Best Diet for Sexual Health

Best Diet for Sexual Health

Have you ever thought that your local grocery store could spice up a boring sex life? If you’re like most people, odds are you answered ‘No.’ However, all of the tools you need to improve your sex life through diet can be found in the grocery store nearest you. Just as the rest of your health begins with a nutritious diet, the secret to a healthy sex life is also in the food you eat.

Food and Sensuality

The erotic and sensual power of food has been enjoyed, celebrated and passed on for centuries now. In Greek, Roman and Indian cultures, people used to consume a bounty of healthy foods before engaging in sensual pleasures. There is an age-old Indian saying “the quickest way to a man’s heart is delicious food”. The same truism applies today. It’s difficult to imagine a courtship without at least a few romantic dinners.

According to research, the taste, smell and appearance of certain foods have the potential to act as aphrodisiacs. These foods not only set the mood for love, but can also make you a better lover.

Nutrition is key not only in love-making, but in love as well. The kind of diet you eat reveals what kind of person you are – at the office, at home, and in bed.

The Ingredients of Love

A diet for sexual health consists of high vitality, fresh foods that supply nutrients essential for a healthy sex life.

Fresh fruits top the list. They are sometimes called the ‘love ingredients’ because they provide you the nutrients that are required by each part of your body to be at its best when that special time comes. Apples, apricots, bananas and cherries are great fruits – not just before or after, but even throughout the act. These fruits are rich in fiber as well as antioxidants.

The aphrodisiac quality of vegetables has less to do with nutritional content and more to do with shape. Look for phallic vegetables like carrots, cucumbers and celery.

Lean meats such as chicken and turkey are packed with protein. Eaten in moderation, protein provides support for your amorous adventures. Whenever possible, choose organic meats to avoid hormones, antibiotics and other additives typically found in these foods.

Complex carbohydrates make your love life simpler – they give you the energy you need to extend your love-making. Therefore, a diet for enhancing libido should emphasize complex carbohydrates as the main source of calories.

There are some indulgences such as chocolates that prove to be beneficial. Rich, delicious chocolates contain phenylalanine, an amino acid that increases endorphins – which act as an anti-depressant. When chocolates are eaten in moderate amounts, these endorphins create the right mood by enhancing libido.

Garlic, leeks, onions, peppers, soybeans and spinach have also been cited as foods that energize your body for making love.

Truffles, turnips and watercress help sustain optimal sexual health.

Seafoods like shellfish, abalone, oysters, clams, scallops, shrimp, lobsters and cold-water fish like cod and halibut contain zinc and iodine – both of which are essential for testosterone production in men and in women.

Omega-3 improves nervous system function. Hence, foods which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like wild salmon, mackerel and salmon help support a healthy sex life.

Nuts, seeds and beans are also excellent sources of protein. Both pine nuts and pumpkin seeds are good for sexual stamina.

Although a healthy diet provides most of the nourishment necessary for sexual wellness, a multivitamin/mineral supplement offers extra health insurance. Minerals and multivitamins are essential as they improve the neurological functioning and thus, enhance the blood circulation. 

Vitamins including A, the B-vitamin group, C and E are necessary for optimal sexual function. Vitamin E, for instance, supplies the sex organs with sufficient oxygen. B-vitamins, including niacin and B-5, can help men and women reach orgasm and improve sexual stamina. Selenium, manganese and zinc are vital for regulating hormones and revving up sex drive.

For improved erectile response, eat foods rich in L-Arginine. Research shows that L-Arginine improves sexual function in men. Foods rich in L-Arginine include cashews, walnuts, peanuts, oatmeal, granola, root vegetables, green vegetables, ginseng, garlic, soybeans, seeds, and chickpeas.

Erectile response is not solely for men, it is also observed in women. Soybeans are considered to be an excellent aphrodisiac for women. Research shows that soy binds with estrogen receptors which keep the vaginal area lubricated. It is also essential in combating menopause symptoms – especially hot flashes.

Research indicates that the same foods that support heart health are also beneficial in supporting the health of male sex organs.

Because excess saturated fat can build up in the arteries and obstruct blood flow, a diet high in saturated fat interferes with sexual performance. Normal sexual function requires adequate blood flow to the genital area.  Eat a moderate amount of “good” fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fats) from sources like salmon, olive oil and nuts.

There are some foods that can impair sexual function. Avoid deep-fried foods and rich cream sauces. They leave you feeling more sluggish than sexy.

Excessive sugar, salt, saturated fat intake – all of which are found in highly processed foods – is linked to difficulty reaching orgasm and lack of interest in sex. Cutting back on these foods will help revive and preserve sexual vitality and enhance overall well-being.

It’s also a good idea to limit the consumption of alcohol and coffee and to skip tobacco altogether. These ‘pleasure drugs’ can dampen sexual desire and leech away nutrients vital to your sexual health.