There are a variety of things that can impact a man’s sex drive: stress, performance anxiety, relationship problems, health conditions, and food consumption are just a few.

Some libido inhibitors are difficult to manage, but fortunately, the majority of situations call for quick, simple, and natural methods to increase sexual appetite.

For example, a couple of changes to your diet can greatly enhance your libido.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

How Food Affects Sex

Food has a very powerful influence on our bodies. It can either help or hinder the body’s functionality.

When it comes to sex, there are a couple of significant ways your diet will impact your performance:

• Blood flow: Erections are caused by relaxed muscles that allow for greater blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it is important to look for foods that increase, not decrease, blood flow.
• Testosterone: Testosterone is one of the primary ingredients in a man’s libido. Any foods that impact hormone levels will also impact sex drive.
• Emotions: Stress and anxiety often inhibit libido. Foods that have a calming effect on the brain will improve the quality of sex.

Foods That Increase Libido

If you are looking for a natural way to ignite the spark, add these delicacies to your shopping cart.

Related: The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them

Food	How it Helps
Spinach	Spinach has an abundance of magnesium. By decreasing blood vessel inflammation, magnesium helps increase blood flow.
Peppers	Spicy peppers increase your metabolism, which makes your heart beat faster and pump more blood.
Ginger	Ginger greatly improves artery health, improving blood flow.
Bananas	Bananas are high in potassium. Potassium is needed to balance out an abundance of sodium, which decreases blood flow.
Potatoes	Potatoes are another food with significant amounts of potassium, aiding blood circulation.
Fatty fish	Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like wild salmon, sardines, and tuna increase dopamine production. Not only does dopamine improve circulation, but it also makes you feel more relaxed—and sex more enjoyable.
Dark chocolate	Dark chocolate increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, which makes you happier and less anxious.
Pumpkin seeds	The tryptophan in pumpkin seeds also increases serotonin production, meaning the decreased stress makes your performance even better.
Oysters	The zinc in oysters increases testosterone levels and enhances physical performance.
Pesto	The pine nuts in pesto are rich in testosterone-producing zinc.

Foods That Decrease Libido

If you want the most healthy sex life possible, avoid these foods whenever possible.

Related:

Food	Why it’s Bad
Diet soda	The aspartame in diet soda decreases serotonin production—and libido.
Microwave popcorn	The acid found in the lining of the popcorn bag can kill your sex drive and cause long-term damage to your prostate.
Alcohol	Alcohol is a well-known depressant that inhibits the ability to establish and maintain an erection.
Soy	Soy can decrease sperm count and negatively impact libido.
Sugar	Sugar can deplete testosterone levels, causing your interest in sex to wane.
Licorice	The glycyrrhizic acid in licorice also decreases testosterone production.
Mint	Menthol is another inhibitor of testosterone production.

Eating a nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health, and sexual health is no exception.

What are your favorite libido-enhancing foods? What do you try to stay away from? Sound off in the comments section!

Related:

• Reversing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally
• Increase Libido and Treat Erectile Dysfunction with Natural Methods
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• 20 Foods to Supercharge Your Sex Drive – Eat This, Not That!
• Low Sex Drive? Hair Loss? Fatigue or Muscle Mass Loss? – Low T Medical Clinic
• The Cancer Risk of Microwave Popcorn – Livestrong
• Soy foods ‘reduce sperm numbers’ – BBC News
• Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women. – US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
• Foods that are killing your sex drive – Fox News