It has been a well known fact that some foods help with our libido which in turn, gives us a boost in the bedroom.  But of course there is another side to certain foods and beverages that can diminish your sex drive. Here are a couple of foods that you should add extra into your diet or completely stay away from.

Strawberries
Best

I will say it: Strawberries are sexy. Here’s why. Good circulation is thought to be crucial for sexual functioning in both men and women, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants that benefit your heart and arteries.

What’s more, they’re rich in vitamin C, which along with antioxidants, has been linked to higher sperm counts in men. Try dipping the berries in dark chocolate, which contains methylxanthines that may activate the libido.

Who can say no to strawberries and chocolate!

Alcohol
Worst

A glass of wine or beer can make you feel relaxed and chatty on a date, and it’s the social lubricant that often gets strangers talking to one another in a bar.

But in reality, alcohol can be one of the worst things for your love life. Too much alcohol dampens sexual desire, decreases arousal and sensitivity, and may lower inhibitions leading to unsafe decisions about sex.

Not to mention that alcohol puts on weight. It is just not a healthy item to include in your daily diet. The occasional drink is okay but not too many.

Avocados
Best

This super fruit is 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.

Almonds
Best

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.

And having a few nuts throughout the day is a great little snack.

Steak
Worst

Whilst 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 higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, health conditions that can affect blood circulation and sexual function.

What’s more, a small study published in 2006 in Chemical Senses suggested that eating meat, may result in, ahem, a less attractive body odour. 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. Not a pleasant job but someone has to do it if we want to know the results.

This of course doesn’t mean that you have to become vegetarian, just have a moderate intake of red meat in your diet.

Sweet Potatoes
Best

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.

And they are so versatile, bake them, mash them add them to a stew or casserole.

Sesame Seeds
Best

Zinc is thought to be good for sexual health (it can help testosterone and sperm production in men) and the No. 1 source is oysters. But really, how often do you eat oysters? Another source: Sesame seeds.

Mix them into salads or sprinkle them into a healthy stir-fry you can even incorporate them with the above sweet potatoes when you are baking them.

Some breakfast cereals also contain zinc, just look at the health guide on the box to make sure it has enough for your daily requirements.

Watermelon
Best

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.

Putting watermelon through the juicer is so simple and the taste of pure watermelon juice is so fresh and flavoursome that you can easily drink it every morning.

Fatty Foods
Worst

Many fried and fast foods have high levels of “bad fats,” such as saturated and Tran’s fat which can negatively affect your heart and impede blood flow due to a build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries.

What’s more, fried potatoes, such as French fries, have been associated (along with other foods) with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, which is known to cause sexual health problems in both men and women.

The type of oil used to fry food is key. If it’s fried in partially hydrogenated oil it would have Trans fat (worse than saturated fat), if it was fried in liquid plant oil, the (food) may be very low in saturated fat.

And the obvious is that you will gain weight if you eat to much fatty food. Your libido will become non existent but also you will no longer feel desirable and will not feel like having sex.

Oysters
Good

This is one mineral that can boost the sex lives of men and women alike.  For men, zinc can supercharge erections and have you ready to go anytime you want.  And for women, zinc can make sure your pleasure doesn’t turn into pain since it’s essential for the production of natural vaginal lubrication.

Also, I think oysters are another one of those sexy foods like strawberries.

Pumpkin Seeds/Sunflower Seeds
Good

The sexual benefits of pumpkin seeds are actually pretty well known across most of Europe and China but for some reason they haven’t captured quite as much main stream attention to the rest of the world. Also commonly known as Pepita from a Spanish culinary term.

They are a great libido booster full of zinc, which is important for preventing testosterone deficiency in men. And is a primary nutrient in sperm production.

And for woman it can also help to sustain lubrication and boost female sex drive.

Pumpkin seeds are nature’s perfect food. They are also delicious and are great for snacks and salads.

They have no cholesterol and ¼ cup contains nearly ½ of the recommended daily intake of magnesium.

Ginger
Good

Stimulates the feelings of excitement associated with sex. Eating ginger elevates your heart rate, gets you blood flowing and gets you excited for the night ahead.

Whether it is ginger in your meal, ginger jubes or even ginger jam it tastes great as well.

And I think the most surprising is:

Celery
Good

Whilst it is obviously a healthy vegetable, with my research I found that it has more to it.

It can increase pheromone aldosterone, which is a natural aphrodisiac found in male perspiration. It contains chemicals, which help dilate blood vessels, increases your sex drive and can enhance climaxing.

After finding out more information about what foods are good and bad for my sex drive I know that my daily diet will be changing. I am now packing little snack packs for my daily nibbles and I believe that my sex drive has increased (not that it was lacking) but there is nothing wrong with wanting more.

So eat and be merry.