The Top 5 Foods to Eat to Help You Ovulate Naturally

By Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP

If you’re trying to conceive, ovulation is everything.

No ovulation = no pregnancy.

And one of the most powerful (yet overlooked) ways to support ovulation is food.

Your hormones are literally made from what you eat. Every bite you take either feeds your hormones—or depletes them. When your body doesn’t feel safe, nourished, or supported, ovulation is often the first thing it shuts down.

This is where cycle syncing comes in.

Cycle syncing is the practice of eating, moving, and living in alignment with the different phases of your menstrual cycle. When you give your body what it needs at the right time, hormone communication improves, ovulation becomes more consistent, and fertility can thrive.

Let’s break down the top 5 foods that help support ovulation and when to eat them for maximum benefit.

1. Healthy Fats (Especially During the Follicular Phase)

Examples:

• Avocado

• Olive oil

• Grass-fed butter or ghee

• Coconut oil

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone are built from fat. If you’re eating low-fat or skimping on fats, your body simply doesn’t have the raw materials it needs to ovulate.

During the follicular phase (the week after your period ends), estrogen is rising and your ovaries are preparing to release an egg. This is the time to prioritize healthy fats to support hormone production and egg development.

👉 Cycle Syncing Tip:

Add avocado to salads, cook veggies in coconut oil, and don’t be afraid of real fats—this is not the time to restrict.

2. Pasture-Raised Eggs (Egg Quality Support)

Why they matter:

• Rich in choline

• Provide cholesterol (essential for hormones)

• Contain B vitamins needed for ovulation

Eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and are especially powerful for fertility. Cholesterol is the backbone of your sex hormones, and without enough of it, ovulation can be delayed or suppressed.

Eggs are incredibly supportive in the follicular phase and leading into ovulation, when your body is preparing to release an egg.

👉 Cycle Syncing Tip:

Aim for pasture-raised eggs daily during your follicular phase to support healthy estrogen levels and egg maturation.

3. Seafood & Omega-3s (Ovulation + Inflammation Support)

Examples:

• Wild-caught salmon and tuna

• Sardines

• Anchovies

• Oysters

Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, improve blood flow to the ovaries, and support hormone signaling between the brain and ovaries.

Chronic inflammation is a huge barrier to ovulation—especially for women with PCOS, thyroid issues, or a history of stress.

👉 Cycle Syncing Tip:

Seafood is especially supportive in the late follicular phase and ovulatory window, helping create an optimal environment for ovulation to occur.

4. Cruciferous Vegetables (Estrogen Balance)

Examples:

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Brussels sprouts

• Kale

These vegetables help your liver properly metabolize estrogen. If estrogen isn’t being broken down and cleared efficiently, it can become “estrogen dominance,” which often interferes with ovulation.

Balanced estrogen = better ovulation.

👉 Cycle Syncing Tip:

Focus on cruciferous veggies during the follicular phase, when estrogen is rising, to support healthy estrogen levels without excess.

5. Complex Carbohydrates - From Vegetables (Signal Safety to the Body)

Examples:

• Sweet potatoes

• Squash

• Quinoa

• Root vegetables

One of the biggest reasons women don’t ovulate is because the body doesn’t feel safe. Extremely low-carb diets, over-exercising, or under-eating can all signal stress to the brain.

Carbohydrates help regulate cortisol and support thyroid function—both critical for ovulation.

👉 Cycle Syncing Tip:

Incorporate complex carbs during the late follicular phase and ovulation, when your body needs extra energy to release an egg. This is also essential during the Luteal Phase.

Why Cycle Syncing Changes Everything

Your hormones are not the same every day of the month—so your nutrition shouldn’t be either.

Cycle Syncing allows you to:

✨ Support estrogen when it’s rising

✨ Encourage ovulation when it’s supposed to happen

✨ Prepare progesterone production after ovulation

✨ Reduce hormone imbalances naturally

When you eat with your cycle instead of against it, your body doesn’t have to work as hard. Ovulation becomes more consistent, cycles become more regular, and fertility improves—often without medication or invasive interventions.

👉 Want to learn how to Cycle Sync and increase your chances of ovulating?

✨Check out my step-by-step online course: Cycle Syncing: Balanced Hormones + Boosted Fertility✨