Your diet plays a role in pretty much every aspect of your health, from your skin to your immune function—and sexual wellness is no exception to that rule. “People tend to think of sexual hormones in isolation, but they’re really at the mercy of our metabolic functioning,” Nan Wise, PhD, a neuroscientist, sex therapist, and the author of the book Why Good Sex Matters, tells SELF.
You’re probably vaguely aware of the link between food and sex: Oysters have been revered for centuries as a powerful aphrodisiac and retain their R-rated connotations to this day. (Legend has it that the notorious playboy Giacomo Casanova—yes, the historical figure behind the term—ate 50 oysters every day to keep himself sufficiently, ahem, prepared for his encounters.)
But despite their formidable reputation, oysters are hardly the only food out there capable of bettering your experience in the bedroom. Here are nine examples to try for a boost between the sheets (or anywhere else you choose to get it on). And one quick note: While we compiled this list with women and their sexual needs in mind, we’ve also highlighted research on men when appropriate—because for obvious reasons, both parties stand to benefit.
How your food choices can affect your sex life
Your sex life—a.k.a. the trifecta of desire, arousal, and satisfaction—rests on two pillars, according to Dr. Wise: “Being able to have good blood flow to your genitals, and you having overall good health,” she says.
Good blood flow largely depends on your endothelium—the layer of cells that lines all your blood vessels and regulates their ability to expand (vasodilation) and contract (vasoconstriction). Mechanically, this ability directs arousal in both sexes—erections in men, and clitorial engorgement, vaginal relaxation, and vaginal lubrication in women. “Our genitals are circulatory organs,” Dr. Wise says.
Meanwhile, good overall health is essential for (hopefully) obvious reasons. Not only can cardiometabolic risk factors like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure interfere with blood flow, they can also hurt your sex hormones, according to Dr. Wise (and, in fact, often occur in tandem with sexual dysfunction). When you think endocrine, “think metabolic,” Dr. Wise says. Whenever “your body gets out of balance and you have inflammation and you’re not eating properly, you're going to have, for example, issues with testosterone, which is actually the hormone that’s most involved with sexual desire in both men and women.”
Besides, feeling tired, achy, or sick—as you might if your health is poor—will naturally push sexual activity way, way down on your list of priorities, according to Dr. Wise. “When I talk about sexual wellness, I’m talking about not just things you can measure, like scores on a female sexual function index or anything like that,” but also feeling better in your body, she emphasizes. To state the obvious, an improvement in your sense of well-being is “going to drive more sexual desire” on top of any functional changes taking place.
Nine foods to eat for better sex
Colorful fruits
Berries, citrus, and other fruit varieties are rich in flavonoids—anti-inflammatory phytochemicals thought to positively affect cardiometabolic biomarkers like cholesterol and blood sugar, according to Dr. Wise. When it comes to the influence of metabolic health on your hormones, “the most important thing…is stabilizing blood sugar and kind of avoiding those dramatic spikes,” she says. For this reason, among others, flavonoid-rich foods are “really good for your endocrine functioning.” What’s more, these fruits also have vascular (circulatory) benefits. Watermelon, for example, is “rich in citrulline, which the body converts to arginine to enhance blood flow, similar to a natural vasodilator,” Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Similarly, apples, strawberries, and blueberries are “high in antioxidants and polyphenols that improve vascular health.” In fact, eating an apple a day—yes, the old adage may actually have a core of truth to it—is tied to improved vaginal lubrication and overall sexual function, according to a 2021 review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.
Oysters
First things first: The idea that eating oysters will immediately have you feeling frisky is a myth, according to Dr. Wise. That said, oysters’ supposed sexual benefits aren’t totally fictional: Oysters are among the best natural sources of zinc, a mineral critical for testosterone production. If you have a zinc deficiency, Dr. Wise explains, oysters can help correct that, and, in turn, “you're going to have higher testosterone, and the sperm quality will be better.”
Red meat
Oysters don’t have a monopoly on zinc: Red meat (think beef, pork, lamb, and mutton) is also a major repository of the mineral, which, again, “is crucial for maintaining sexual desire and libido,” Zumpano says. One 2021 study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy found that zinc supplementation “significantly improved sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction, vaginal moisture, and pain during intercourse” among postmenopausal women.
Fatty fish
Like oysters and red meat, fish is crammed with zinc, but that’s not all it has to offer: Fatty species—like salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines—also pack a second nutritional punch in the form of vitamin D, which is “linked to better libido and sexual satisfaction,” Zumpano says. Specifically, vitamin D receptors located on the uterus and ovaries can influence levels of sex hormones like testosterone, according to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine review.
Soy products
No animal products? No problem. Soy-based foods like tofu, soybeans, and edamame all contain phytoestrogens—plant-based compounds so named because they mimic natural estrogen in your body. In turn, soy can indirectly “support vaginal lubrication, collagen content, and blood flow,” Zumpano says.
Nuts
No, this isn’t a bad sex joke: Like berries, nuts are actually packed with flavonoids, so they’ll have a similarly positive impact. In fact, a 2019 study published in the journal Nutrients found that younger men who increased their nut intake for 14 weeks experienced “improved orgasmic function and sexual desire,” Dr. Wise says. Some types of nuts are also a source of other important compounds as well, according to Zumpano: “Walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds provide essential zinc and omega-3 fatty acids for libido and hormone balance,” she says.
Dark chocolate
If you’ve ever wondered why chocolate is a go-to Valentine’s Day present, it’s because the sweet treat has a reputation as an aphrodisiac, much like oysters. You can thank the high cocoa content for any positive effects: It “contains flavonoids that improve blood flow, decrease inflammation, and release endorphins,” Zumpano says.
Spices
The term “spice” has a double meaning for a reason: Certain varieties, like ginger and cinnamon, can “improve blood circulation throughout the body, enhancing [sexual] function,” Zumpano says. One 2022 study published in the journal Sexologies found that taking oral ginger capsules was tied to both elevated “sexual function” and “sexual quality of life” in women of reproductive age. The following year, a 2023 study published in The Journal of Sex Research found that taking ginger pills heightened sexual arousal in both men and women. Other studies have found that saffron can alleviate erectile dysfunction in men taking the antidepressant fluoxetine (better known as Prozac), as well as boost arousal and lubrication in women on the same medication.
Avocados
Yet another source of omega-3 fatty acids, avocados are plentiful in “healthy fats that support hormone production and blood flow,” Zumpano says—as if we needed another reason to spread a few slices on our morning toast.
How to incorporate these nine foods into your diet
No need to put too much thought into it: “Just [eat] them,” Zumpano says. Generally, aim for three four-ounce servings per week of oysters and fatty fish, and one serving per day of most other entries on this list. For efficiency, Zumpano likes to combine as many as possible into one meal. One example of that would be a salad tossed with berries, avocado, salmon or tofu, and walnuts or pumpkin seeds, topped with a ginger dressing. Meanwhile, dark chocolate, fruit, nuts, and seeds are also excellent for snacking in lieu of less-healthy options like chips or candy.
That said, be careful not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Your overall dietary pattern matters more for your health (yes, including your sexual health!) than any one specific food—so don’t home in on these nine at the expense of the bigger picture. If you mainly subsist on Big Macs and French fries, for example, tossing back a few clementines or a handful of almonds won’t have much of an impact, no matter how frequently you do it.
With all this in mind, the single most effective dietary change you can make to improve your sex life is to switch to a Mediterranean-style diet—think lots of fruits, veggies, lean proteins like fish and tofu, and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, and extra virgin olive oil, according to Zumpano. The Med diet is “associated with better sexual function and lower rates of sexual dysfunction in both men and women,” Dr. Wise says—and research backs this up. In women, for example, multiple studies have found that the diet improves sexual function regardless of menopause or metabolic syndrome (a term for three or more concurrent cardiometabolic risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or a large waistline), according to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine review. Meanwhile, a classic Western-style diet heavy on sodium, saturated fats, refined carbs, and processed foods will have the opposite effect—so “you want to also control for not eating bad stuff,” Dr. Wise says.
One final note: While alcohol is typically classified as “bad stuff,” there may be one exception to that rule—red wine. A 2009 study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that moderate amounts of red wine can improve women’s sexual function (especially desire and arousal), most likely because the polyphenols and the alcohol content promote vasodilation for smoother blood flow. And, of course, many people find that a glass “can make them feel a little disinhibited and more in tune with being open to pleasure, because it might decrease their experience of stress in the moment,” Dr. Wise says.
When you can expect to see a difference
Two weeks? One month? Three months? You’re probably waiting impatiently for the answer. Unfortunately, there’s really no way to answer this definitively, since everyone starts from a different baseline and everyone responds differently to dietary changes. What’s more, it’s not like your diet is the only thing governing your sex drive and performance: Outside factors like “weight, sleep, exercise, and stress” all play a role as well, Zumpano points out. That said, she allows, “if you are eating a whole-foods-based diet and including these foods daily, you should have more energy, feel less inflamed, and have an increase in blood flow and circulation after a few weeks”—all the more reason to make these adjustments now. (And if you insist on emphasizing one specific type of food, Dr. Wise recommends the flavonoid sources: Those “can really help,” she says.)
Originally published on SELF.
