There are some foods that benefit our health, as well as our libido. So which should you eat and avoid before you have sex? Here are 9 foods you should add to your plate, and two you should steer clear from if you’re planning a steamy love sesh.
Oysters
These are loaded with zinc, which helps your body make testosterone. That’s a hormone that plays a big role in your mood and sex drive. Zinc may also help men make more sperm. It might also help those sperm move better. Not a fan of shellfish? Load up on other foods high in zinc, like beef, pork, fortified cereal, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and yoghurt.
Pomegranates
Throughout history, this fruit has been known as a symbol of fertility and a sex enhancer. Turns out that there’s some truth to these tales. Experts say that drinking pomegranate juice can boost your mood, improve your blood flow, and raise your testosterone levels. Those are all things that can turn up the heat in the bedroom.
Chocolate
It’s no wonder that chocolate and romance go hand-in-hand. This sweet treat is linked with the release of serotonin, a hormone that encourages feelings of happiness and well-being. The mood boost that chocolate can bring may raise your sex drive, too. This indulgence also has lots of phenylethylamines, a brain chemical associated with lust and love.
Spinach
This usually isn’t thought of as a sexy vegetable. But it can rev up your sex drive in more ways than one. This leafy green is rich in magnesium, a mineral that can boost your testosterone. It also has iron, which can help desire, arousal, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction, particularly in women.
Watermelon
This juicy fruit serves up plenty of an amino acid called citrulline. Your body turns it into arginine, another amino acid that helps relax your blood vessels. That can get the blood pumping in your sex organs in the same way Viagra works to treat erectile dysfunction.
Avocado
This creamy green fruit is packed with heart-healthy fats and fibre that can deliver lasting energy in the bedroom. Avocado also has vitamin B6, which experts say can play a part to ease PMS symptoms like fatigue, bloating, and crankiness. All of that might help make it easier for women to get into a romantic mood.
Strawberries
Whether they’re dipped in chocolate or topped with whipped cream, strawberries are a romantic favourite. They’re high in vitamin C, which may help rev up your sex drive, boost blood flow, and ease stress and anxiety. It also helps your body release more of something called oxytocin, known as the “love” hormone because of its link to sexual arousal and orgasm.
Coffee or Tea
These drinks deliver a dose of caffeine, which perks up your nervous system. This may help men perform better in the bedroom. Caffeine may lower your chances of erectile dysfunction, too. Coffee and tea also give you antioxidants that can help keep you healthy. Skip it close to bedtime, though. It could mess with your sleep.
Fatty Fish
Fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel have plenty of omega-3s. These healthy fats ease inflammation in your body. That can help your sexual health. If you’re not a fan of seafood, you can also get omega-3s in flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts.
Skip: Heavy Alcohol Use
One adult drink may help you relax. But knocking back a few or more may take a toll on your sex life. That’s because alcohol lowers testosterone and dampens your nervous system, which affects circulation and nerve sensitivity. So it might be harder for you to become aroused. Drinking too much can also make you dehydrated. That can lead to fatigue, headaches, and vaginal dryness.
Skip: Saturated Fats
Foods high in these, like fatty beef and butter, can hurt your circulation over time. This may slow blood flow to your sex organs. In the short term, a diet containing meat may be a turnoff, too. Eating it can lead to an unpleasant body odour.
