If you’re planning a romantic Valentine’s Day, avoiding certain foods might enhance your sexual performance.
Experts have identified several foods that can negatively affect your libido and performance, suggesting that reducing their intake could benefit your health.
While many assume they’re at their best in the bedroom, certain dietary choices may be secretly hindering your performance.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s wise to assess whether you’re ready to perform at your peak, should the occasion arise.
Dr. Neel Patel and nutritionist Vinny Kodamala from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor point out specific foods and drinks that men might want to avoid to reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction.
A key recommendation, though commonly overlooked during celebrations, is to moderate alcohol consumption.
Dr. Patel warned: “[People] are advised to keep alcohol to a minimum as excessive alcohol consumption can impact sexual performance and contribute to erectile dysfunction.”
Regarding food, Dr. Patel pointed out that certain items might weaken sexual performance and erection strength over time.
He explained: “Erectile dysfunction is connected to blood flow and blood vessels in the body and these need to be in good health. Therefore, avoiding foods high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, saturated fat and alcohol may help reduce your risk of common vascular problems caused by high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high triglyceride levels and obesity.
“These include pasta, breakfast cereals, sugary drinks and desserts. A high sugar intake causes erectile dysfunction and reduces sex drive.”
Nutritionist Kodamala advised: “Avoid foods that contain a lot of saturated or triglyceride fat, such as dairy products, cakes, hard cheese or fatty meat, as these increase levels of bad cholesterol.”
Even if everything is working well for now, reconsidering your diet could be beneficial for long-term sexual performance.
Additionally, a clinical psychologist recently discussed the ideal timing for intimacy, linking it to your chronotype, according to Dr. Michael Breus.
Your chronotype is your body’s preference for sleep, wakefulness, and activity at specific times of the day.
On Steven Bartlett’s Diary of A CEO podcast, Breus noted: “Number one is you want to have a time. So first of all, most people are intimate between 10:30 and 11:30 at night.
“But here’s what’s interesting, is your hormone profile doesn’t look too good at 11:30 at night for having sex. In order to have successful sex, you want to have estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, adrenaline and cortisol, all to be high and melatonin to be low.”
He further suggested that morning is the best time for intimate activities.