Food
performs various functions in the body, the most basic of which is
keeping us healthy to be able to meet other obligations, including
sexual obligations, especially for men.
Nutritionists
say food can boost or bust a man’s libido, depending on what he
ingests. Indeed, researchers say it’s impossible to build manly vigour
on a diet of denatured foods like processed meats and other junk foods
that fill the space these days.
Experts
warn that to boost manly strength behind closed doors, men need foods
that are well supplied with the elements that give strength and stamina.
Nutritionist
and weight loss expert, Dr. Oluwakemi Oluwa, says all foods that are
best for building health, pure blood and vitality are also best for
virility building, most especially when eaten in their natural form.
Indeed, she nails foods that have undergone “processing, refining or
improper cooking,” such as refined flour, refined sugar, and polished
rice, among others. These foods, she contends, are only filled with pure
starch or other carbohydrate, literally starving the nerves, bones and
blood vessels of the elements which they need most.
In
terms of warning, researchers recommend this diet for the impotent and
sexually debilitated men, especially those over 40 years of age. Young
men in their prime who scientists consider already sexually
overstimulated are advised to use less of eggs and meats — especially
red meat, because of its stimulating character.
They
also advise that, where possible, a breakfast could consist of mainly
fruits and vegetables, with two small portions of solid foods to round
off the day.
This being the case, what foods do we have within reach which can give men the sort of strength they always dream of?
Nutritionists
recommend full diet for this category of men, with a fairly liberal
allowance of meat, eggs and other proteid (protein-rich) foods. Poultry,
fish and sea food are said to be of little help here, though their
dietary value cannot be contemned. More important, they also advocate a
diet rich in fruits and vegetables eaten “as is.”
Top
on the list is watermelon. Currently in season and sometimes throughout
the year, this fruit is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and
sodium. It is also considered as a good source of potassium, and a very
good source of vitamins A and C. Its crowning glory, however, is
citrulline, an amino acid that stimulates nitric-oxide production and
increases blood flow to the male organ, strengthening erections.
For
those with sweet tooth, it seems to pay off here. Researchers at the
University of California say the flavonoids usually found in dark
chocolates improved blood-vessel dilation by more than 10 per cent among
men that ate it. The result is an improved blood flow to the nether
region, with the attendant boost as needed.
Other
sources of flavonoids are green and black tea, apples, apricots,
blueberries, pears, strawberries, cabbage, onions and tomatoes.
It’s
not just the phallus shape of bananas that make them a fruit of
interest. Their libido-boosting values are also of great importance.
Said to be high in potassium, nutritionists say this lush fruit relaxes
blood-vessel walls, allowing for better blood flow throughout the body.
Indeed, a study published in the journal, Hypertension, claims “it offsets a high-sodium diet, keeping the blood pressure in check.
Though
smelly, the influence that garlic has on men’s sexual well-being
overrides its obnoxious smell. This is because this vegetable boosts
blood flow to the penis by increasing nitric-oxide production and
relaxing the blood vessels.
Walnut
is another rich fruit that scientists say boost the libido. In separate
researches, the European Food Safety Authority, and researchers at the
University of Malaya in Malaysia say L-Arginine, an amino acid
found abundantly in the fruit, is one of the building blocks of nitric
oxide. As such, they say, a diet that includes these nuts with the
rock-hard shell makes for consistent, rock-hard erections.
Ginger
is spicy and can be used as food seasoning, meat tenderiser or taken in
juice form. Whichever way you like it, a study published in the International Journal of Cardiology claims
that ginger rids the blood vessels of free radicals and decreases
inflammation, thus relaxing the arteries and improving blood flow. The
researchers say just about one teaspoon of ginger (in powder form) a few
times a week is all you need to reap its cardiovascular rewards.
Better
still, a Nigerian scientist at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Yinusa
Raji, reportedly fed rats ginger extract for eight days. At the end of
the experiment, he found that their testosterone levels had increased,
while their testes had gained weight. The jury is still out on these
findings, though.
Nutmeg
is also a seasoning agent and it is available in powder or block form —
all in its natural state. In a study of natural aphrodisiacs published
in the journal, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
researchers say nutmeg increases libido and erectile performance, what
with its myristic acid, which they say stimulates the production of
nitric oxide, “the key to a healthy erection.”
Olive oil is not only good for anointing, as a study published in the journal, Lipids,
seems to suggest. The researchers claim that the revered oil helps
increase testosterone production. And when the testosterone level
increases, we know better.
So,
as the world marks the 15th ‘birthday’ of Viagra, with its
controversial side effects, the uplifting — literally — derivable from
the aforementioned foods can be indulged in, with no fear of untoward
side effects except, possibly, that of a quick visit to the labour room
by Oga Madam nine months after.
Punch Nigeria
Coffee
culture in America, in the post-World War II era, began with the dark
stuff. The "water dressed down in brown," as singer Ani DiFranco once
put it -- the nitty, gritty, put-the-hair-on-your-chest stuff that would
hardly pass for a decent cup of coffee today. And forget the billions
of combinations of milks, beans, and flavors you'll find today; back
then, it was coffee, black, and no questions asked (Photo Credit: Nathan Cyphert).
