Lifesum, a popular health tracking app based in Sweden, analyzed its user data to find out which foods were most popular to eat before and after sex (within two hours or less). Data came from Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Out of 2,563 foods that were tracked, chocolate was the most popular. The second most common foods were, in order:
tomatoes
bread
apples
potatoes
coffee
bananas
wine
cheese
strawberries
After sex, folks enjoyed the same foods. But not surprisingly, H2O replaced the wine.
AVOID CHEESE AND BREAD
On the more immediate side of things, cheese and bread don’t digest or absorb well in the body. They’re high in FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). This means they could lead to high levels of gas or cramps — maybe even during your date!
Frida Harju, a nutritionist at Lifesum, says she wasn’t surprised by the findings. Both chocolate and tomatoes are convenient snacks and rich in feel-good hormones and vitamins.
But do these foods have merit?
“Chocolate is full of anandamide and phenylethylamine, two ingredients that cause the body to release the happy hormones known as endorphins,” Harju explains. She cautions, though, that due to chocolate containing methylxanthines, its energetic benefits are short lived.
As for tomatoes, she reasons, folks most likely logged it before and after sex because they’re so easy to eat at every meal.
Interestingly, 4 out of the 10 most tracked foods consumed before and after sex are known as aphrodisiacs (chocolate, potatoes, coffee, and bananas). But Harju also points out the fact that since these foods were consumed after sex, people most likely didn’t eat them with the intention of promoting sexual desire.
“We are often unaware of the effect food has on the body and mind,” Harju says. She advises to be attentive to how certain foods might affect your desire.
So what should we eat?
While the scientific correlation behind aphrodisiacs stimulating libido is weak, what we do know is that a healthy diet is associated with a lower risk of erectile dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction.
Elaina Lo, a chef and nutritional health coach at Your Food as Medicine, says there are a number of foods that can actually enhance your sex life. They can do so by keeping your heart healthy and pumping blood to the right places.
Lo recommends integrating these five foods to your daily routine to make you feel good and ready for the bedroom.
- Ground flax seeds
This superfood is known for its rich antioxidant properties and for increasing blood flow to the sexual organs. Flax seeds keep you vibrant, as they contain lignans. These are estrogen-like chemicals that have antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer properties.
Flax seeds are also a good source of:
Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s can improve cardiovascular health, a plus for libido.
L-arginine. This amino acid can boost blood flow and keep sperm healthy.
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Sprinkle 2 teaspoons on your oatmeal breakfast bowl.
Add a spoonful to your green smoothie.
Mix with turkey meatballs or meatloaf.
Sprinkle into your salads.
- Oysters
This delicate seafood is rich in zinc, a key mineral for sexual maturation. Zinc helps your body produce testosterone, a hormone linked with sexual desire. It also helps synthesize thyroid hormones, necessary for having energy.
Of course, you can’t expect immediate results just by eating six raw oysters. But oysters do contain the nutrients critical for sexual function.
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Baste oysters with a red wine mignonette. Best to eat them raw.
Eat them bloody mary-style and get your dose of vitamin-rich tomatoes.
- Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds, like oysters, are packed with zinc. They’re also a great source of magnesium. They contain antioxidative, antihypertensive, and cardioprotective nutrients, all essential for optimal sexual health.
The omega-3 fatty acids in pumpkin seeds may help with gynecological and prostate health. Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation in the body.