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Worst Foods for Erectile Dysfunction

11 min read
Worst Foods for Erectile Dysfunction

Admittedly, combatting erectile dysfunction is more complicated than simply tweaking your diet, but being sensible about what you eat (as well as getting a healthy amount of exercise and enough sleep) can help improve blood flow and better-functioning cardiovascular health. Given how the reproductive system depends on good cardiovascular health, maintaining a healthy diet is one area we can all focus on to maintain our general and sexual health.

There are foods that can help lower blood pressure and improve your health, and those that will do the opposite. Today, we'll explore the foods that can exacerbate sexual dysfunction—typically those that affect blood sugar and testosterone levels—resulting in weaker erections. We'll also look at the alternatives that could turn a negative into a positive action.

Processed Foods

Examples of processed foods:

  • Breakfast cereals
  • Some bread
  • Potato chips and pretzels
  • Fast food, such as pizza, burgers, fries, and take-out desserts
  • Cakes and biscuits
  • Sweets and chocolates
  • Ice cream and frozen desserts
  • A high percentage of ready meals
  • Packaged meat products, sausages, and deli meats


Processed foods (and, worse still, ultra-processed foods) are generally high in calories, saturated fat, salt, and sugar, increasing the chances of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, and weight gain. All of these issues are known to significantly affect your general health and increase the likelihood of sexual dysfunction.

Apart from the damaging ingredients processed foods contain, they generally lack the nutrients our bodies depend on. While they might be convenient and easy, they're a long way from healthy.

Not all processed foods are bad, however, so it's important to read the nutrition information printed on the label.

How To Replace Processed Foods

We'll talk a lot about moderation when it comes to rectifying an unhealthy diet. Most of the products we discuss won't impact your sexual health or erectile function if you only have a little of them every once in a while. The problem develops when you regularly eat or drink them as part of your day-to-day diet.

 We're not saying you should never have an ice cream or a burger—they're delicious treats that deserve to be enjoyed. What we are saying, though, is that's where they should stay—an occasional treat. Your main diet should be full of the things that are good for your body and mind, and the more you switch out the bad stuff for the good, the more improvements you'll see to your overall health.

Unprocessed foods are everywhere. Buying fresh fruit and vegetables in their original form is the fastest way to cut out all those unhealthy additions.

Yes, your meals might take longer to prepare and cook, but they'll be full of what your body needs and none of what it doesn't. Take a leaf out of those enjoying a Mediterranean diet (made up of plant-based foods full of healthy fats and proteins and a splash of olive oil) or a 'rainbow' diet full of fruits and vegetables of every color.

This cohort study found an inverse association between healthy dietary patterns, such as Mediterranean and AHEI-2010 diets, and risk of developing erectile dysfunction in men. These dietary patterns emphasize the consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and fish or other sources of long-chain (n-3) fats, as well as avoidance of red and processed meats.--- Association of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men

Diagram of the Mediterranean Diet

Fried Foods

Examples of fried foods:

  • French fries
  • Fried chicken
  • Churros
  • Corn dogs
  • Tempura
  • Spring rolls


Frying too many of your meals is only going to exacerbate cholesterol levels, clog up healthy blood vessels, and lead to high blood pressure and the chances of cardiovascular disease—all leading to poor erectile function.

How To Replace Fried Foods

If you're out and about, choose healthy alternatives for your snacks, lunches, and dinners. When you're at home, try grilling, boiling, or barbequing meat and vegetables instead. There are plenty of ways to add flavor to ingredients that don't involve fat, oil, or lashings of salt.

Red and Processed Meat

Examples of red and processed meats:

  • Red meats: beef, veal, pork, lamb, venison
  • Salami
  • Pepperoni
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Pâté
  • Hot dogs
  • Jerky
  • Canned meats


Red meat is defined as animal meat that's red when it's raw. Processed meats are those that have had so much done or added to them that they no longer resemble the meat product they started life as.

Red meat is high in saturated fat, one of the elements known to affect our cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction.

Saturated fat builds up in the blood vessels— known as atherosclerosis—preventing optimal blood flow, often leading to heart attacks and strokes.

Higher scores (corresponding to lower intakes) for most unhealthy components, including red or processed meat and trans fatty acids, were associated with lower risk of incident erectile dysfunction. 

How To Replace Red or Processed Meats

There are plenty of ways to get the protein boost red meat brings to your diet. Chicken and fish are both excellent alternatives. Fatty fish contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are great for increased blood flow—something you want in your penis if you're going to reduce the risk factors of erectile dysfunction. Try grilling salmon or tuna (packed with healthy fats and added health benefits) for a change.

Red meat is another food that you can enjoy in moderation without any severe impact on your sexual health. Enjoying an odd steak or a chili once every now and again is fine. But eating portions of red meat every day? It's not a great idea for your overall health and sex life.

Alcohol

For example:

  • Beers
  • Wines
  • Spirits
  • Cocktails
  • Shots


The results of our meta-analysis indicated that there was a significant association between regular alcohol consumption and erectile dysfunction.

It should be common sense to everyone that excessive alcohol consumption leads to both physiological and mental health problems. Overindulging in alcohol raises blood pressure, disrupts sugar levels, and impacts how your body uses testosterone. It impacts blood vessels and nerves, restricting blood flow and slowing down the transportation of oxygen and blood around our bodies.

Alcohol consumption is constantly linked to erectile dysfunction, blood vessel health, and restricted blood flow.


How To Replace Alcohol

There are countless alternatives to alcoholic drinks, as well as a huge range of non-alcoholic beers and wines becoming increasingly popular in today's health-conscious society.

In moderation, an odd glass of wine or beer isn't likely to impact your sexual function, but alcohol is one of the worst foods for erectile dysfunction (well, drinks, if we're being picky), so it's definitely worth thinking about your drinking habits.

We shouldn't have to remind you, but given that so much of the human body is made of water and that hydration is essential to every part of our function, drinking water should be a priority for anyone combatting erectile dysfunction.


Dairy Products

Examples of dairy products:

  • Cheese
  • Yogurt
  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Cottage cheese
  • Sour cream


Dairy products have so many beneficial nutrients that it's hard to see why they might impact sexual performance and increase the chances of erectile dysfunction. The problem is their fat content.

The key offenders are full-fat dairy products, including butter, creams, and cheese.

Of all recorded flavonoids, flavones appeared to contribute the most to healthy erectile function. Controls reported a greater consumption of vegetables and fruits, a lower intake of dairy and alcoholic beverages, and a less intense smoking habit compared with cases (P < .001). -- Sexual Dysfunction Among Young Men

How To Replace Dairy Products

Again, moderation is key to a balanced diet. Plenty of non-dairy milk alternatives make a healthy replacement for full-fat milk, but reducing to skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is probably enough of an adjustment for most. As far as cream, cheese, and butter go, put them on your occasional treat list and remove them from your daily diet.

Sugary Foods and Drinks

Examples of sugary foods and drinks:

  • Breakfast cereal
  • Granola
  • Cake
  • Pastries
  • Cookies
  • Sweets and desserts
  • Sports drinks
  • Sodas
  • Fruit juices and smoothies


"Too much sugar will rot your teeth and make you fat,"
your parents will likely have drilled into you as children, and they weren't too far from the truth. Once again, in moderation, they're some of our favorite treats—but too much too often leads to more health issues than we think.

Like many of the offending articles on our worst foods list, high blood sugar leads to chronic inflammation, fat storage, and oxidative stress that damage blood vessels and inhibit healthy blood flow. It also increases the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Undiagnosed diabetes is up to 3 times as likely in men with erectile dysfunction (28%) compared to non-diabetic men with normal erections (10%). -- National Library of Medicine – StatPearls

Sugar also causes spikes and crashes in our blood glucose levels, acting as an anti-aphrodisiac at times, bringing on mood dips, brain fog, anxiety, and depression, a list of psychological barriers that affect sensual pleasure. Nobody dealing with erectile dysfunction needs that on top of their existing issues.


How To Replace Sugary Food and Drink

Healthier sweet options, such as natural fruits, especially those high in water content, such as watermelon and pomegranates, are perfect for blitzing into refreshing fruit drinks and healthy smoothies. Try sugar-free jello to keep sweet cravings at bay or a little dark chocolate to satisfy the urge—just don't finish the whole bar in one sitting!

Refined Carbohydrates

Examples of foods high in refined carbohydrates:

  • White flour, white bread, and white rice
  • Sugary drinks
  • Breakfast cereals
  • Pastries, bagels, waffles, and other baked goods
  • Candy, sweets, cakes, and biscuits


Refined carbs—like sugar—can cause those nasty spikes and crashes in blood sugar we just spoke about. As your blood sugar spikes, your body releases insulin to manage it, yet over time, this response can cause insulin resistance, another condition that affects blood flow, cardiovascular disease, and erectile dysfunction.

High caloric intake, high refined-carbohydrates, and high fructose corn syrup content and less satiety are main factors responsible for metabolic disorders contributing to erectile dysfunction development. Regular diet mistakes among human males, such as soft drink consumption, may lead to slow and asymptomatic progression of erectile dysfunction, finally resulting in full claimed manifestation of erectile dysfunction. 

How To Replace Refined Carbohydrates

A good place to start is replacing refined carbs with whole grains when you buy bread, flour, and rice. Whole grains provide plenty of sustained energy while helping to regulate blood sugar levels instead of causing that rollercoaster reaction inside your body.

Licorice Root

Examples of foods that contain licorice root:

  • Licorice-flavored snacks, sweets, and drinks
  • Some Belgian beers
  • Some tobacco
  • Some candy


Not too many people out there are overdosing on licorice root, and it only affects erectile dysfunction when consumed in fairly large quantities. However, as one study showed, "Consuming 7 grams of licorice root daily led to a 26% drop in testosterone levels after just one week."

How To Replace Licorice Root

You don't necessarily need to cut out licorice; just cut back if you're a little bit obsessed. There are plenty of other low-sugar sweet treats.

High in Sodium/Salt

Examples of foods high in salt:

  • Processed foods
  • Snacks
  • Crisps, chips, pretzels, popcorn
  • Some sauces: ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, gravy, pasta sauce, etc.
  • Pizza
  • Pre-packed sandwiches
  • Sausage


Salt (or sodium), while essential to a healthy body, is problematic when you have too much in your diet. We chatted about it earlier, but most pre-packaged and processed foods are overloaded with salt to add flavor and are the big culprits of poor diets that contribute to declining health conditions.

While initial testing on rats showed that "high salt intake directly impaired erectile function," it's common knowledge that most people consume far too much salt in their diets.

In most of the world’s populations, sodium intake greatly exceeds the minimal physiological need. Although small amounts of sodium are necessary for health, too much may cause health problems. 

How To Replace Sodium

Cut down on pre-packed foods and snacks and start cooking healthy foods from their natural form. Anyone with high blood pressure should have already been educated about the risk factors associated with too much salt and how it can impact healthy erections. Cooking healthy meals from natural ingredients will automatically taste better without adding unnecessary salt.

Saturated and Trans Fats

Examples of foods high in saturated fats:

  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Coconut oil
  • Whole milk
  • Processed meats
  • Whipped cream
  • Fried foods


Saturated fats are fats that remain solid at room temperature and are known to decrease testosterone levels.

Trans fats have been linked to heart disease, inflammation, and type 2 diabetes. It's also thought to decrease testosterone levels, so avoiding it where you can help your plan to eat your way to better erectile function.

One study showed that men who ate large quantities of trans fats had lower testosterone levels than those with low consumption. They also showed a 37% lower sperm count and a decrease in testicular volume.

How To Replace Saturated Fats

Wherever possible, replace saturated fats with healthier alternatives—unrefined and extra virgin olive oil, for example.

How to Make Diet Changes Stick

What Science Says About Making New Habits

Despite the popular myth that new habits take a mere three weeks to change our brain science, according to the British Journal of General Practice, while exploring diet and lifestyle changes, it's nearer ten.

It will get easier with time, and within 10 weeks you should find you are doing it automatically without even having to think about it. -- Making Health Habitual

The researchers suggested that making small changes would be most effective, and most volunteers admitted that 'eventually' those changes became second nature.

1. Start Small

You've got goals, but remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. As the study mentioned above suggests, you stand a better chance of making them stick if you implement small changes until they become a habit before adding more. Trying to do too much too soon is often too much change in one go for most of us.

2. Plan and Prepare Meals

Eating what you feel like at the time can make you vulnerable to breaking good habits by comfort eating and 'treating' yourself. Pre-planning meals and snacks and sticking to a well-formatted diet take a lot of those impulsive choices off the table—literally.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Going all in on day one with a hundred new changes will only set you up to fail, and worse still, damage your ego, mentality, and make you feel like change is impossible. Setting realistic goals will help you achieve the bigger ones a little at a time, helping you celebrate the small wins and boosting your confidence.

4. Find Alternatives

We've suggested a few alternatives to the worst foods for erectile dysfunction, and there are masses of dietary and healthy recipe suggestions available at the click of a button. Explore your worst offenders and what you can eat or drink instead and add them to your new habit-forming process.

5. Stay Consistent and Patient

You won't see any major changes overnight, so be patient. Consistency and time are the key elements to increasing your overall health to treat erectile dysfunction. If you do slip up, don't punish yourself; accept that it happened and that one slip won't impact the bigger picture, and get back to your winning ways. You could even use that slip to become more determined.

How to Find the Right Performance Enhancement Tool for You

Summary

A poor diet can impair blood flow and heart health, which, in turn, can impact erectile health. Eating healthier (while introducing a few supporting lifestyle factors) has proven to increase male sexual health and support healthy erections.

For those who'd like to eat their way to a better sex life, we hope that our list of the worst food types will encourage you to change your diet and eat more healthily, boosting the penile blood flow responsible for stronger erections.

 

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