These foods will kill your sexdrive

BOTH testosterone and estrogen play vitally important roles in the bodies of both sexes and—unless we have a good ratio of one to the other—all sorts of things can get wonky. Men can grow breasts; women can sprout excessive facial hair. But in both cases, an imbalance of testosterone and estrogen can increase or decrease libido—and a surprising amount of research has gone into figuring out which foods can increase or decrease our T and E levels. Below are some of the food items could futz with that delicate balance or be a contributing factor to a sputtering sexdrive.

 

Processed foods

Processing removes most of the nutrients in whole foods, including ones that are important to your desire for hanky panky. For example: When whole wheat is processed into white flour, it loses about three-quarters of its zinc, a mineral essential to men’s sexuality and reproduction. Eating refined grains can lead to insulin resistance, the last stop before diabetes. Diabetes can in turn can accelerate narrowing of the arteries, increasing your risks of heart disease.

 

Diet Soda

Drinking soda on the regular is a terrible idea. Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, directly affect your serotonin levels. Serotonin is a vital hormone in fostering a sense of well-being or happiness. Low serotonin, say researchers, is associated with lower libido in both men and women.

 

Shrimp

According to the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program, the average person is exposed to 10 to 13 different pesticides every day. Nine of the 10 most commonly used pesticides are “endocrine disruptors,” meaning they play with our male/female hormones. One of the most estrogenic is 4-hexyl resorcinol, which is applied to shrimp to prevent them from discoloration. Other seafood with high pesticide loads: tilapia, eel, and farmed salmon. If at all you must eat them, you must buy organic ones.

 

Alcohol

A glass of wine or a cocktail can get you in the mood, but drink much more than that regularly and your libido will pay the price. Alcohol is a depressant that can play havoc with a man’s ability to achieve and maintain an erection and dampen libido for both sexes. Slow down when it comes to drinking and you may find that you rediscover your sexual sparkle. To help do this, nutritionist Dana James suggests drinking a 2-to-1 ratio of water to alcoholic beverages and lay-off the whiskey.

 

Beer

What’s manlier than pounding a couple of frosty brew skis? Actually, quite a lot, once you consider that beer could be to blame for a lack of pep between the sheets. While all alcohol affects the liver’s ability to get rid of excess estrogen, phytoestrogens, plant-derived estrogens that disturb the fertility of the mammals that consume them, are present in the hops used to make beer. What’s more, severe drinking can cause liver damage, and because the liver is largely responsible for metabolizing hormones, a less-than-efficient one can convert androgens into estrogens, resulting in a diminished sexdrive.

 

Sugar

This stuff is everywhere, so don’t think that you’re safe just because you don’t spoon it into your coffee. The sweet stuff increases levels of the hormone insulin, which can cause you to store belly fat, lose muscle mass and causing your testosterone levels to drop. In men, belly fat raises estrogen levels, which can result in low libido and erectile dysfunction; one study found that glucose (sugar) significantly reduced total and free testosterone levels. Making an effort to get rid of the sugar you consume—knowingly or otherwise—could be just what the love doctor ordered.

 

Bottled water

The water isn’t the culprit here; it’s the plastic bottle. Bisphenol A, commonly referred to as BPA, is a chemical component found in most plastic food containers and cans and is associated with negative impacts on fertility in both men and women. A Slovenian study in the journal Fertility & Sterility found a statistically significant association between urinary BPA concentration in men and lower total sperm count, concentration and vitality. Women with the highest BPA levels in the body produced 27 percent less viable eggs when tested during a study out of Harvard School of Public Health.

 

Low grade meat

Poor quality meat could lead to a low wattage sexdrive, experts say. That’s because most deli meat, hot dogs and hamburgers contain added hormones, preservatives and antibiotics that can bring about a hormonal imbalance in your body. Choose leaner and un-processed cuts like chicken or turkey to keep your sexdrive revved.

 

Soy

Soy is a plant that contains phytoestrogens. They mimic the same female hormone produced by women to cause the development of secondary sex characteristics. Eating too many of these phytoestrogens could disrupt hormone balance in both men and women, depressing libido across the board. High levels of soy are found in soy milk, edamame, tofu snacks and most vegetarian meat alternatives.

Beets

Beets are delicious, nutritious and just about the sweetest vegetable there is. Like many other root vegetables, they contain compounds to support healthy estrogen levels in your body. That’s great when your testosterone levels aren’t depleted, but if you have an existing hormonal imbalance, you could be exacerbating things by eating too many.

 

Cruciferous vegetables

While there is no evidence to suggest that these kinds of vegetables rob eaters of their desire to have sex, they may dull the sexdrive of their partners. Why? Well, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts impact secretions including semen, sweat, urine, and breath leading to unpleasant scents and tastes. Cruciferous veggies also increase the pungency of your flatulence, thanks to the raffinose and sulfate. Raffinose is a sugar found in cruciferous vegetables that go undigested until it reaches the large intestine, where it’s then fermented by gas-producing bacteria.

Culled from eatthis.com

 

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