5 FOODS TO EAT FOR BETTER SEX

Lifesum, a popular health tracking app based in Sweden, analyzed its user data to find out which foods were most popular to eat before and after sex (within two hours or less). Data came from Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Out of 2,563 foods that were tracked, chocolate was the most popular. The second most common foods were, in order:

• tomatoes
• bread
• apples
• potatoes
• coffee
• bananas
• wine
• cheese
• strawberries

After sex, folks enjoyed the same foods. But not surprisingly, H2O replaced the wine.

Frida Harju, a nutritionist at Lifesum, says she wasn’t surprised by the findings. Both chocolate and tomatoes are convenient snacks and rich in feel-good hormones and vitamins.

But do these foods have merit?

“Chocolate is full of anandamide and phenylethylamine, two ingredients that cause the body to release the happy hormones known as endorphins,” Harju explains. She cautions, though, that due to chocolate containing methylxanthines, its energetic benefits are short lived.

As for tomatoes, she reasons, folks most likely logged it before and after sex because they’re so easy to eat at every meal.

Interestingly, 4 out of the 10 most tracked foods consumed before and after sex are known as aphrodisiacs (chocolate, potatoes, coffee, and bananas). But Harju also points out the fact that since these foods were consumed after sex, people most likely didn’t eat them with the intention of promoting sexual desire.

“We are often unaware of the effect food has on the body and mind,” Harju says. She advises to be attentive to how certain foods might affect your desire.

So what should we eat?

While the scientific correlation behind aphrodisiacs stimulating libido is weak, what we do know is that a healthy diet is associated with a lower risk of erectile dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction.

Elaina Lo, a chef and nutritional health coach at Your Food as Medicine, says there are a number of foods that can actually enhance your sex life. They can do so by keeping your heart healthy and pumping blood to the right places.

Lo recommends integrating these five foods to your daily routine to make you feel good and ready for the bedroom.

1. Ground flax seeds

2. Oysters

 

This delicate seafood is rich in zinc, a key mineral for sexual maturation. Zinc helps your body produce testosterone, a hormone linked with sexual desire. It also helps synthesize thyroid hormones, necessary for having energy.

Of course, you can’t expect immediate results just by eating six raw oysters. But oysters do contain the nutrients critical for sexual function.

3. Pumpkin seeds

 

Pumpkin seeds, like oysters, are packed with zinc. They’re also a great source of magnesium. They contain antioxidative, antihypertensive, and cardioprotective nutrients, all essential for optimal sexual health.

The omega-3 fatty acids in pumpkin seeds may help with gynecological and prostate health. Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation in the body.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in:

• iron, necessary for feeling energized
• zinc, associated with boosting immunity
• magnesium, essential for relaxation

4. Pomegranate seeds

 

Pomegranate seeds are packed with polyphenols. Polyphenols are compounds associated with decreased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. They’re also thought to relax blood vessels and increase the delivery of blood to the brain and heart.

If polyphenols can help increase blood to these parts, why not to other parts below the waistline, too?

Pomegranate seeds are high in:

• polyphenols, which can protect your immune system and uplift your mood
• micronutrients, which provide the building blocks for making sex hormones
• flavones, which are important for erectile health
• vitamin C, which decreases stress and gives you stamina

5. Avocados