Over the past several decades, scientific researchers have become pretty adept at decoding the chemical matrix of the foods we eat. What they've discovered is that most foods contain hundreds of chemical compounds that have specific effects—and some of those effects are sex-enhancing.
That is not to say that these foods are “aphrodisiacs,” tidbits guaranteed to drive you, and your partner, headlong into the sack. Rather, these morsels more fine-tune the machinery of sex—reducing cholesterol buildup, enhancing blood flow, stimulating the release of feel-good brain chemicals, giving penis cells the chemical energy they need to stand at full attention.
Consider carrots. Okay, it's true: a carrot looks like a penis. But we're not writing here about sympathetic magic. Instead, we want to consider carrots because of their vibrant orange color. That hue is produced by beta-carotene, a compound that reduces the arterial accumulation of “bad” LDL cholesterol, thereby making it easier for a man to get and sustain an erection that is as stiff as, well, a fresh carrot.
In obtaining food for a fuller sex life, there is no need for you to venture into odd or exotic shops, foraging through musty bins redolent with brown, knobby foods bearing unfamiliar names and peculiar smells. For the best foods for the ol' sex life, it turns out, are among the most familiar. Oranges. Chocolate. Hot Peppers. Steak.
Now, before you decide to limit your diet to chili-fried steak smothered in orange-chocolate mole, know that just about all the non-processed foods out there contain some of the basic vitamins and minerals that you need to maintain a healthy sex life. Obviously, different foods supply different things, which is why the first rule of good nutrition, especially when you're eating for sexual health, is to eat the widest possible range of foods.
But within that wide range there are clearly some that are “the best.” These are the foods that seem to deliver the biggest bang, so to speak, in terms of sexual performance, endurance, and/or fertility. Many are plants; others are the kinds of mouth-watering favorites you slap on the grill or dish up with a spoon.
Ready to eat? Okay, here they come: the top sex-drenched digestibles.
Burnish Your Spear. Seems those suggestively erect green shafts known as asparagus spears are loaded with potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin E, all essential for producing energy and maintaining urinary health. Asparagus also provides the nutrients you need to produce testosterone and other sex hormones.
Fire In The Hole. All hot chilies contain capsaicin, a chemical compound that causes your taste buds to inform your brain: “I am on fire.” This in turn causes the heart to race and the skin to flush—a sure sign that blood is flowing nicely. In dilating blood vessels, chilies help flow blood to your pole.
Sowing Wild Oats. What could possibly be sexy about a bowl of mushy oatmeal? Well, turns out oats contain a variety of compounds that aid blood circulation and prevent cholesterol buildup. Oats can also help reduce nervous anxiety. And they're high in fiber, that tough plant stuff working to maintain blood-flow to your penis.
A Man And His Eggs. Eggs offer loads of B vitamins, nutrients that help reduce anxiety—in the sack and out. B vitamins also keep the libido high.
Meet Mr. Peanut. These crunchy nuts, roasted or plain, are rich in arginine, an amino acid that dilates blood vessels and promotes better erections.
Hot With Chocolate. There's a good reason why women worldwide consider chocolate “love food.” Cocoa contains stimulants that increase skin sensitivity; chocolate also offers compounds chemically similar to the euphoria-inducing hormone your body produces when you're in love.
Something Fishy. Yup, caviar, oysters, lobster, and the like all deserve their sexy reputation. These sea creatures are loaded with zinc, a mineral that increases the production of testosterone, promoting male fertility and prostate health.
Forbidden Fruit. Nearly all fruits, fresh or frozen, are high in vitamin C—oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits being the high C standouts. University of Texas researchers report that men who ingest at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C each day boast higher sperm counts than those who consume less. Vitamin C also keeps your sperm from “clumping,” so you have a better chance of hitting reproductive pay dirt.
Munching Stalks. Celery contains androsterone, a powerful male hormone that acts as a pheromone—a scent molecule that taps into the most primitive part of a woman's brain, attracting her without her even really “knowing” it. What it means to be “irresistible.”
Spooning Cream. Any ice cream is good, so long as it's low-fat. Ice cream is high in calcium and phosphorus, minerals that build muscular energy reserves and boost libido. All that calcium can also make orgasms more powerful, since the muscles that control ejaculation need calcium to contract properly.
Manberries. Forget Viagra—Mother Nature's original blue potency pills may do even more for you. Blueberries are high in soluble fiber, which helps remove excess cholesterol from the blood before it is deposited in the arterial walls. Blueberries also relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. Thus, more blood to enter the penis, producing stronger erections.
Liver In Hand. Ounce for ounce, liver is among the best sources of fertility-boosting vitamin A. Men who get plenty of A each day have higher sperm counts and perform better sexually than men who don't.
Snap, Crackle, Pop. Too tired for sex? Then spoon down a breakfast cereal loaded with thiamin and riboflavin. Both vitamins help you use energy efficiently, so you'll stop falling asleep in the recliner while watching reruns of Sex and the City.
Sippin' Juice. If you don't have enough beneficial HDL cholesterol scouring your arteries, even low amounts of harmful LDL can form blockages that could reduce your ability to bring erect your penis. The higher your HDL count, the better—and orange juice generates very high HDL indeed.
Sizzling Hot. Visit your favorite steak house and order up some lean sirloin. The protein in steak naturally boosts levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two brain chemicals that heighten sensitivity during sex. Steak is also stuffed with zinc, which boosts libido by reducing production of the hormone prolactin, a bad beastie that can retard arousal.
Got Milk? The calcium in low-fat milk and cheese provides protein and riboflavin. Dairy products, long renowned for strengthening bones, can also help strengthen your sex bone: muscles use calcium to contract, so getting enough calcium can make orgasms better and stronger. Also increases muscular energy and promotes strong sex drive.
Apples, Jack. Why do you think Eve was so insistent Adam munch that apple? Because apples reduce artery-clogging cholesterol that can impair blood flow to the penis. Too, apples contain phenylalanine, an amino acid that increases the production of endorphins, brain chemicals that fuel sexual arousal.
