Top 9 Foods For Men’s Peak Sexual Health

It turns out that summer foods can do a lot more for men than boost their taste buds. Whether you’re looking to improve your sperm motility, find a natural cure for erectile dysfunction or simply rev up your libido, here are 9 different foods that have been shown to maximize your sexual health, and can be easily worked into your diet this summer.

1. Watermelon

This juicy fruit is loaded with citrulline, which may alleviate erectile dysfunction, specifically if it’s caused by high blood pressure. Citrulline is converted into arginine, which boosts the natural production of nitric oxide. And nitric oxide has the benefit of increasing blood flow to muscle tissue as well as male genitalia, which improves male sexual function.

2. Walnuts

If family and weight-loss medicine physician Dr. Spencer Nadolsky had to recommend a single food for men’s health, he’d pick the humble walnut. Not only does it improve sperm vitality, motility and morphology in healthy young men, it also improves endothelial function (the health of the lining of our blood vessels).

RELATED: 5 Essential Superfoods for a Healthy Over-40 Body

3. Peaches

High in vitamin C content, peaches are a good choice for sperm motility, says fitness nutrition specialist Joey Thurman. “A study came out that shows that men who were smokers for the majority of their lives who increased their vitamin C intake…and were considered infertile became fertile,” he explained. In addition, vitamin C lowers the stress hormone cortisol.

4. Oysters

There are reports of athletes not getting enough zinc, and if you’re zinc-deficient, you may have issues with lower testosterone than usual. Make up for it by eating foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, which contain more zinc than any other type of food. Crab, lobster, nuts, beans and whole grains can also help you meet your zinc requirement if you’re not into oysters.

5. Chocolate

It improves your circulation, which can help with blood flow to your genitalia, which will improve your ability to get an erection. And the phenylethylamine in chocolate can affect the serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

RELATED: 5 Secret Ingredients to Boost Sex Drive and Eliminate Erectile Dysfunction

6. Leafy greens

Leafy greens are packed with nutrients, but that’s not all they’re full of. They’re loaded with magnesium as well. “One great thing that magnesium does is dilate blood vessels, which essentially is what Viagra was trying to do – increase blood flow to the male genitalia to get a better erection,” says Thurman. So bring on the spinach and kale and Brussels sprouts. Cabbage, Swiss chard and any green leafy veggies will also do the trick.

7. Egg yolks

Vitamin D is crucial for keeping testosterone levels in check, and egg yolks are loaded not only with vitamin D, but tons of other nutrients as well: protein, folate, phosphorus, vitamin B12 and selenium. But if egg yolks aren’t your thing, look for fatty fish (salmon and tuna) or fortified milk and orange juice instead.

8. Full-fat dressings

Magnesium-rich greens not only increase blood flow to male genitalia and have a positive effect on hormonal health, they’re a perfect base for a delicious salad to boot. Studies show that adding a healthy fat to your salads helps you absorb lycopene and nutrients in general. So skip the low-fat and no-fat salad dressings and opt for the full-fat version instead to get the most bang for your buck. Or make your own dressing: Olive oil combined with an equal amount of balsamic vinegar is delicious.

9. Berries

Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries have antioxidants, which are good for cardiovascular health. Research shows that berries seem to have cardioprotective effects that preserve normal vascular function and blood pressure, slow the progression of atherosclerosis and counteract the negative effects of free radicals.

Curated article from LIVESTRONG.COM