If you want to make the most of your next sexual encounter, you should watch what you eat in the lead-up.

There’s a range of foods that will increase your blood glucose level, leading to fatigue and a lower sex drive.

Here’s what the good and the bad:

Bad – Hot dogs

It looks suggestive, but throwing back a wiener will not guarantee a good time.

The high saturated fat content clogs the penile and vaginal arteries, which is obviously sub-optimal when it comes to pleasure.

Not to mention, they’re generally made of low-grade meat, and lead to high rates of inflammation which can send your hormones out of whack.

Bad – Hot chips

Why is something so good just so bad for us?

If you’re planning to get down, you’d best dodge the chippies today. As with hot dogs, the trans-fats are shocking for testosterone and circulation.

And the high salt content can make it trickier for men with high blood pressure to stay erect.

And for healthy people, the salt content can cause bloating – the least sexy thing your body can do besides farting.

Go for a baked tater instead. Your body will thank you for the feel-good chemical dopamine.

Bad – Vending machine snacks

You might be fanging for a Snickers, but the spike in your blood sugar will subside and then you’ll be hungrier than ever.

For a snack, opt for raw nuts or raw veggies.

Bad – Mint

Fresh breath is a must-have for sex, but getting yourself into mint condition could hurt your performance in the sack.

The menthol in peppermint has been shown to reduce testosterone, which sends your sex drive crashing.

And chewing gum is no better. The mastication brings air into your system, making you burp. Not hot.

Good – Bananas

It’s the vitamin B in bananas that boosts your sexual performance. It increases your energy production and reduces stress.

There’s a bunch of other good stuff in every banana, like tryptophan (an amino acid that helps produce our feel-good hormone, serotonin), potassium (used to produce sex hormones), and bromelain (an enzyme that improves blood flow and increases libido).

Good – Pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Men, these will boost our zinc levels, which are crucial for improving sperm health and testosterone levels.

They’re also full of health fats, vital for sexual health.

Good – Celery

Is your diary a little empty? Bring celery back to your diet, gents.

Eating celery can increase the pheromone androsterone, which is a natural aphrodisiac found in men’s sweat.

Also, it can help dilate blood vessels, which increases sex drive and enhances climax.

Got any good pre-shag food tips? Let us know below!

Source: news.com.au

Are Oysters Really an Aphrodisiac?
In the case of oysters, probably the classic among the alleged aphrodisiacs, chemical analysis shows that it consists of water, protein and carbohydrates, plus small amounts of fat, sugar and minerals. None of these components is in any way known to affect sex drive or performance. The psychological impact of believing that oysters, raw bull’s testicles (“prairie oysters”, as they are called), clams, celery, or tomatoes are aphrodisiacs is sometimes strong enough to produce, at least temporarily, greater sexual desire or performance. The experience of enhanced arousal or performance is then falsely attributed to the wonder food, and this discovery is passed on to the next person wishing to experience new heights of sexual experience. Eating certain foods to increase sexual power, while ineffective, is generally harmless. Other supposed aphrodisiacs, however, are not so innocuous. Spanish fly (cantharides) is one such substance. It is made from a beetle found in southern Europe. The insects are dried and heated until they disintegrate into a fine powder. When taken internally, the substance causes irritation of the bladder and urethra, accompanied by a swelling of associated blood vessels, all of which produce a certain stimulation of the genitals that is interpreted by some men as a sign of lust. The drug can cause an erection, but usually without an increase in sexual desire. Furthermore, if taken in excessive amounts, it can cause violent illness and even death.

Alcohol and Sex
Alcohol is another substance that most people believe increases their sexual responsiveness. This is partly because alcohol has a disinhibiting effect—it lowers the sexual inhibitions a person may ordinarily have, thus allowing sexual desire to emerge. Alcohol’s reputation as an aphrodisiac also stems from advertising and cultural myths. Television, radio and print ads often pair exciting sexual undertones with the brand of alcohol being advertised, suggesting to consumers that alcohol will help them create such sexually charged moments. Cultural myths, often propagated among high school and college-aged drinkers, suggest that alcohol will ease the way for sexual encounters to occur. Furthermore, the myths promise that, once underway, sexual experiences will exceed normal performance levels, thanks to the presence of alcohol. The fact is that alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant, physically inhibiting the sexual response, including the capacity for erection and orgasm.

Sex and Drugs
A number of illicit drugs, including LSD, heroin and morphine, cocaine and amphetamines, and marijuana have been claimed to increase sexual responsiveness and enhance the sexual experience. Like alcohol, these drugs break down inhibitions and act as sexual facilitators in a social sense, but these drugs are addictive and ultimately have the opposite effect on sexuality, and cause an array of other very serious problems. A drug that is commonly believed not so much to increase the sex drive as to intensify or prolong the sensation of orgasm is amyl nitrate (snappers or poppers). Some people report that inhaling the drug at the instant of orgasm enhances the pleasure of the experience. This is particularly popular among homosexual men. Valid scientific data of its effectiveness as an aphrodisiac are lacking, and its side effects (dizziness, headaches, fainting) are known to be dangerous.

Sex and Herbs
Yohimbine is a substance derived from the bark of the African yohimbe tree that has been reputed to have sexually stimulating properties for men. Studies of yohimbine have found that it has a tendency to enhance erectile functioning relative to placebo in men with erectile difficulties. There have not been consistent reports of yohimbine enhancing sexual desire or arousal. It is more likely to be used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction than as a true aphrodisiac. Though not generally considered an aphrodisiac, testosterone supplements do affect sexual drive and can be used effectively in some cases of inhibited desire when endogenous levels of testosterone are extremely low. There are, however, negative side effects (especially for women), and such supplements should only be used under a doctor’s supervision. Certainly, it seems reasonable to speculate that various chemicals and other substances might influence the centers of the brain that control sexual response. To date, however, about the only effects that drugs appear to have on sexual behavior are inhibitory rather than enhancing, and most foods believed to be aphrodisiacs have no physical effect at all. It would appear that most claims about aphrodisiacs are based on myth rather than scientific evidence, making their continued use more a statement about the desperate search for remedies than a tribute to their effectiveness.