Last updated on January 25, 2020
Potatoes, Oranges and Bananas: Guilty Pleasures?
Carbs should not be thought of as a guilty pleasure, though loads of diets advise restricting them. Nutritionally, they have a lot to offer. Let us focus on one very important nutrient for great sex, potassium*. Potassium is essential for sexual function, because of its role in vascular health. Good sources are generally high in carbs.
When you get more potassium from food, sex is better. Not getting enough potassium leads to vascular calcifications, which are mineral deposits on the walls of your blood vessels, which may stick to fatty plaque that is already present on the blood vessels. As you might imagine, this is not good for bringing blood to the clitoris and penis. Higher potassium intake reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, and will immediately start to improve the health of your blood vessels.
Potassium and Arteries of the Clitoris and Penis:
Increasing potassium intake can help to counteract calcification of blood vessels, make them become more pliable, and reduce blood pressure . Potassium softens the vascular endothelium (the very important inner lining of blood vessels) and increases NO release shortly after consumption. And, as we’ve already talked about, nitric oxide means more blood flow to the genitals and better sex.
Poor potassium intake is bad for blood vessels in the short-term and in the long term. Potassium and sodium are very much linked. Apparently 98% of Americans do not get enough potassium in the diet, and 99.4% consume more salt than is recommended. In fact, over 90% of us consume more sodium than is even considered tolerable for human consumption. A single salty meal can impair arterial function within 30 minutes of eating it and reduce nitric oxide release.
Potassium and Sodium:
Some say it doesn’t matter how much salt is in the diet, because our kidneys flush out all of the excess anyways. This isn’t entirely true. While it is true that the body maintains very precise levels of potassium and sodium, this comes at a price. First, in order to get rid of all that excess sodium, the kidneys also have to excrete potassium along with it. Secondly, this excess sodium causes high blood pressure and damages blood vessels.
Apparently humans used to consume about 10 times as much potassium as sodium in our diets, and now it is just the opposite. We take in about 10 times more sodium than potassium. This wreaks havoc on our blood vessels, which makes for less-fulfilling sex for males and females. High sodium intake combined with poor potassium diets make for a much greater workload for the kidneys, because they then have to conserve potassium through reabsorption, which requires a great deal of energy.
Its hard to get enough daily potassium if you’re not eating a lot of plants. Everyone knows that bananas are a good source of potassium, but most don’t realize that potatoes, yams and squash are an even better source.
Great Sources of Potassium:
- Potato
- Yam
- Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Figs
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Oranges
- Pomegranates
- Artichoke
- Avocado
- Leafy greens
- Broccoli
- Pumpkin.
One study measured the effect on blood vessels of increasing potassium by eating one baked potato and two bananas every day. The participants had measurably improved function of blood vessels. While potatoes are considered a guilty pleasure in the low-carb dietary movement, they are an important part of the diet. We’re not talking about french fries and greasy loaded baked potatoes though. When prepared simply, and as part of a low-fat diet, potatoes and yams are one of the best sources of potassium, and other important nutrients. A potassium-rich meal is a good choice for 2 hours pre-sex. Studies showed that there was an immediate improvement in vascular endothelial function with just one high-potassium meal.
The best sources of potassium are also high carb. What this means is that those on a low carb diet may be inadvertently sabotaging their potassium levels and therefore, their vascular health. In fact, low carbohydrate diets are associated with lower life expectancy. Moreover, while weight loss tends to be rapid on low carb, people tend to gain the weight back plus more. So, when considering what to eat for great sex, don’t skip your potatoes, yams, squash, oranges and bananas. These are, in fact, a not-so guilty pleasure!
*Certain groups of people, such as those with kidney disease, may have to limit potassium intake, and should consult their doctor on appropriate intake.
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