A diet that promotes optimal heart health is also one that supports robust erectile function. What and how much you eat really can play a key role in the quality of your sexual performance.
One of the most critical lifestyle choices that men face is deciding what foods will make up their basic diet. And the decisions they make will play a key role in determining the future direction of not just their erectile function but their overall health as well.
Most people today recognize that certain foods, particularly those high in unhealthy fats, highly refined sugars and grains, and sodium, take a toll on your heart health. And as has been observed by many an astute physician, what’s good for your heart is good for your penis. And vice versa.
While a fast food binge once in a great while is probably unavoidable, your day-to-day diet should consist of foods high in nutrients that support both cardiac function and erectile function.
A Framework for Healthy Eating
An excellent outline for a healthy and nutritious eating plan comes from the American Heart Association, which recommends that your regular diet include:
- a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh whenever possible
- whole grains
- skinless poultry and fish, neither of which should be fried
- low-fat dairy products
- legumes and nuts
- nontropical vegetable oils, like canola, corn, and olive
The AHA also recommends that your diet minimize the consumption of both saturated and trans fats, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium, and red meat. If you do choose to include red meat in your diet on occasion, shop carefully to buy the leanest cuts available.
While it’s hard to go wrong with a diet that follows the AHA’s basic recommendations, it’s also important to remember that portion control is also part of a healthy diet. Unlimited amounts of even these healthy foods can be detrimental to your health. Consult your doctor or online references to find out the ideal daily caloric intake for a person of your height and build. Map out your daily eating plan to stay within those guidelines.
Some Other Dos and Don’ts
MayoClinic.org offers some helpful and commonsense suggestions on portion control. Generally speaking, a healthy diet should include plenty of foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients. This would include most — but not all — fruits and vegetables.
When it comes to foods that are higher in calories and sodium content, limit your portions. For example, a healthy serving of pasta should be no more than half a cup, roughly the same size as a hockey puck. A healthy serving of fish, meat, or poultry should be limited to two or three ounces, or about the same size and thickness as a deck of playing cards.
Limit Your Sodium Intake
To the greatest extent possible, limit processed foods, which tend to contain dangerously high levels of sodium. MayoClinic suggests that you avoid or limit your use of table salt; condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and soy sauce; canned soups and prepared foods; restaurant meals; and tomato juice.
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