Avocado Seeds for Fertility: Possible Benefits and Risks

| Reviewed By Amanda Lundberg, BSN, RN

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in fertility, and even those with a healthy weight can benefit from consuming a balanced diet to enhance their chances of conception. Making healthy eating choices can greatly impact one’s ability to become pregnant.

Fortunately, there are many delicious foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients that you can eat in the preconception phase. 

However, if you’re looking on the internet, you will find tons of articles written about which foods are the most “fertility boosting.”

Avocados have been named among the top foods to try and likely for good reason. They are packed with nutrients and healthy fats, all of which are beneficial when trying to conceive.

However, some people take it beyond avocado toast or avocado salad and swear that the true magic lies in the avocado seeds. 

How can you eat avocado seeds, and do they really boost fertility? Let’s find out. 

How To Use Avocado Seeds for Fertility

The avocado seed, often referred to as the pit, is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients that are beneficial to overall health, including fertility.

It is said that avocado seeds can boost male fertility by improving sperm quality and increasing sperm count and mobility.

The vitamin E, potassium, folate, and fatty acids in avocado seeds nourish a woman’s reproductive organs and balance estrogen levels, thus increasing her fertility as well. 

So, how are you supposed to consume the pit of an avocado? We all know those things are as hard as a rock.

We will look at several different options, all of which have been used by both men and women to naturally increase fertility. 

Avocado Seed Powder

To get the most nutrients out of the seeds, you want to consume them raw. They can be dehydrated and then ground into a fine powder that can then be consumed in a variety of ways. 

Are Claims Backed by Science?

There have been lab studies done (here’s one by NIH) on the effects of avocado seed extract consumption, but no testing has been done on the consumption of the seed itself.

Therefore, there is not any scientific evidence or clinical data that supports the claim that avocado seeds are useful in improving human fertility, nor is there much information regarding the safety of consuming avocado seeds.

How To Use It

Some people prefer to put the powder in smoothies and drink it. You can also put it in sauces or add it to literally anything as long as you don’t mind the taste.

You can find a list of recipes that use avocado powder here.

According to this nutritionist, you should eat/drink avocado powder every day for three months before trying to conceive in order to build up nutrient stores and improve egg/sperm quality. 

Avocado Seed Tea

Another way to use the avocado seed is by brewing it into a nutrient-rich, antioxidant tea. 

Avocado tea is said to have a variety of health benefits including: 

  • Lowering cholesterol
  • High in antioxidants to fight toxins and build up immune system
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Regulating digestion
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Improves gut health 

Are Claims Backed by Science?

There is no scientific evidence to back the claims that avocado seed tea directly impacts fertility. The health benefits of avocados are known, but whether the seed offers more and directly impacts fertility is unknown. 

Avocado Seed Tea Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 avocado seed
  • Honey for taste (optional)
  • Cinnamon to taste (optional)

Directions: 

  • In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the seed, and continue to boil for 5 minutes. 
  • Remove the seed, and carefully slice it into smaller pieces. Add them back to the water, and continue to boil for another 10 minutes. 
  • Strain out the seed particles, and serve. Add honey or cinnamon to taste. 

How Often To Use It

Consuming avocado seeds to boost fertility is a rather new concept. Due to lack of research, the amount of tea you should drink and how often to use it (safely) is not known. 

Avocado Seed Extract

Avocado seed extract is said to have numerous health benefits that could aid in boosting fertility among other things. 

Are Claims Backed by Science?

There are several studies done on the effect of avocado seed extract on animals; however, there are no studies that show its effect on humans.

While animal studies suggest that the extract does have qualities beneficial for health and can influence fertility, there is no guarantee that it is the same for humans. 

How To Use It

There is not much information regarding how to use avocado seed extract for consumption purposes, perhaps because it isn’t recommended for consumption.

According to Healthline, the maximum intake limit is 1.4 mg/pound for adults. 

Nutrients in Avocado Seeds

Just as the fruit of the avocado is loaded with nutrients, so is the seed. Avocados are rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium, healthy fats, anti-inflammatory compounds, vitamins, and minerals.

However, according to this nutritionist, you can get the same nutrients from the actual avocado as you can from the seed.

While the seed may have more per se, it is not necessarily healthier to eat the avocado pit.

Are Avocado Seeds Poisonous?

The plant toxin, persin, is present in high concentration in the seed of an avocado. It is known to cause toxic effects and sometimes death in animals.

While there are no studies of these toxic effects on humans, many experts advise against eating avocado seeds considering how they can affect animals. 

Potential Harmful Effects of Avocado Seed

We’ve discussed that avocado seeds have the potential to be toxic and have been fatal to some animals. 

Additionally, they have the potential to kill healthy cells, and the antinutrients present in the seeds can reduce the absorption of nutrients from the digestive system into the bloodstream. 

Maximum Suggested Daily Intake of Avocado Seed

Experts do not suggest consuming avocado seeds. They suggest getting the same nutrients from the avocado pulp or other foods safe for consumption, such as fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

However, most agree that consuming a small amount of avocado seed in a smoothie or other foods on occasion is not likely to cause any harm. 

A man using a nut pick to remove the seed from an avocado.

Benefits of Avocado Seeds for Male Fertility

Avocados have been said to have positive effects on a man’s fertility and many assume that the seed, packed with more nutrients, has even bigger effects. 

Sperm Health

The most competitive sperm wins the race to the egg, and the nutrients in avocados, specifically the antioxidants, vitamin A, and potassium, are said to strengthen a man’s sperm, increase his sperm count, and make his sperm more likely to reach and fertilize the egg. 

Benefits of Avocado Seeds for Female Fertility

Likewise, nutrients present in the avocado and (presumably) its seed are said to increase a woman’s fertility and boost the likelihood of her getting pregnant.

Folic Acid

Folic acid in avocados and other leafy greens plays an important role in helping a woman get pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy. 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiencies can make a woman less likely to conceive. Avocados are rich in this vitamin, and therefore, they may increase a woman’s chances of conceiving. 

Less Inflammation

The vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats in avocados contribute to reducing inflammation in the body, which has many health benefits, including improved fertility. 

Does Avocado Seed Clean the Womb?

Avocados are packed full of healthy nutrients that your body needs to function properly.

Antioxidants in the fruit fight off free radicals and toxins in your body, including those in your womb, and improve overall health.

However, there is no evidence that eating avocado seeds will cleanse your womb or aid in conception. 

Avocado Seed and Menstruation

The healthy fats in avocados help to nourish reproductive organs and keep things running smoothly during menstruation.

The anti-inflammatory fats, magnesium, and potassium in the fruit also help to soothe muscles and reduce cramping. 

Always Consult Your Doctor First

While the health benefits of eating avocado are abundant and well known, the effects of eating its seed remain a mystery, and many experts are very skeptical.

There is a wide range of opinions regarding the safety of consuming avocado seeds, therefore, it is important to always consult your doctor before using avocado seeds to boost fertility. 

Closing Thoughts 

So, in closing, avocados are definitely a superfood with nutrients that can enhance your overall health, including your fertility.

Whether or not you need to eat the seed in order to get the maximum benefits is still up for debate.