What you eat plays a key role in your overall health. And a diet that supports good overall health, particularly heart health, is almost always one that helps to protect normal erectile function. Eat a diet high in unhealthy fats (yes, there are healthy ones) and empty calories, and the tiny blood vessels that supply your penis may begin to clog, causing a gradual decline in erectile function. If you would rather eat a diet designed to support erectile function, here are three foods that studies show will go a long way toward meeting that goal.
- Berries and citrus fruit contain high levels of flavonoids (plant-based nutrients) that help to support vascular health. A study published in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” found that three specific flavonoids — anthocyanins, flavanones, and flavones — were particularly helpful in preventing erectile dysfunction. Anthocyanins are most abundant in blackberries, blueberries, and cherries and give those fruits their distinctive colors. Citrus fruit contains high levels of both flavanones and flavones. Researchers noted an association between a high intake of these fruits and a lower incidence of ED.
- Chili peppers get their heat from a phytochemical known as capsaicin, and meals prepared with hefty servings of capsaicin-rich peppers are not just spicy but also supportive of strong blood flow, a key requisite for healthy erectile function.
- Pistachios are a popular snack food that appears to improve erectile function in men with ED. A Turkish study, published in the “International Journal of Impotence Research,” found that ED patients who ate a diet rich in pistachio nuts for three weeks significantly improved their scores on the International Index of Erectile Function. On top of that, their lipid profiles improved while on the nut diet.
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