While things like dairy, soy, and diet soda can be part of a healthy lifestyle, too much of these foods can crush your libido and ruin your sex drive. Below you will find the seven foods you need to stay away from if you want to maintain a healthy libido.
Foods That Decrease Libido:
1. Cheese
If you’re not lactose intolerant, cheese is the best. However, almost every cheese is hard to digest, which means a lot more work is involved. It can also cause gas and bloating, as well as keep the blood away from sexual organs. It can mess with your ability to produce hormones, such as testosterone.
2. Mint
Most people pop a mint right before they head out on their date so that their breath is nice and fresh. However, the menthol found in a variety of mints can lower testosterone, which lowers your libido. Instead, you may want to brush your teeth or use a non-minty flavored mint, such as cinnamon. See our list of foods that can increase testosterone here.
3. Microwave Popcorn
Many people enjoy having a date night at home, where they pop some popcorn and watch a movie. It can be a romantic gesture and also get you in the mood for the bedroom. However, microwaved popcorn includes chemicals, such as perfluorooctanoic acid, which can kill your sex drive. It can also cause prostate problems later in life. Instead, pop your own using kernels and make it healthy by using olive oil and a dash of sea salt.
4. Diet Sodas
Almost everyone wants to cut soda and other unhealthy beverages from their diet. They usually opt for a diet soda made with sweetener to keep all that sugar from causing weight gain. Having it once in a while won’t hurt you, but if you drink it multiple times a day, it can affect serotonin levels, which means you may not be as happy or ready for the bedroom. Try to cut back on the soda and caffeine as much as possible before your date.
5. Soy
Many people choose soy milk, edamame, soy sauce, and tofu to keep them healthy and it can be a necessary part of a healthy diet. However, too much soy in your diet can cause you to have lower testosterone levels in your blood, which decreases libido. Research has shown that 120 mg and more of soy can reduce testosterone. Also, if you are planning to have a family soon, you may want to remove soy from your diet completely as it can reduce sperm count severely.
6. Alcohol
While it isn’t necessarily considered food, it still deserves to be on the list of 7 Foods that Kill Libido. While small amounts of alcohol can loosen you and your partner up, too much can cause erectile problems, difficulty achieving orgasm, and premature ejaculation, none of which you want to have in the bedroom during a hot date.
7. High Fat Foods And Some Red Meat
While this may seem like a double dip, both types of foods are usually found at bars and restaurants. You’re likely to take your date out to a nice place before heading back to the hotel or apartment, so it stands to reason that you keep away from these foods if you want to be in the mood later. Many red types of meat have added antibiotics, or hormones added. These can unbalance natural hormones and may even affect secretions, such as sweat, urine, and semen. Not all red meat is bad, but you want to look for lean cuts.
Related: Do Bananas Lower Testosterone?
Be Mindful Of Everything You Eat Before The Bedroom Fun
It’s a good idea to keep track of everything you eat the day of your ‘big event.’ It’s not a good idea to forego all nutrition because you want to be ready for action. It just means watching what you eat, not being over-full, and staying away from certain things.
Culprits can include garlic and a variety of vegetables. Broccoli, asparagus, and others can give you smelly gas, so it’s a good idea to eat those on a different day. Garlic can make your breath smell and can’t be gotten rid of with traditional mints (which you shouldn’t eat, either).
It’s a good idea to stay away from all fried foods, candy, and reduce your consumption of processed foods. While it’s likely that you won’t be able to go completely clean in one day, reducing these foods may make you more energetic and ready for action. Then, you can start working on a cleaner diet so that you’re as healthy as possible and always ready for some fun.