POPSUGAR UK

7 Foods and Drinks That Can Kill Your Sex Drive and Totally Ruin the Mood

19/03/2018 - 09:15 PM

On date nights, many of us look forward to a delicious meal with our partner followed by sex that is (hopefully) mind-blowing. Our relationships with one another can hit speed bumps, and it turns out that food and sex [1] should definitely set their Facebook relationship status to "It's Complicated."

Just like certain foods can boost your sex drive [2], others can lower your libido, make it more difficult to orgasm [3], and leave you clamoring to hit the hay for some shut-eye rather than the aforementioned mind-blowing sex. If you're planning a romantic night in with your partner, these are the foods and drinks you'll want to avoid.

Alcohol

"This seems counterintuitive because it can also fool our brains into thinking we're confident and carefree, but alcohol is a depressant and slows down the function of your central nervous system," certified sex educator Anne Hodder [4] told POPSUGAR.

In addition to the fact that alcohol kills the mood in the bedroom, our bodies also have to process all the sugar that's present in alcoholic beverages. As if it isn't enough of a bummer when our sexy-time plans go awry, alcohol often leaves us feeling sluggish and depressed the next day. What a miserable double whammy.

Microwave Popcorn

If you're planning to Netflix and chill, don't include microwave popcorn in your assortment of delicious snacks.

"The chemicals used in the linings of popcorn bags have been linked to a lower sex drive," Frida Harju-Westman, in-house nutritionist at health app Lifesum [5] told POPSUGAR. "Popcorn bags contain perfluoroalkyl acids, which lower sperm counts in men and decrease the libido in women."

Fried Foods

We all know that greasy, fried foods aren't exactly the healthiest additions to our diets — but everything is fine in moderation. However, we'd suggest saving those delicious fries for a day when you're not planning on having sex with your partner.

Hodder explained that because salty foods cause fluid retention and bloating, it's common to experience levels of discomfort after consuming them. Needless to say, this can seriously inhibit your desire for sex.

"[Fried foods] also can cause fatigue and dehydration," Hodder told POPSUGAR. This all sounds like quite a recipe for disaster in the bedroom.

Cheese

"Although cheese is absolutely delicious, it can wreak havoc with your hormones for both men and women," Harju-Westman told POPSUGAR.

Because it affects both testosterone and estrogen, cheese lowers the libido — so save that cheese platter for a night in with friends.

Soda

Soda, and any food or drink that's high in refined sugar, is a quick way to kill your sex drive.

"Refined sugar has been associated with increased levels of anxiety and depression, which are two fast libido-killers," Hodder said. "Elevated glucose levels can bog down your brain's functionality, which negatively affects your mood, among other things."

Other foods and drinks that are high in refined sugar include candy bars, juice, and sweet breakfast cereals.

Corn Flakes

Out of all the items on this list, this beloved cereal arguably has the most interesting reason for being a libido-killer.

"John Harvey Kellogg, the creator of the flakes was a huge believer in abstinence and spent a considerable amount of time coming up with foods that would blunt sexual urges," Harju-Westman told POPSUGAR.

If you'd like to rebel against Kellogg and his apparent desire to deprive us of satisfying sex lives, Harju-Westman suggests spicing up your cereal with a natural aphrodisiac such as cinnamon or honey.

Beans and Legumes

Although beans and legumes are generally a healthy addition to your diet, they're not exactly conducive to a satisfying night of sex. Hodder explained that they're loaded with oligosaccharides (carbohydrates that are difficult to digest) and they create gas in the large intestine.

"Gassy bellies can be physically uncomfortable to the point of pain, and it can be tough to feel super-sexy and in the mood when you're body's filled with air — especially for those of us who haven't yet felt comfortable enough to fart in front of our partners," Hodder said.

Copy that.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/Foods-Decrease-Libido-44678712