Maintaining a healthy sex life is an important part of promoting a sense of well-being and can even be good for your health.
Some of the benefits of having a healthy sex life include lower blood pressure, a better immune system, improved heart health, decreased depression and anxiety, and better sleep.
If you struggle with issues like erectile dysfunction or reduced libido, it can take a toll on your sex life, mental health, and self-esteem.
In addition to medical treatments, lifestyle habits and dietary choices can play a role in managing these conditions.
The best foods to eat before sex are those that help you last longer, lower high blood pressure (one of the causes of erectile dysfunction), promote better blood flow, and support healthy sex hormone levels.
Read on for ten healthy foods to consider adding to your diet to boost your sex life and help you last longer.
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What Foods To Eat Before Having Sex
1. Nuts
Nuts and seeds are rich in arginine, an amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide.
A small study on 17 men with erectile dysfunction showed that eating 100 grams of pistachios for three weeks improved measures of blood flow to the sexual organs.
An added benefit was that the pistachio diet modestly improved cholesterol levels as well.
This is significant since there is a very strong link between erectile dysfunction and developing heart disease, likely due to impaired blood flow.
Promoting healthy cholesterol levels is just one of the ways to improve your heart health.
2. Scallops
Scallops are an excellent source of taurine, an amino acid. Taurine helps improve the availability of nitric oxide in your blood.
Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, which means it helps relax and open blood vessels to better improve circulation.
If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, relaxing your blood vessels to allow better blood flow might help.
According to a study on rats, taurine supplementation improved erectile dysfunction caused by drug-induced diabetes.
Diabetes can cause ED from high blood sugar, damaging nerves associated with sexual organs, as well as reducing blood flow and circulation.
The results of animal studies can’t be translated into efficacy for humans, but it doesn’t hurt to include taurine-rich foods in your diet.
3. Beets
Beets are one of the best foods to eat before sex since they’re one of the highest sources of natural nitrates.
Your body converts nitrates to nitric oxide, which helps improve blood flow and circulation.
If you’re not a fan of eating beets, the benefits of beetroot juice sexually are similar.
Drinking beetroot juice increased nitric oxide metabolism in men and women regardless of body mass, according to a study.
4. Garlic
While you might not want to have garlic immediately before sex (it has a strong odor and can linger on your breath!), regularly including garlic in your diet may help improve circulation and promote healthy blood flow.
According to a study, garlic improves blood flow to peripheral tissues like your calf muscles.
Improved blood flow to peripheral organs might translate to an improvement in erectile dysfunction and related conditions like premature ejaculation, which can be a result of erectile dysfunction.
When your blood flow is improved, your sexual stamina might increase. This can result in better sex and improved sexual performance.
5. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is rich in flavonols, a type of antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight inflammation and improve blood flow.
Flavonols also help your body make more nitric oxide, a very important vasodilator. During times of stress, flavonols can protect nitric oxide from being inactivated.
Dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids is richer in flavonols. The higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the lower the sugar content as well.
6. Pomegranate
Pomegranates and pomegranate juice are packed with circulation-boosting antioxidants.
Like flavonols, the antioxidants in pomegranates help protect nitric oxide from being destroyed in times of oxidative stress.
Some other foods rich in antioxidants include:
- Pecans
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Artichokes
- Kale
- Spinach
7. Fatty fish
Oily fish like salmon are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a great food to eat before having sex because they might influence sexual hormones like testosterone.
DHA, a type of fatty acid, has been shown to impact testosterone production in overweight and obese men.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and helps boost sexual desire (libido).
Being overweight or obese can lower your testosterone levels due to hormonal changes from insulin resistance and in your brain.
8. Blackberries
Blackberries and other berries are rich in anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid (antioxidant).
A study on over 25,000 men found a correlation between eating anthocyanin-rich foods like blackberries and a decreased occurrence of erectile dysfunction.
While the study doesn’t prove causation, it further supports the idea that eating foods that boost nitric oxide production may help improve sexual health.
9. Dried fruit
Dried fruit is another good food to eat before sex as it is rich in potassium. Potassium helps to relax your blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
High blood pressure is prevalent among men and can contribute to erectile dysfunction. It’s estimated that 50% of men 18 years and older have high blood pressure.
Eating potassium-rich foods like dried fruit, in addition to other lifestyle habits, can help you manage your blood pressure.
Other potassium-rich foods include:
- Beans and lentils
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Potatoes
- Cantaloupe
- Oranges
- Cashews & almonds
- Tomatoes
- Yogurt
10. Oysters
Oysters are one of the most well-known aphrodisiac foods to eat before sex.
Aphrodisiacs are things that increase sexual desire and can include foods, drinks, and drugs.
One of the reasons oysters might be considered an aphrodisiac is their zinc content.
Studies have found that zinc has a positive impact on arousal. Zinc deficiency, while rare in a typical American diet, can lead to a decrease in libido.
If you are deficient in zinc, your testosterone levels can take a hit. A study found that zinc supplementation in zinc-deficient men increased testosterone levels.
If you’re not a fan of oysters, you can get zinc from pumpkin seeds, chicken, and cashews, among other foods.
Conclusion
Circulation issues and high blood pressure are common among men and are one of the main causes of erectile dysfunction.
Diabetes, a disease that is becoming much more common, can also lead to sexual dysfunction in men.
Some of the best foods to eat before sex are those that make you sexually excited, horny, and help improve blood flow and lower high blood pressure.
Most of the good foods to eat before sexual intercourse are plant-based foods rich in beneficial nutrients like antioxidants, amino acids, and blood-pressure-friendly minerals like potassium.
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