Sex diet: foods and menu

SEX DIET: FOODS AND MENU
What you eat can make a big difference in how you make love. A hungry man’s guide to using food as foreplay
By Mark Roman

Since the dawn of time, guys have been hunting for a natural aphrodisiac that, when ingested, would transform them into sexual dynamos. Most of what they’ve tried has been harmless, but unpalatable, to say the least. In China, you might be prescribed a meal of sea slugs, whose reputation for imparting potency comes from their tendency to swell when touched.

In other cultures, a man might have eaten a beheaded male partridge, lunched on hippopotamus snout or dipped a phallic object in oil, pepper and nettle seed and inserted it where you would least like to – all to enhance sexual prowess.

Now, don’t knock these options. Sex psychologists tell us that any food – no matter how outlandish or to which orifice it’s applied – can have a placebo effect. It can boost your drive if you believe it will. But try this strategy (it’s easier on your taste buds): Develop a palate for vitamins, minerals and herbs that grease your sexual machinery.

The Ultimate Sex Mineral
Sure, other vitamins and minerals help. But zinc does the heavy lifting. It’s linked to your fertility, potency, sex drive and long-term sexual health. The mineral is critical to sperm production, and low zinc stores have been blamed for decreases in semen volume and testosterone levels, explains Sara Brewer, M. D., author of Better Sex. “Each ejaculation can expend up to 5 milligrams of zinc, or one-third of your daily allowance,” Dr. Brewer says. Luckily, zinc is easy to come by. Four ounces of lean beef provide half the daily requirement, and a single oyster gives you the whole shebang. Turkey, cereals and beans are other good sources.

The Celery Seduction
Forget about all those pheromone sprays that are supposed to attract women. Researchers

looking for a real turn-on tonic have focused on the potent male hormone androsterone, which is also found in celery. They believe androsterone is released through perspiration after eating. Your partner may not actually smell it on you, but because androsterone is thought to attract females, don’t be surprised if she snuggles up real close. Even if you don’t get lucky, keep in mind that you’re eating a low-calorie, fiber-rich food that helps clean your teeth and freshen your breath. Not a bad deal either way.

Foods that Feed Your Prostate
An ailing prostate can reduce your ability to have erections, putting a severe damper on your sex life. Prostatitis, a deep, sometimes painful and debilitating inflammation of the gland, can be eased by foods such as nuts, seeds and whole grains – especially rye products. They contain plant hormones, oils and other agents that decrease swelling, congestion and inflammation of the prostate, says Dr. Brewer.

Pumpkin seeds in particular contain oils that ease the discomfort and pelvic pressure associated with enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia – BPH), she adds. A diet with an oriental bent can help, too. Dr. Brewer says that soy products, rice and Chinese cabbage can reduce the effect of dihydrotestosterone, a testosterone by-product that has been linked to bph.

A Jolt from Java
Your morning cup of coffee might be doing more than perking you up. It might be turning you on. Men and women who have at least one cup of joe a day are nearly twice as likely to describe themselves as sexually active, according to one study. And guys who indulge report fewer problems with erections. Jeanne Shaw, Ph. D.