We’ve all see the recent craze of veganism hitting the world by storm. The latest graphic videos and documentaries praising its values and environmental impact have us wondering if there is a direct link to veganism and improved sexuality. Exercise can definitely influence and reinforce pelvic and other muscles that are important to keeping an active sex life. But how can changing your diet really influence your sex life? Here are a few things to consider if you are contemplating using veganism as a tool to improve your stamina, libido, and maybe even enhance your sexual performance.
Confidence Boost
Usually, when we take on ‘healthier’ diets, our bodies tend to respond in positive ways. Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, which are high in vitamin C and fiber, and reducing the amount of animal product you consume can benefit you from helping generate glowy, smooth silky skin to reducing uncomfortable bloating. The consuming of vitamin C rich foods is essential to boost collagen and elasticity, both good for skin, whether it is on your face or on your bits. When your diet includes high amounts of animal products, you are ingesting products higher in calories and fats, which can contribute to acne breakouts, bloating, increased fat deposits, and even inflammation. It can make your skin lose collagen and elasticity. This can negatively affect your confidence in your physical appearance as well as cause more discomfort during sex because of the reduced elasticity in the skin. In addition to reducing these effects, which can affect arousal, modifying your diet to more plant-based options can even change a woman’s vaginal odor and overall vaginal health. Odor being a concern for many women during sexual interactions, this can help reduce this preoccupation, letting the woman be more present in the moment and cause less stress for unplanned sexual encounters.
Sexual Enhancement at a Chemical Level
Can changing your diet really affect your sexuality down to a chemical level? Studies show that yes indeed, this is in fact truthful. We all know the age-old tale that consuming pineapple can alter the taste of semen and a woman’s arousal fluid. It does that by counteracting the salty taste with its acidic properties! Reducing your animal product intake can affect the taste of your bodily fluids as well as make you have a fresher body odor. This can positively influence your attraction or your partner’s attraction to you, making you physically taste more appetizing. A study published in the journal Chemical Senses in 2006 found that the body odor of non-meat eating individuals was perceived as more attractive and less harsh than their meat-eating counterparts (Havlicek & Lenochova, 2006). The consumption of red meat in moderate to high quantities can have a negative impact on body odor in general, not only in the sexual aspects.
At a chemical and biological level, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables can increase a woman’s natural ability for lubrication because of their high water content. Women suffering from vaginal dryness can nourish themselves with foods high in omega 3 such as pumpkin, sunflower & flax seeds to alleviate and decrease the discomforts. Many non-animal foods have large amounts of zinc and vitamin B such as pine nuts, avocado, almonds, asparagus, celery, chickpeas, and bananas. Research has found that foods high in zinc and vitamin B are said to raise testosterone levels and increase sexual desire. These foods can cause a chemical reaction in the body that can increase libido for both sexes, with no medication needed!
Health & Happiness
Science suggests that following a high cholesterol and saturated fat diet, which some meat eaters have, can negatively affect individuals blood circulation, hence influencing sexual functioning. A decrease in blood flow for men will directly affect the quality and quantity of their erections. This reduced blood flow to the penis or vagina can affect a person’s ability to become aroused and have satisfying sexual encounters. By consuming animal products, you are also introducing more synthetic hormones into your bloodstream; these intakes of hormones can negatively affect a man’s sperm count. Starting an educated and researched vegan diet can also help with weight loss, which is good for you in so many aspects, reducing high blood pressure, increasing fat loss, and even reducing the need for certain medications that can diminish one’s sex drive. All this can increase your serotonin levels, a chemical that is a natural mood stabilizer that helps with sleeping, eating, digesting, as well as reduces depression and anxiety. Implementing more fruits and vegetables into your diet will boost your energy levels, and give you more drive and enthusiasm to get it on!
Now we can’t guarantee you that a vegan diet will make you a completely new person in the bedroom, transforming you into the Don Juan or the porn star you’ve always wanted to be. But if you are trying to improve your sex life through diet, it might be better to focus on introducing larger quantities of healthy, vitamin-rich vegetables, fruits, and healthier fats into your daily eats. Start by making dietary decisions that coincide with your values, and think about the positive that eliminating unhealthy, high fat foods will do to you and your body. Sexuality and self-confidence go well together, so start by thinking about your own body, what makes YOU feel good—whether or not that means adhering to a vegan diet or just making healthier choices overall.