When it comes to achieving optimal performance, some say the penis has a mind of its own.
And eating too much junk food can be a problem.
Even if the occasional chocolate treats and hamburgers won’t ruin your mojo overnight, they can sap your sexual function sooner than you think.
Foods for penile health have a major role to play.
Penile function heavily depends on your cardiovascular, nervous system, and blood vessels.
Your choice of food can keep these systems in check. While unhealthy foods can wreak havoc on your system.
You will be filling up on empty calories on a regular basis. Now, pair that with a lack of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and it’s normal for your diet to be followed by a nap than a romp in the sheets.
If you want to know more about the right and wrong foods for ED, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve rounded up some practical penis health tips that can help shed some light. Here is how ED foods affect your sex life.
What’s the Link Between Erectile Dysfunction (ED) And Diet?
ED affects about 18 million American men. Some ED risk factors can be avoided, especially those linked to obesity, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, and smoking. This also includes cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Your diet can be that stepping stone.
Diet for ED is very important, as it can curb the risk of erectile dysfunction. Dietary patterns that emphasize the consumption of fish, legumes, nuts, fruits, and veggies, like the Mediterranean diet, can offer notable benefits.
Studies indicate that committing to a plant-based diet can also come in handy.
Both can decrease the presence of ED and lower the erectile dysfunction burden. The reason for that is relatively simple.
When you overindulge in fatty foods, the products you are consuming can harden and block the blood vessels and arteries.
These vessels are a key factor in supplying the penile tissues with adequate blood flow. Long-term smoking and drinking habits can be another major culprit of ED.
The penis gets erect when the blood vessels fill up with blood. Smoking disrupts this normal blood vessel function, which can hinder your erection.
Intoxication can slow the signals between the body and the brain causing ED. Drinking too much can lead to dehydration.
This reduces circulation and blood volume. Because penile erections highly depend on a healthy blood flow, this could trigger problems with erection.
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What Are the Worst Foods for Erectile Dysfunction?
The occasional food splurge of unhealthy foods, treats, and snacks, won’t cause serious problems. But, when you go overboard and develop unhealthy eating habits, that’s when you might notice some problems with penile health.
The worst foods for erectile dysfunction include:
- Fatty meats
- Baked goodies
- Too much soy
- White flour & processed carbs
- Alcohol
- Canned soup
- Flavored soda
- Microwavable popcorn
- Processed meat
Saturated fats
Dietary patterns packed in saturated fats are closely associated with heart disease – and men with heart ailments tend to be more prone to ED.
The reason why fatty meats are erectile dysfunction foods is that they could cause blockages in the coronary arteries. High-fat diets can curb the size of the arteries responsible for supplying the penis with enough blood flow.
Baked goods
Plenty of cookies, crackers, and other baked foods contain margarine, which can have a ton of trans fat. Think of margarine as a roadblock for properly functioning arteries.
In fact, trans fats can send your LDL cholesterol levels through the roof, often resulting in problems below the belt.
Soy
Soy foods can be highly nutritious. But, when you eat too much, they can be foods causing erectile dysfunction and impact your manliness.
Ingesting large quantities of soy-based products is linked to erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism. They can decrease free testosterone and increase DHEA blood concentration.
White bread
The bigger body flab from eating too much white bread and processed carbs won’t be your only problem. These foods can also curb testosterone and increase a man’s estrogen hormone levels. This problem is particularly present in men who stick to a Western-style diet.
Canned meats and canned soups
These products are rich in dietary sodium. This makes them some of the worst foods for ED.
Even though you can find some reduced-sodium varieties, most people tend to go for those with more salt because they taste good. However, the increased salt intake can directly hinder erectile function beyond its effect on blood pressure.
Refined carbs
Studies indicate that a high refined carbohydrates intake, high fructose corn syrup, and caloric intake are primary factors for metabolic disorders that can lead to the development of ED.
Drinking plenty of soft drinks, like flavored soda, could cause a slow and asymptomatic progression of erectile dysfunction. In time, this could manifest into actual ED.
Other foods
Other foods that cause erectile dysfunction are microwavable popcorn and processed foods. Typical bags of microwave popcorn are lined with PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid).
A study shows the worrying effects of PFOA as it’s connected to plummeting testosterone levels. Plus, packaged and processed goodies can make you pile a few extra pounds, which can amplify the risk of erection problems.
What are the best foods for erectile dysfunction?
You now know the worst foods for erectile dysfunction. But, healthy food can help you turn the tide.
Adhering to nutritious and healthy dietary patterns is linked with a lower risk for ED. The more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you supply your body with, the better your odds of maintaining adequate erectile health.
The best foods for erectile dysfunction include:
- Salmon & other fatty fish
- Greens
- Watermelon
- Chili peppers
- Oysters
- Coffee
- Olive oil & olives
- Dark chocolate (cocoa)
- Nuts
- Garlic
- Bananas
- Whole grains
This kind of food for erectile dysfunction can provide the body with all the nutrients it needs, as well as stabilize your hormones.
Take fatty fish, for example. They are packed with omega-3 fats, which makes them a heart-healthy food. They can curb blood pressure and the risk of heart problems.
Ideally, you should be opting for 8 ounces of salmon on a weekly basis. Other great omega-3 sources include mackerel, fresh albacore tuna, and sardines. With plenty of nutritional powerhouses, you can keep your penile health on the right track.
Conclusion
With a couple of changes to your diet and food choices, you can come a long way. Some of the challenges with your condition can be avoided with a proper erectile dysfunction diet.
Now that you know which foods to avoid for erectile dysfunction, you can start working on your eating patterns.
After all, there is adequate science data and phytotherapy research that supports the trouble chemicals and other foods can cause your sex life. With the information listed here, you can plan a practical diet for erectile dysfunction.
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