Cheatsheet |
You have almost certainly heard of the phrase ‘you are what you eat.’ It might be a tiresome cliché, but it is said for a reason.
Anyone who has wolfed down a fast-food burger, only to feel groggy and sluggish for the rest of the day understands food's power on our well-being.
Healthy meals and supplements like omega-3 can help improve our brain function, whereas protein-rich food can also help us grow muscle and boost body mass - but it doesn’t stop there.
You may not have known that certain foods increase libido and sex drive.
This means that if you're suffering from low libido and are disinterested in sex, eating some of the foods highlighted in this article may improve your situation and make you far more aroused.
Of course, food isn't the only way to boost your libido, but if you want to alter your diet to help you have better sexual experiences, adding these food items to your meal plans can help do the trick and make things a lot better.
What is libido?
Libido is a fancy word for sex drive and describes a person's desire for sexual activity. This means that a person with a high libido is more consistently thinking about and wanting sex. In contrast, a person with low libido is typically not bothered or interested in sex.
There are no metrics to measure your libido; instead, it's more of a loose general feeling.
There's nothing wrong with having a low libido; however, many men struggle with the idea of being unable to perform when the opportunity presents itself.
Many things influence your sexual drive, including your hormones – specifically, your testosterone level, brain function, and learned behaviors, such as gender norms in society.
If you have a low libido, you may experience a wide range of symptoms, from dreading sexual situations to shame when engaging in sexual activities and even anxiety surrounding sex.
What causes low libido?
There are multiple reasons why you may have a low libido.
One of the biggest causes can be a lack of testosterone. This is because this hormone influences your sexual desire a lot.
In addition, testosterone also impacts your sperm count and sexual function, meaning that a low level of this hormone can also affect how well you perform when partaking in sex.
That said, there are many other reasons your libido can be lower than usual, including
High blood pressure.
High blood pressure can lead to erectile dysfunction, making you much less likely to want sex. High blood pressure causes you less likely to be aroused, inhibiting your sexual desire.
Medication and drug usage
Some medicines can cause symptoms that make you less likely to want sex. For example, many forms of medication and other drugs lower your blood flow, reduce your ability to gain an erection and impact your desire to have sex. 
Low-self esteem
Low self-esteem and body issues can lead to low libido as you're uncomfortable being intimate or letting others see you in a potentially vulnerable state. In addition to that, other mental problems like depression or anxiety can also affect your libido.
Fatigue
Being tired can lower your libido as you may not have the energy to have sex. 
This can be fixed by getting regular rest and having energy-boosting food; however, if you're tired all the time, this may indicate low testosterone levels, another cause of low libido.
Stress
Stress can cause low libido because this feeling releases certain hormones that suppress your testosterone levels. Plus, when you're stressed, you may not have the mental capacity to think about having sex, as other issues are occupying your mind.
8 Foods that can increase your libido
Some people will have a naturally lower libido, and that’s totally fine. But if you’ve noticed a change and want to boost it then introducing some foods specifically aimed at increasing testosterone can improve the situation.
1. Oysters
Oysters are perhaps one of the most famous and talked about foods that increase libido and sex drive. Known as an aphrodisiac since ancient times, its libido-rising properties aren't just myth but backed by science.
The reason why oysters are so impactful in improving libido is that they're high in zinc. Oysters have the most zinc from any other food source, with just a single serving giving you over 650% of your recommended daily intake. This is good because this mineral improves blood flow, especially to your sex organs, helping you to perform better between the sheets.
Zinc is also great for male fertility, as it helps to improve your testosterone levels, a hormone that also impacts your libido and drive. So, using oysters to increase your testosterone will give you a naturally higher libido while getting more energy and confidence.
If you're not a fan of the salty taste of oysters, you can also try crab or lobster, as these contain vital zinc.
2. High-protein meat
Eating meats that contain many amino acids, a chemical found in protein, will typically help improve your sex life and boost your libido. This is because these amino acids help increase your testosterone levels while helping you recover from fatigue and muscle soreness.
In addition, these amino acids also improve blood flow, helping you maintain performance. Some of the best meats you can eat include chicken, beef, and pork because they contain compounds like carnitine and L-arginine.
It's also said that these meats and the chemicals within them can help with erectile dysfunction, helping to improve your sexual experiences.
Remember that you don't want to overeat red meat to raise your libido. This is because red meat can be bad for your heart. Stick to chicken if you're planning to consume a high level of meat.
3. Salmon
If you want to increase your ability to perform in the bedroom and boost your desire for sexual activity, salmon can be a good food source to add to your diet. This is because salmon contains a high level of omega-3s.
These help with brain function but can also prevent the build-up of plaque in your arteries, which could inhibit blood flow. By minimizing the plaque levels in your circulatory system, you'll have better blood flow which can help create more satisfying sexual encounters.
4. Beetroots
Beetroots are extremely rich in antioxidants and vitamins, making them a healthy addition to your diet. However, as well as being suitable for your skin, beetroots also contain dietary nitrates, which can help improve your sex life by expanding your blood vessels, helping to boost blood flow to your sexual organs.
This increased blood flow can help improve your sex drive and performance but also helps with muscle contraction, which can improve the quality of your exercises and athletic performance.
Beetroots can help you with endurance, a bonus for working out in the gym or doing some cardio in the bedroom.
Other foods are also rich in nitrates if beets aren't your thing. This includes spinach, lettuce, celery, and radishes.
5. Red Wine
Red wine contains quercetin, an apple antioxidant that can help boost your blood flow.
In addition, it's been found that a moderate intake of red wine, such as a small glass a day, was linked to a stronger sexual desire and function, especially in women.
Despite the potential libido-boosting benefits of red wine, it's important to note that too much alcohol destroys sexual function. This means there's a bit of a tightrope if you're trying to use red wine to boost libido, as you need to consume the right amount to have the desired effect.
6. Pine nuts
Nuts, in general, are a good thing to snack on if you're looking to increase your libido. However, the pick of the bunch has to be pine nuts.
This is because this food contains a high amount of arginine. When ingested, the body converts this chemical into nitric oxide, which helps dilate the blood vessels.
This increased dilation then helps more blood to travel around the body and into your sexual organs, boosting performance, endurance, and sexual desire too.
7. Watermelon
Watermelon is considered by many as a natural alternative to Viagra, the drug that can help those with low sex drive perform.
This is because watermelon contains citrulline and high levels of it too. When eaten, this chemical is converted into arginine, which helps to relax the blood vessels in your body. This is a similar effect to what Viagra does, hence why it makes an excellent natural alternative.
8. Aphrodisiacs
In addition to the foods mentioned above, which have a more scientific basis of being able to improve sexual desire, there are a few more other foods that are also said to be an aphrodisiac. In simple terms, these foods are widely considered to put you in the mood and could be something you turn to increase your libido and boost your sexual desire.
These more wives-tale-based foods include artichokes, figs, chocolate, spicy chilli peppers, asparagus, and strawberries.
What else can improve your libido?
Food isn't the only way you can improve your libido. You can try to do various other things as a man to improve your sex drive.
One of the first things you should try is to boost your testosterone. This is because this male hormone plays a massive role in your sexual function. A higher testosterone level will correlate with increased libido and desire for intimacy.
You may have a low testosterone level because you've hit a certain age, so increasing it via these methods can be challenging.
But there are many ways you can boost your testosterone. You can consume foods such as high-protein meat to illicit an increase in testosterone production, or you can hit the gym and complete a high-resistance weight training session, as it's said that this raises your T and sex drive for up to an hour after the session.
Can supplements help?
If you’re struggling with low libido, food is not the only solution. And while some of these might be easy to consume daily, it’s unlikely that you are going to eat oysters everyday (nor should you).
Supplements can help to increase levels of zinc and vitamin D, among other things, that will help improve your libido and testosterone levels.
One such supplement is Testoprime, a natural, legal and safe way to increase testosterone and as a result libido.
Fuel your sex drive with food
Sex isn't the most crucial thing in life; however, having bad sexual experiences or lacking the desire to get busy can impact your confidence, and adversity affects your relationships too.
If you're struggling to feel excited about sex, you may have a low libido and drive, which many things can cause, but primarily a low testosterone level.
Improving this testosterone level can help you overcome low libido and get your sexual desire back. That said, certain foods and drinks can also help you overcome this issue and boost your sexual desire, helping to get the most out of your relationships.
All these foods discussed in the article can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet with the added benefit of boosting your libido.
If you want to improve this aspect of your life, try these foods, or use a supplement like Testoprime to help boost levels safely and naturally.
