Oysters are often the first food people think of when the topic turns to boosting libido. But another everyday cupboard staple may also support sexual health, according to an expert.
These days, the word ‘superfood’ appears everywhere, usually as shorthand for foods packed with nutrients and linked to health benefits.
Even so, HealthLine notes that ‘nutritionally speaking, there is no such thing as a superfood.’
Foods commonly placed in that category include berries, leafy vegetables, eggs and green tea. There is also one more option worth paying attention to if you’re looking at sexual wellness.
On an episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, Steven Bartlett spoke with urologist and sexual health specialist Dr. Rena Malik about a range of topics related to intimacy and wellbeing.
Dr. Malik explained that she is not a fan of the phrase ‘super foods,’ but said certain foods can still be valuable when they are part of an overall balanced diet. Among them, she highlighted nuts such as pistachios for their nutritional value.
“But certainly, having nuts because they have great Omega 3s, they have healthy fats, these are the reasons that these improve diet.”
Pistachios are also a good source of protein, fibre and unsaturated fats, and they contain compounds such as L-arginine, which the body uses to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax and widen, improving circulation – one reason pistachios are often discussed in the context of heart health as well as sexual function.
That matters in the bedroom because erectile function depends heavily on healthy blood flow. During arousal, blood vessels in the penis widen so more blood can enter and stay there long enough to produce and maintain an erection.
She also pointed to antioxidant-rich foods, including colourful fruits such as blueberries and citrus, which have been ‘shown to reduce the incidence of erectile dysfunction’.
Research backs up that broader point. A large 2016 study found that men who ate more flavonoid-rich foods – including blueberries and citrus fruits – had a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction, although the researchers noted that more intervention trials were needed.
Pistachios and other antioxidant-rich foods may offer wider health perks too. They are rich in plant compounds such as polyphenols and tocopherols, which are associated with better cardiovascular health and lower oxidative stress.
Several studies have looked specifically at pistachios. One trial published in 2011 found that men who ate pistachios daily for three weeks saw improvements in erectile function, while a 2014 study reported better vascular stiffness and endothelial function in people who consumed pistachios regularly.
Still, experts tend to stress that no single food is a magic fix. Sexual health is influenced by sleep, stress, exercise, alcohol use, smoking, hormones and underlying conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
So while pistachios are not a cure for erectile dysfunction, they may be a smart snack to include in a diet that supports overall circulation and heart health.
For anyone looking to make simple diet changes, it may be a good reason to keep a bag of pistachios close by.