Health

Buy lean meats
Belgian researchers found that dioxins-chemicals that seep into water and soil and attach to fat in animals- lowered men's semen volume by 16 per cent and their testosterone levels by seven per cent. Buy the leanest meat cuts possible. In lamb or mutton, get the butcher to slice off the fat.

Reheat wisely
Phthalates, which add flexibility to plastics, can damage your sperm, according to a 2007 Harvard study. When you heat foods in plastic containers, phthalates can leak into your food. What's more, foods can absorb the phthalates during storage. It's safer to stick with clingwrap, zip-lock containers and Tupperware. All of these are phthalate-free.

Buy your veggies with care
Carbaryl, a lawn and crop insecticide, may damage sperm motility and decrease testosterone levels, says John Meeker, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. Exposure to carbaryl typically comes from pesticide-laden produce, especially apples, peaches, and bell peppers. Try to find organic replacements or get the stuff from out of the city.