in no distant time. Am afraid of taking the lemon juice itself because of the acid in it. I want to know whether it is safe for me or will it bring back the burning sensation?
Anna says
05/17/2018 at 10:15 amYou’ll have to listen to your body and decide what is best for it my dear!
Bridget says
02/08/2019 at 10:55 amHi! I started drinking the lemon drink this week and I do really like the taste. Two questions. 1. Can I put the lemon and ginger in my juicer and then add it to blender with the rest? Only because straining he pulp is taking forever for me and is very messy. Maybe my blender isn’t so great (nutribullet). Or would a cheese cloth be better to strain? Also, I have found that I have had a big reduction in appetite and I’m not a big eater to begin with so am concerned. Is that normal? Thank you!!!
Anna Rapp says
02/12/2019 at 9:37 amHi Bridget!!! Are you blending for a solid 30-40 seconds? I have a Nutribullet and I just need to blend longer to let the pulp smaller. And yes, haha, it does take a long time! I think a cheesecloth would take even longer to strain. The only problem with the juicer is you won’t get all the goodness from the lemon rind and ginger. BUT if straining is making you crazy, its better than nothing!!! Yes, this drink fills me up to. I just space it out, so its like second breakfast 🙂 After dinner snack. But, I AM a big eater to begin with. So just try spacing it out away from meals so you can still eat a normal meal!
Sam says
05/27/2018 at 12:12 pmI’m so glad you’ve approved this recipe! I stumbled upon the Gabriella Rosa recipe just before Christmas (‘17), come the 28th jan we got a bfp! I got the strongest ovulation lines in over a year! Sadly we’re back on the ttc train now so I’m back looking at your list & making sure I implement as much as possible before we start ivf next month!
Thank you so much for your blogs! I started reading them 3.5 years ago, you have given me a positive focus & the science behind it all which my husband loves! Xx
Anna says
05/27/2018 at 5:39 pmHi Sam!! I’m a big fan of this recipe for most people. Mostly, I’m a big fan because it tasted so delicious :-)!!! I can’t believe you started reading my blogs so long ago- I didn’t know anyone read them until this past year or so :-). So glad you are enjoying. Keep up the good work and baby dust!!!
Tanya Jones says
05/28/2018 at 10:36 pmI would lke to know do I apply the whole lemon or sqeeze the juice from the lemon? Thsnks in advance
Anna says
05/30/2018 at 1:43 pmPut the entire lemon in my dear!!!
Kiera says
06/08/2018 at 10:15 pmDo you have a link to the coconut butter you like the best?
Anna says
06/11/2018 at 12:57 pmThanks Kiera! I put links in the post above and here it is: https://amzn.to/2sTM9zM Sometimes I order from Amazon and sometimes I get a bunch for sale at my local organic store!!
Sheila says
11/18/2018 at 8:47 amIf you have used depo and it has expired what recipe can you use to get pregnant soon despite the effect of depo injection
Anna Rapp says
02/12/2019 at 9:39 amHi Sheila! I don’t know! Your best bet might just be to start a super cleansing diet like mine and start removing toxins from your lifestyle. Baby dust!
Sheila says
11/18/2018 at 8:49 amWhat recipe can remove the effect of depo injection in your system
Nnatuanya Debby says
12/12/2018 at 8:22 amThis is lovely! Please can I take only lemon and ginger + water. Doctor said I have fibroid, can it take care of it? Thanks…
Anna Rapp says
02/12/2019 at 9:38 amNnatuanya,
I don’t know about fibroid healing my dear! But lemon and ginger are generally very healing and safe for most people!
Anna
juliette says
03/27/2019 at 12:34 pmHi thanks very much.i will try this too
A says
04/07/2019 at 5:13 pmDo you know if this drink is ok during an FET and into pregnancy? Can it help?
Juliet says
04/14/2019 at 3:35 amCan this recipe jazzed up with berries and protein powder? I’m just wondering if this could be transformed into a fertility smoothie, it’s already half way there.
alexsandra pappas says
06/01/2019 at 9:33 amCan you use anything other than vitamin e supplements? A good substitute? It’s hard to find good vit E that’s not soy based.
Anu says
06/21/2019 at 3:46 pmHello, The sunflower lecithin recommended above is not organic. I mean the link associated goes to sunflower lecithin is from NOW. Is it okay is the lecithin is not organic?