The Top 10 Foods for Men’s Sexual Health

When it comes to your physical health, you already know that what you eat helps fuel your work at the gym. So it follows that when it comes to men’s sexual health, your daily feed can boost your performance in the sack.

In the long term, food can have major effects on your body and how it performs, and this means that you may unconsciously be sabotaging your bedroom prowess if you’re not eating right. If you’ve given it any thought at all, you probably got as far as aphrodisiacs; and while those can certainly help get you in the mood, it’s not the be-all and end-all of using food for sexual health.

There are plenty of foods out there that can have a significant physiological impact that will – directly or indirectly – help your performance and endurance. Essentially, by eating the right things, you’ll be able to regulate your hormones, boost your swimmers, and improve your heart health and circulation, all of which will put you at your peak. The best part? All of these are good-for-you foods that you – hopefully – are already eating.

Walnuts

It’s not particularly sexy, but the humble walnut is a bit of a low-key hero and its superpowers extend to the bedroom. These nuts are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, antioxidants and magnesium – all of which improve sperm quality – and are good for boosting endothelial function. Translation: They open up the blood vessels that’ll help your soldier stand to attention and ensure its not shooting blanks. Almonds work well, too.

Watermelon

There’s a long, complicated scientific explanation about why this red fruit is good for your performance in the sack, but all you really need to know is that it helps drive blood flow to muscle tissue. Your benefit? Better performance and endurance.

Peaches

This sweet treat packs a serious hit of vitamin C, which is a double hitter for sexual health. Not only does it help male fertility by improving sperm motility, but it also lowers cortisol (the stress hormone). Why do you need this? The higher your cortisol levels are, the lower your testosterone levels will be; in case you missed high-school sex ed, testosterone is the male sex hormone – it’s kind of crucial for sexual health.

Oysters

You probably already knew that oysters are considered an aphrodisiac, but did you know why? This mollusc is loaded with zinc, which is useful for maintaining appropriate testosterone levels. Hate the texture of oysters? You can also get a hit of zinc from crab, lobsters, nuts, whole grains and sesame seeds. If you’re into CrossFit or are otherwise very active, you’ll want to make sure you’re loading up – athletes are prone to becoming zinc-deficient.

Leafy greens

Better order a side of spinach with your next meal. Leafy greens are great for you anyway, but they’re also loaded with magnesium, which is basically a natural Viagra. Really though, any leafy veggie will do the trick so load up on kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard or whatever plant-like produce you can find.

Healthy fats

If you happen to be on the Keto diet that’s all the rage at the moment, then you’re already knocking this one out of the park. Healthy fats are generally good for absorbing nutrients, so they’ll make sure you get the full benefit of whatever else you’re eating. Try olive oil, avocado, nuts… you know the drill.

Vitamin D

While you do want a good amount of testosterone running through your system – obviously – there can be too much of a good thing. Vitamin D will make sure to keep your he-hormone in check so that it stays at appropriate levels. Getting some sun is one of the best ways to generate vitamin D in the body, but if you’re looking to eat it, try egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, or fortified milk and orange juice.

Chocolate

Even if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, there’s something to be said for breaking open a bar of chocolate. Dark chocolate especially contains things like flavonoids and phenylethylamine, which can not only put you in a good mood (read: increase serotonin and endorphin levels) but also improve blood circulation to the nethers. Now you have scientific reasons to incorporate chocolate into foreplay.

Light meats

You’ll want to tread carefully with meats when it comes to sexual health, but lighter meats like chicken and pork contain things like carnitine and zinc, all of which will help your performance by evening out hormone levels and blood flow. Consider this permission to (gently) indulge your inner carnivore.

Garlic

Garlic may not get you a goodnight kiss, but time it right, and your ingestion of the pungent herb will help if your date makes it back to your bedroom. The pungent herb is a natural blood thinner, so you’ll be sure to get plenty of blood flow where it counts. Just make sure to eat it and use a breath freshener before you head out – or maybe just go for Italian food. If both of you taste like garlic, it doesn’t count, right?

Oh, and in case you were wondering about what might kill your mojo: alcohol is a depressant; and red meat and fried foods are loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol, which can damage your heart health and circulation.

You’ve been warned: we take no responsibility for one-night stands that turn into stage-five clingers thanks to your newfound superpowers.

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