Eat Right to have Better Sex

Sex – one of the greatest 3 letter words and one of the most important words to keep a romance alive.

Often, while preparing to get into the mood of it, we think of external stimuli to get things started. While these can help to create a more exciting atmosphere for sex, it assumes that you already have a healthy, functional sex drive.

And if you find that that really isn’t the case recently, we have a hunch that you need to start with yourself… or your food, more specifically.

Eating right can help to increase sex drive and improve sexual performance. Did you realise that eating wrong can also dampen it? But it’s not all a mysterious science. These aprodiasiacs, when consumed, usually trigger an increase of, or release of certain natural chemicals which brings out the animal instinct in you.

So feast on, we say, and find out for yourself ;)

#1: Figs

For Women

If you’re looking to be completely irresistable (who isn’t) the next time you go on a date, get your figs on! Figs are considered excellent stimulants of fertility and enhance secretion of pheromones.

#2: Eggs

For both

Eggs are high in protein, which is a source of stamina and no matter how you prepare them, prached, scarmbled or fried, eggs  will give you the energy you need to stay up all night.

#3: Ginseng

For Women

The next time you’re thinking of a gift for Valentine’s Day for your belle, get something with ginseng in it. Researchers at the University of Hawaii found that women who took a ginseng supplement significantly upped their libido in a month, and 68 percent also said their overall sex life improved dramatically. "Add ginseng into your diet or try one of the many ginseng teas available," Glassman says. "Just don't jump at the sight of ginseng, though. Many energy drinks that claim to have ginseng in them also contain chemicals and tons of sugar, and there's nothing sexy about that."

#4: Lettuce

For Both

Iceberg lettuce contains an opiate that helps to activate sex hormones. This wonder food will help you look good and boost happiness, all the right reasons to eat your lettuce!

#5: Sweet Potatoes

For both

Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, which helps fight high blood pressure, which is associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction.

They're also rich in beta-carotene, providing the body with vitamin A, which is suspected (but not proven) to be helpful for those with infertility.

#6: Watermelon

For both

Surprise, surprise! This popular summer fruit is low in calories, but also high in potentially libido-boosting phytonutrients.  

In 2008, Texas A&M research suggested that the lycopene, citrulline, and beta-carotene found in watermelon may help relax blood vessels, and provide a natural enhancement for revving up your sex drive.

#7: Avocados

For both

These superfruits are rich in vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties, potassium, and vitamin B6, which may prevent or delay heart disease and promote better blood flow.

They're also a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Anything that helps your heart and circulation can also be critical for a healthy sex life. Men with heart disease are twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction because both conditions can result from artery damage. Did you know: The Aztecs called the avocado tree "ahuacatl," or "testicle tree."

#8: Almonds

For both

Almonds contain zinc, selenium, and vitamin E, which are vitamins and minerals that seem to be important for sexual health and reproduction.

Selenium can help with infertility issues and, with vitamin E, may help heart health. Zinc is a mineral that helps produce men's sex hormones and can boost libido.

Blood flow is important for your sex organs, so choosing good fats, such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in almonds, is a good idea.

#9: Broccoli

For Women

Raw, sautéed, or cooked, toss this vegetable in with your salad or alongside your steak for a bedroom boost. "I suggest it here because of the high vitamin C content," says Keri Glassman, registered dietitian and author of The New You (and Improved) Diet. "Vitamin C aids in blood circulation to organs and has also been associated with an improved female libido." If you're going to pick a veggie at dinner anyway, may as well kill two birds with one sprout and make it this one.

#10: Cloves

For Men

Yes, cloves. This sex superfood is versatile when it comes to cooking: it can be brewed in hot apple cider, infused in your favorite exotic dish, or added to a chai tea latte. Just make sure to share it with your guy, too. "In India, cloves have been used to treat male sexual dysfunction for centuries," says Glassman. Research published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine agrees, discovering that clove extracts produced an increase in the sexual activity of normal male rats. "Cloves are also used to rid bad breath, which can't hurt your kissing skills either," says Glassman, who also suggests using powdered cloves in Mexican food. Add a little cumin and cinnamon and you've got a tasty, multifaceted aphrodisiac.

Sex Drive Zappers!

#1: Processed Baked Goods

For Both

For those with a serious sweet tooth, this is not good news. These sugar-loaded treats surround the cells, coagulating them so that vital food glucose can't be absorbed and remains in the blood, raising blood sugar and lowering libido. The fats also clog ventricles, reducing oxygen to sexual organs, and prevent the spleen from producing enough white blood cells, so eggs and sperm have difficulty multiplying. This shit just got serious.

#2: Steak

For Both

While meat does provide protein and zinc, meat also tends to be high in saturated fat and cholesterol. A meat-heavy diet is associated with a whole array of health problems and can affect and sexual function.

On top of that, a small study published in 2006 in Chemical Senses suggested that eating meat, may result in, ahem, a less attractive body odor. In the study, 17 men ate either a meat or non-meat diet for two weeks and then switched. Women were asked to rate their attractiveness based on smell alone (from armpit pads worn by the men), and they tended to prefer non-meat eaters.