Male infertility: Five foods that can damage your sperm! (Slideshow)

Getting pregnant may not be as easy for some as you think. That's because a lot of things can go wrong while trying to conceive. For instance - poor egg quality, ineffective sperm, and sperm allergies - all these factors can affect fertility without your knowing it.

Couples today are having trouble getting pregnant. While the fertility of a couple depends upon several factors (both male and female partner), it is said that male factors alone contribute to 40% of infertility cases.

Research suggests that the foods you eat may also play a role in the number of sperm you have (count), whether they’re normally shaped (morphology), and how well they move (motility).

Here are some foods that may pose a threat to male fertility. And if you've struggling with infertility, make sure that you avoid eating these foods. They are:

You do not have to completely ditch caffeine, but keep it moderate. On average, 300mg (three cups) is enough for a day, more than that could increase your risk of genetic mutations in sperm. However, limit to 1 cup of coffee per day or eliminate altogether if you are over 35 and/or having fertility problems.

Although the link between alcohol use and sperm count is somewhat unclear, some studies have shown that heavy drinking can hurt both the quality and quantity of sperm.

Eating soy foods has been linked to lower sperm concentrations. Regular consumption of soy-based products, especially at high levels, may reduce testosterone (male hormone) levels, libido, sperm count and fertility levels.

Eating processed meat has been associated with lower sperm count. A 2014 Harvard study found that men who consumed the most processed meat - hamburgers, hot dogs, salami, bologna, bacon - have 23% fewer normal sperm than their peers who ate it sparingly.

Your taste buds might love them, but fried foods can also cause low quality and abnormal sperm production due to the presence of hydrogenated fat that lower your testosterone levels in it.

By: Salome Phelamei