May 1, 2010 5:22 PM
- Text
Foods to Feed Your Libido
(CBS)
There's a growing body of evidence that some of the nutrients in foods can enhance sexual function and sexual experience.
And, on "The Early Show Saturday Edition," Health magazine Senior Editor Frances Largeman-Roth offered a few suggestions for putting a little more sizzle in your daily diet!
AVOCADOS
What you need: monounsaturated fats in avocados
Why you need it: To keep your heart healthy and strong. Most of us get too many saturated fats from our diet, and not enough monounsaturated fats-avocados are a great source.
What it does to your libido: With a healthy heart, blood flows to all the right places. And as it turns out, men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction.
ALMONDS
What you need: Nutrients and minerals found in almonds, like zinc, selenium and vitamin E.
Why you need it: Important for female sexual health and reproduction. Vitamin E is necessary to make both estrogen and testosterone.
What it does to your libido: Increases passion, acts as a sexual stimulant and aids in fertility.
STRAWBERRIES
What you need: Folic acid found in strawberries
Why you need it: helps prevent birth defects in women and is tied to high sperm count in men.
What it does to your libido: Aids in reproduction. Also, the color red is known to boost the libido; in fact, a 2008 study found that men find women sexier when they wear red.
A bonus: If you dip the strawberries in dark chocolate, you'll reap double benefits. Use chocolate that is 70 percent cocoa. This high-quality, slightly bitter chocolate contains flavonoids (natural chemicals with antioxidant properties) that improve blood vessel function. Enjoy an ounce or two a day to increase libido.
FIGS
What you need: Soluble and insoluble fiber found in figs
Why you need it: Important for heart health, and also curbs hunger
What it does to your libido: Again with a healthy heart, blood flows to all the right places. Especially important for women, high-fiber foods fill you up, which means you can maintain a healthy weight that makes you feel and look sexy.
CITRUS
What you need: Antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid
Why you need it: Men's reproductive health. The antioxidants in Vitamin C only have a very short lifespan once they enter our bodies, so males need to have a consistent intake to reap the benefits of citrus. Since most of us aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, it's a good idea to pay close attention to the amount of citrus you eat.
What it does to your libido: When he's healthy, your man will be able to perform in the bedroom. Heart disease and poor circulation adversely affect a man's performance.
SEAFOOD
What you need: Zinc and omega-3 fatty acids found in oysters and other fish like wild salmon and herring.
Why you need it: Heart health and production of sex hormones. You don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids from your normal diet, so adding more will help you boost sex hormones even more.
What it does to your libido: Oysters are one of the best sources of libido-boosting zinc, which is key for making estrogen and testosterone (a bonus for both sexes). Wild salmon and herring help keep your heart healthy, which means, as we learned with avocados, blood flows to all the right places.
And, on "The Early Show Saturday Edition," Health magazine Senior Editor Frances Largeman-Roth offered a few suggestions for putting a little more sizzle in your daily diet!
AVOCADOS
What you need: monounsaturated fats in avocados
Why you need it: To keep your heart healthy and strong. Most of us get too many saturated fats from our diet, and not enough monounsaturated fats-avocados are a great source.
What it does to your libido: With a healthy heart, blood flows to all the right places. And as it turns out, men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction.
ALMONDS
What you need: Nutrients and minerals found in almonds, like zinc, selenium and vitamin E.
Why you need it: Important for female sexual health and reproduction. Vitamin E is necessary to make both estrogen and testosterone.
What it does to your libido: Increases passion, acts as a sexual stimulant and aids in fertility.
STRAWBERRIES
What you need: Folic acid found in strawberries
Why you need it: helps prevent birth defects in women and is tied to high sperm count in men.
What it does to your libido: Aids in reproduction. Also, the color red is known to boost the libido; in fact, a 2008 study found that men find women sexier when they wear red.
A bonus: If you dip the strawberries in dark chocolate, you'll reap double benefits. Use chocolate that is 70 percent cocoa. This high-quality, slightly bitter chocolate contains flavonoids (natural chemicals with antioxidant properties) that improve blood vessel function. Enjoy an ounce or two a day to increase libido.
FIGS
What you need: Soluble and insoluble fiber found in figs
Why you need it: Important for heart health, and also curbs hunger
What it does to your libido: Again with a healthy heart, blood flows to all the right places. Especially important for women, high-fiber foods fill you up, which means you can maintain a healthy weight that makes you feel and look sexy.
CITRUS
What you need: Antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid
Why you need it: Men's reproductive health. The antioxidants in Vitamin C only have a very short lifespan once they enter our bodies, so males need to have a consistent intake to reap the benefits of citrus. Since most of us aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, it's a good idea to pay close attention to the amount of citrus you eat.
What it does to your libido: When he's healthy, your man will be able to perform in the bedroom. Heart disease and poor circulation adversely affect a man's performance.
SEAFOOD
What you need: Zinc and omega-3 fatty acids found in oysters and other fish like wild salmon and herring.
Why you need it: Heart health and production of sex hormones. You don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids from your normal diet, so adding more will help you boost sex hormones even more.
What it does to your libido: Oysters are one of the best sources of libido-boosting zinc, which is key for making estrogen and testosterone (a bonus for both sexes). Wild salmon and herring help keep your heart healthy, which means, as we learned with avocados, blood flows to all the right places.
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