Supercharge your sex life
You may have seen PETA’s quite controversial Super Bowl commercial entry for the Panthers vs. Broncos game in 2016 entitled “Last Longer”. This campaign featured a meat eater and vegan each having sex, but the meat eater could not quite “keep up”. Essentially the message was that amongst all of the health benefits of being a vegan, longer stamina/ higher sex drive in bed is another benefit. This racy commercial was not wrong. What is the basic science behind it all?
There is a very close relationship between love, sex, and food. Libido naturally lags when the body isn’t getting all of the nutrients it needs, making it focus on self-preservation over reproduction. Deficiencies in nutrients can create depression, fatigue, and low energy levels that get in the way of passion and sex.
Fortunately, nature has given us plenty of foods that can help boost our libido, energy, and passion. Essentially, plant-based meals are full of fruits and vegetables, all of which boost circulation all over your body, which in turn makes it so there is a greater chance you get the response from your body that you are looking for. Implementing more fruits and vegetables in your diet may also reduce your need for certain medications that can potentially diminish your sex drive.
Wondering what specific plant-based meals increase sex drive and how? Fear not my friend, for I have all of the answers you need to get you ready for Valentine’s Day with your Bae *wink, wink*.
How can a Plant-Based Diet Boost Your Sex Life?
Sex becomes more enjoyable
“Eat certain foods, and you might notice an increase in libido, lubrication, and overall vaginal health”, says Mary Rosser, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the general ob-gyn division at Montefiore Health System in New York. “Avocados and root vegetables like sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, which may generate sex hormones, such as testosterone, that affect arousal. Dark leafy greens are rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and polyphenols, that increase circulation and may make the vaginal wall healthier and more lubricated,” says Dr. Rosser.
Your body chemistry changes
“Eating more plants means you’re getting more fiber. In addition to symptoms like bloating, which can affect arousal, your vaginal odor may also change”, says Candice Candelaria, R.D.N., the owner of Metabolic Zen, a nutrition counseling company that specializes in women’s health. “What you eat directly affects your body chemistry,” she says. It should take about a month for your system to adjust and your scent to return to normal. In the meantime, Candelaria advises drinking plenty of water to speed up the process and cutting back on refined carbs and sugar, which can also affect odor.
What to Eat?
1. Spinach: Eating spinach can help put you in the mood by increasing blood flow below the belt. Spinach is full of magnesium, which decreases inflammation in blood vessels and increases blood flow, which is great for getting desired results in the sack easier.
Try Veestro's Spinach Pie or the new Lentil and Spinach Tagine.
2. Garlic: “Umm…you sure that is a good idea?”. Yes, I am sure. These infamously odorous cloves may not seem like the best idea to consume for love making, but the allicin in garlic, which is also found in onions, leeks, and shallots increase blood flow and keeps the heart healthy for sexual activities. Coronary heart disease can significantly affect sex due to the artery supply to our pelvis being impacted by it. So, although I would suggest consuming garlic way before things get intimate, it is a definite plus for your sex drive and function.
3. Watermelon: The infamous summer treat turns out to be the perfect Valentine’s Day snack. Scientists at Texas A&M say watermelon has ingredients that “deliver Viagra-like effects to the blood vessels and may even increase libido”. Basically, watermelon is like an all-natural, plant-based Viagra that helps the heart and circulatory system and improves blood flow above and below the belt.
4. Blueberries: All berries are antioxidant and phytonutrient packed, but blueberries are among the most antioxidant dense foods on Earth. According to a joint study from the University of East Anglia and Harvard University, “eating flavonoid-rich foods is associated with a reduced risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men”.
5. Sweet Potatoes: As mentioned previously, these wonderful vegetables get their orange color from beta carotene, which feeds your body with infertility fighting vitamin A. They are also packed with iron and vitamin C, which boost energy and produce anti-aging collagen. Since they are also packed with potassium, it counteracts salt’s bloating effects and boosts circulation, which can help you look and feel better in bed and boost your pleasure. Potassium also fights high blood pressure, which is associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction. Sweet potatoes are just amazing overall.
Try Veestro's Savory Croquettes and get a delicious dose of potassium.
6. Nuts: Nuts have a lot of zinc, especially cashews, almonds, pine nuts, and pecans. Zinc is key to raising testosterone levels in men. Seeds like pumpkin and squash are also packed with zinc.
7. Avocados: This one is great because who doesn't love avocados. Not only are they yummy on toast and in salads, they are high in monounsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol and are great at getting your heart pumping. Avocados are high in vitamin B-6, vitamin E, and folic acid. Folic acid pumps the body with energy, while vitamin B-6 stabilizes your hormones, all of which helps boost libido.
8. Bananas: Clinical Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer says “bananas, contain bromelain, an enzyme that can increase sex drive. They are also high in riboflavin (vitamin B2), great for energy production, and potassium which revs up the muscles!”
9. Dark Chocolate: Eating chocolate is a guilty pleasure for many people. It is one of the best ways to ease yourself through breakups and heartbreaks for good reason. Dark chocolate increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, lowering stress and raising happiness. Theobromine in chocolate also has mood-elevating effects. Dark chocolate specifically is rich in cocoa flavanols, which have antioxidant properties and support healthy blood flow. The formation of nitric oxide when dark chocolate is consumed boosts circulation… you get the idea by now. The better the blood flow and circulation, the better things work under the belt. Every time you choose to eat a plant-based meal, you can make a conscious decision to boost your health —and that includes your sexual health. There is plenty of healthy, libido boosting nutrients packed into plant-based foods. A diet centered around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes can help turn your body into the best possible version of itself, from the way you feel to the way you perform both in and out the bedroom.
With Veestro, you can make sure that you have enough nutrient packed plant-based meals to get yourself ready for Valentine’s Day, and make sure you can keep performing after. Who doesn’t want that?
