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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Table of Contents
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
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1
Description
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!
- Prep Time: 5
- 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
Want to get pregnant fast?
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Anna Rapp is a fertility journalist and non-toxic living expert. When Anna Rapp was struggling with infertility and recurrent early miscarriage, she was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve, High FSH, low AMH, low follicle count, endometriosis, and an MTHFR mutation. Despite being told donor eggs were her only solution, Anna used her graduate training in research methods and analysis to read everything she could find on fertility and egg health. Ultimately, she lowered her FSH and got pregnant naturally (twice). She blogs about how she did it and encourages her readers to take charge of their fertility journey and get happy, healthy, and pregnant!
I’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.
Hi 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!!
Hello,
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
Yes, 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!
The 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.
That’s awesome!!! Thank you!
This may be a silly question but are you putting the whole lemon or the juice of one lemon?
I don’t know how I missed this! The whole lemon!
Please, do you put both the back of the lemon or just the juice?
My 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!
Yes, coconut butter makes a huge difference!!
How do I make this ginger tea
Thanks 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?
Honestly 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?
You’ll have to listen to your body and decide what is best for it my dear!
Hi! 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!!!
Hi 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!
I’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
Hi 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!!!
I would lke to know do I apply the whole lemon or sqeeze the juice from the lemon? Thsnks in advance
Put the entire lemon in my dear!!!
Do you have a link to the coconut butter you like the best?
Thanks 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!!
If you have used depo and it has expired what recipe can you use to get pregnant soon despite the effect of depo injection
Hi 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!
What recipe can remove the effect of depo injection in your system
This is lovely! Please can I take only lemon and ginger + water. Doctor said I have fibroid, can it take care of it? Thanks…
Nnatuanya,
I don’t know about fibroid healing my dear! But lemon and ginger are generally very healing and safe for most people!
Anna
Hi thanks very much.i will try this too
Do you know if this drink is ok during an FET and into pregnancy? Can it help?
Can 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.
Can you use anything other than vitamin e supplements? A good substitute? It’s hard to find good vit E that’s not soy based.
Hello, 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?
Ah! Organic would be great if you can find it! If not this is a good option!
Hi, I found this article while looking for written proof to tell my friend how I conceived in June.
I’m 8 weeks pregenant.
I had been TTC for about 5 years. I Have not missed a period in 6 years since the birth of my son.
In may I decided to go on ginger and lemon for weight loss. I was very religious in taking it. immediately, I missed my period.
So cool!! Glad it worked for you!
Can my Husband drink this mixture as well
Yes, for sure!
Please, do you put both the back of the lemon or just the juice?
I put the WHOLE lemon in!!!
Lovelyn, Sorry for the delay– yes, I put ALL of the lemon in!
I do the lemon drink but i have to add the ginger.
Pls is it safe to drink it before, during and after ovulation( esp during the 2weeks wait for preg test) thanks
I personally drank it my whole cycle and sometimes in pregnancy as well! There is no reason to avoid it generally speaking, but if you have a specific health condition, you should ask your doctor!
Hi, I have only just started drinking this drink via the Gabriela Rosa 12 day fertility challenge as well as seeing it on your website (which is fab by the way), so it is too early to really comment on any impact. Will I even be able to tell as it will be internal?! What I wanted to know was how does it make your body more alkaline…isn’t lemon acidic? I have complete faith in it but like to understand the science that backs it up. Thanks :)x
Here is the crazy thing- our body balances out what we eat. So when we eat acidic foods, our body compensates and we become more alkaline. When we eat alkaline foods, our body compensates and becomes more acidic. This is why it drives me crazy that people drink alkaline water- no, no, no! Blogs are incredibly confusing on this!! They’ll be like “here’s the alkaline diet” but its really acidic foods to create an alkaline body.
Anyway, some readers have noticed significantly more CM with this drink! I found I was more energetic. Let me know what you find happens!!
If I don’t mind the lemon and ginger pulp, is it okay to drink or do I have to strain it?
Good question. I’d listen to your body on that one!!! Like, hoe does your body feel when you drink the pulp vs. not drink it!
Do I need to add another fertility treatments along with lemon drink or I can stick to this drink only ?
Sorry I am late replying! Personally I did this PLUS the other work!
Do i need to add another fertility treatments along with this recipe or I can use it alone
Whatever works for you my dear! Personally I did this AND the infusion, the smoothie, and supplements!
Is the lemon drink diabetic and bariatric bypass friendly?
Have been drinking the lemon drink for about a year (on and off), I find it i blitz it
quite hard in the Nutribullet, it doesn’t need straining at all. I liked it with coconut butter, but recently started having it with Bulletproof (Seattle company) XCT oil for a change. Thanks for sharing!
Can you take lemon and ginger through out the 9 month pls explain.or before confirm pregnant.
I have ulcer or option for lemon and ginger
If you are taking a high quality prenatal, should you still add Vitamin E? Also is it OK if you omit the oil? I am taking a Fish Oil supplement and getting about 35-40% fat in my diet. Thanks for your input!
I blend carrot, garlic ginger cucumber and lime together then extract d juice nd added 1 tsp of honey. Pls is it also necessary to take during my menstrual circle before ovulation to get pregnant
Am taking the recipe and my menses are irregular I stay even for 7months without have taken the mixture only for a week and I want to get pregnant hope it will help.
Good stuff! I didn’t strain it – just blended it for longer. Great without the cinnamon. I used coconut water. Definitely will make again!
Hi,
I am new here. I have endometriosis and had miscarriages. No babies 😪 still trying tc. Apart from the above drink what did you do? Please reply
Hi Eden! Welcome!!! So sorry for your losses honey! Start with my 79 Things and go from there!! https://www.tomakeamommy.com/79-diet-lifestyle-changes-made-get-happy-healthy-pregnant/
Can you heat this up or does it need to be cold?
Can you drink this as a hot drink? I miss my warm coffee and would love to use this as a warm “substitute”!
How long after drinking this did you become pregnant? I was recently diagnosed with pcos and have been trying to convince for almost a year.
Dear Anna,
I really like this recipe. I am preparing now a ginger tea with lemon. The last four circles a had very bed results in FSH levels – above 20. This cycle I started 2-3 days in the beguiling making this ginger tea because I read and miracle – my FSH is 14,79. I am not sure if this is the reason. After I found you I make a lot of changes in my diet and in my lifestyle. But I read indifferent articles that ginger is kind of natural stimulator and that it increase FSH. I need your advice – do you think it’s safe if I continue with the ginger tea during my follicular phase?
Am going to try this…
Hello good day can I take this drink too after sex while I’m ovulating?
Thanks. I have been taking lemon ginger and warm water with fear that it might delay my conception but now I’m happy to know from you that is not harmful. All thanks to youuu
I’m confused about the Vitamin E. I assume you mean open the capsule and put the powder in the blender… you don’t put the entire plastic capsule in do you?
Can I drink this hot/warm?
I have a thyroid issue and have read that I should avoid raw ginger. I have been drinking this drink for a few days and don’t notice any symptoms of thyroid dysfunction (heart palpitations, sweating), so I think it’s ok, but any thoughts on this issue for you or your readers? Thanks!
It’s a great article. I just begin taking ginger and lemon tea 🍋 I had IUI a few weeks ago with no luck. After the negative results I was devastated and try to find good ways to help me get pregnant. I am ovulating fine and I can say my period is regular … but I had a lot of clots, so I was reading a little bit and wanted to give lemon and ginger a try to improve my circulation. I am also taking prenatals and good quality OMEGA 3. I am having smoothies with: berries, cacao, flaxseed, rolled oats, banana, honey and walnut.
Warm wishes ladies.
Thank you for the your help 🌻🐝
Can I drink this every day of my cycle or are there certain times it’s best to drink and times it’s best not to?
My husband and I have been TTC for 10 months, up to this point I’ve been using honey, coconut sugar or maple syrup “in moderation”…(but daily), and keeping a generally fertility friendly diet. But we both decided to eliminate sugar as we want to really optimize egg and sperm health. With that said, I love sweets and anticipated a difficult journey. I saw this recipe and tried it yesterday for the first time and was amazed! So refreshing and delicious, it makes me feel like I’m at a spa! I put the pulp in my plain goat yogurt this morning (cocojune also makes a really good coconut yogurt with clean ingredients if you’re dairy free) and blended up brazil nuts with cinnamon to sprinkle on top. It added some pizazz without any sweetener
Fabulous!! I LOVE that Cocojune unsweetened coconut yogurt and get it for myself as a treat occasionally :-). I’m with you on ditching the honey, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Those are better options but are still going to make your insulin spike and affect egg quality. Add them back in once you are pregnant :-).
Can you use coconut oil or just coconut butter? Is there a huge difference between the two?
Big difference for taste and texture!! Get the coconut butter, or make some yourself with coconut!