You aren’t in the mood for sex tonight. Expectedly, you blame stress, fatigue, a lack of sleep, but the secret behind your libido’s loss is perhaps hidden in your plate of food. Since both testosterone and oestrogen play a critical role in the bodies of men and women, an imbalance can either amp up or diminish your sex drive. Research shows that certain foods can significantly impact your hormonal levels. We’ve all heard of aphrodisiacs, but the list of edibles given below has reactions that are quite the opposite. So, look before you eat.
Colas
Can’t do without that daily cola which goes with your meal? Well, you may want to give this addiction a serious rethink. Drinking colas on a regular basis can mean bidding your sex life adieu. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame directly affect your serotonin levels. Serotonin (or the happy hormone) is vital in encouraging a sense of good health and well-being. Low serotonin, studies show, is related to a lower libido in both men and women.
Alcohol
Excessive drinking can cause liver damage. We all know that, but since the organ is largely responsible for metabolizing hormones, a less-than efficient one can convert androgens into oestrogens, which results in a poor sex drive. And while a glass of some well-shaken cocktail can leave you stirred, just one more drink can spell disaster. According to researchers, alcohol is a downer and can affect a man’s ability to maintain his erection. Since it affects both sexes, women, you too need to take it slow. You might think a mug of beer is a ticket to requisite ‘loosening up’, but here’s the rub. While all alcohol affects the liver’s ability to get rid of excess oestrogen, beer is rich in phytoestrogens. Its plant-derived oestrogen directly affects fertility. Don’t drink and drive, but also, don’t drink and hope for a sex drive.
Processed foods
Cookies and biscuits are sinful, yes, but they certainly don’t help promote that most overwhelming sin, lust. Actually, that’s true of any processed food. It has been observed that processing strips the whole food of all its nutrients, including ones which encourage a desire for sex. When whole wheat, for instance, is processed into white flour, it loses three-quarters of its zinc, a mineral important for the sexual and reproductive health of men. Processed cheese is equally debilitating. Much of the cheese we consume is meant to be derived from cow’s milk, but the sad reality is that most of them are loaded with synthetic hormones, which meddle with your body’s natural order.
Trans fats
It’s no surprise that the confectionary industry is vociferously claiming that their food products contain no maida or trans fats. If your arteries are clogged, let’s just say that the blood flow to your sexual organs will predictably be impeded. Foods rich in trans fat are prepared by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. They can quite easily clog arteries (think: a plate of chips and frosting over the cake you devour). An early appointment at the grave is a possibility, but counsel from a sexpert for weak orgasms might become an even more urgent reality.
Sugar
Even though you avoid spoonfuls of it in your morning cup of chai or coffee, the truth is that sugar is hidden almost everywhere. High levels of sugar in your bloodstream can adversely affect the gene that controls your sex hormones. Simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose, are metabolized in your liver and the excess fat gets stored as lipids. Excess fat synthesis deactivates your shbg (sex hormone binding globulin) gene, causing your levels of (shbg) protein to drop dramatically, and it is this shbg protein that controls your testosterone and oestrogen levels.
Plastic bottles
We recommend you throw away that spare water bottle you keep at work. It’s not the water, but the plastic which is the problem. Most plastic food containers and water bottles contain bisphenol a (bpa), a chemical component that is reported to have a negative impact on fertility in both men and women. Studies have also found an association between urinary bpa concentration in men and their lower sperm count, concentration and vitality. Women with high bpa levels in the body produce less viable eggs.
Beets
Delicious and sweet, beets are undoubtedly nutritious, but like many other root vegetables, they contain compounds which support healthy oestrogen levels in your body. That’s good when your testosterone levels aren’t depleted. If you, however, have an existing hormonal imbalance, you could be exacerbating things by eating too many. Check with your doc, we suggest.
Canned food
They are ever easy to prepare. But canned soups and foods have dangerously high levels of dietary sodium. What does that do? It leads to an increase in blood pressure and diminishes blood flow to certain parts of the body, including the genitals. So the next time you are craving a hot tomato soup, you’re better off preparing it yourself.
Coffee
Yes, we know the drink wires you up and makes you feel alert, all raring to go. But if you’re someone who feels edgy or apprehensive after drinking coffee, the caffeine could have a direct impact on the time in bed with your partner. Increased anxiety can often lower your sex drive.
Spicy foods
Enjoy the spicy curry and pickle, ladies? We suggest you try and steer clear. Heavily scented or spiced foods have the potential to change the way your vagina smells and tastes. This list of food and beverages also has on it coffee, onions, garlic and strong spices. Try and include more whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies in your diet.
Cruciferous vegetables
Don’t strike off broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower from your grocery list just yet. They don’t particularly affect your sex drive. But the cruciferous family influences secretions and this includes semen, sweat, urine, and breath. Cruciferous veggies increase the pungency of your flatulence, owing to the raffinose (a sugar found in cruciferous veggies that go undigested until it reaches the large intestine, where it’s then fermented by gas-producing bacteria) and sulfate. For those who have spent a good amount of time at a laboratory, you’ll know what we’re on about. Word of advice — be careful.
Your meds
Anti-depressants, pills for hormonal imbalance and birth control tend to throw your sex life in chaos. They tend to influence the production of serotonin and dopamine in the body. Do consult your physician if you feel your sex drive has been exceptionally low in recent weeks or months.
Asparagus
Those thin green sticks might be very healthy, but they make your urine smell weird, like the other cruciferous vegetables — broccoli and cabbage. And we all know how those ‘pee parts’ double up as our fun parts too. To keep that fun intact, go easy on asparagus.
Chocolate
This one is complicated. Dark chocolate has often been perceived as a stimulant and is said to induce feelings of love and affection. But there are types of chocolates that are known to adversely affect and reduce testosterone levels. Be careful with what you choose to eat. Try always opting for darker chocolates. Non-alkalized cocoa is rich in flavanols —- compounds that promote the production of nitric oxide in the body, causing blood vessels to open wider.
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