What to Eat Before Sex to Last Longer

Between sleepy food comas after a big meal and the regret-inducing bloat of the occasional overindulgence, most of us don’t associate the sensation of a full stomach with sexual arousal or stamina. But some foods, eaten in moderation, may have sexual benefits (hello, aphrodisiac foods).

When it comes to what to eat before sex to last longer, foods like dark chocolate, fatty fish, and avocados may indirectly improve erectile function, increase sexual stamina, and enhance arousal by encouraging healthy blood flow. While more research is needed to prove a direct connection between specific foods and longer sex, a healthy diet is an important component of your sexual health, and the 12 foods below may be useful additions.

Below, we’ll cover what you can expect from sex-improving foods, the 12 foods that offer the most promise in helping you last longer in bed, and what else you can do to support your sexual health. (Hint: You have to do more than chow down).

As much as we’d like to tell you that hitting the right Trader Joe’s aisle will add four minutes to your intimate activities, the relationship between food and stamina is far less direct than you might hope.

Eating a dozen bananas a day or munching on raw garlic during snack time won’t double your stamina — in fact, the garlic might prevent you from having much sex at all unless you have a very strong toothpaste.

Foods are not an approved treatment for premature ejaculation (PE), either. Although a few have been explored for PE benefits, you’re better off addressing early arrival through another proven treatment option, like certain prescription medications or techniques like edging.

As for erectile dysfunction (ED) — which may be cutting down on your stamina in other ways — there’s a higher-level connection between ED and diet, as well as weight and lifestyle. While specific foods don’t act as effectively as medications for ED, like Viagra or Cialis, shifting an unhealthy diet away from certain fats, high-cholesterol foods, and sugar has been shown to improve erectile function.

For the guy who’s seen his health decline a bit with age, a few dietary changes might have a positive effect, sexually and otherwise.

Healthy food brings other potential benefits to the table, too, like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and key nutrients for erectile function and anti-inflammation. It’s a whole-body blueprint that’ll inevitably help you build the perfect sex life. Think of healthy foods as necessary electrical lines that give you energy and nutrients.

Someday in the future, any number of foods (including those below) might lead researchers to a magic pill. But for now, you can consider foods part of an overall erectile health plan, alongside sleep and exercise.

Your diet is an essential part of your health, from your ability to breathe and pump blood through your body to your penis’s ability to use that blood to form an erection. So, think of the health benefits of food as a positive trickle-down effect on your sex life.

According to research, some of the best foods to help you last longer in bed include:

1. Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, which are well-known for their role in various bodily functions.

Potassium helps regulate heart, nerve, and muscle contraction — all of which are necessary for your penis to get hard, stay hard, and reach orgasm. Magnesium also supports muscle and nerve function and may lower your risk of high blood pressure.

Maintaining healthy blood pressure levels is important for overall cardiovascular health and potentially sexual stamina as well.

2. Beets

A substantial amount of research has suggested that beets (and the nitrates they contain) can lower blood pressure and should be part of a healthy diet for people with hypertension.

There’s no research about their sexual benefits specifically, but because nitrates convert to the nitric oxide needed for blood vessel dilation, there may be a link between the nutrients in beets and better erectile function.

3. Garlic

We know garlic isn’t the best-smelling ingredient for your romantic life. But because it contains compounds like allicin that promote blood vessel dilation and increase nitric oxide production, it’s a potential superfood for your penis’s blood flow. Improved blood circulation may indirectly support sexual stamina and help you last longer in bed.

4. Fatty Fish

Switching a steak out for salmon might point your dessert plans in the right direction. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna are incredibly beneficial for heart health and (potentially) sexual performance because they’re high in omega-3 fatty acids and contain zinc, which can encourage healthy blood flow.

5. Oysters

Oysters are known to be an aphrodisiac food, and there’s actually some science behind why. First, they’re a rich source of zinc, which (in addition to the benefits we’ve already mentioned) is important for testosterone production — an essential ingredient of sexual desire and men’s health overall.

It should be noted, though, that dietary zinc may not raise your testosterone levels unless you have an existing deficiency.

6. Blueberries

Do blueberries have benefits sexually? There’s some evidence that the answer is yes. These antioxidant-rich berries are high in flavonoids, which have been associated with lower ED rates. Between that and the fruit’s other nutritional benefits, it makes sense to pack your breakfast or any other snacking opportunities with as many of these little guys as possible.

Not a fan of blueberries? Learn about the sexual benefits of mangos.

7. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate may not be as sweet as its milky cousin, but it contains flavonoids as well as l-arginine, which may improve vasodilation and blood flow.

Improved blood circulation may positively affect sexual function if you consider that erections are all about blood flowing to the genitals. While more research is needed on the link between chocolate and erectile function, the evidence is promising so far.

Fun fact: If you dip strawberries in chocolate, you’ll receive added benefits from vitamin C, which some experts believe improves sex drive.

8. Avocados

While we can’t draw a direct line between avocado toast and better sex, there’s reason to believe there’s a connection. Avocados contain healthy fats and vitamin E, both of which can promote cardiovascular health and improve blood flow.

Eating avocados has also been associated with better metabolic function, meaning people who eat them are often less likely to have obesity (a risk factor for ED).

9. Nuts

A bag of snack mix might offer a few sexual benefits if you’re willing to pick through for the good stuff. Specifically, nuts and seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, both of which contribute to cardiovascular health while helping you maintain proper blood flow — potentially supporting sexual performance.

10. Honey

The science behind honey’s anecdotal aphrodisiac properties is limited. However, its natural sugars for energy may contribute to a general sense of well-being, and some studies have linked honey to a protective role in cardiovascular and reproductive health.

So yes, reach for honey instead of sugar when you can, but don’t go full bear on the local hive — the stings will be the only thing that instantly swells.

11. Watermelon

Watermelon is rich in an amino acid called citrulline, which is converted to l-arginine in the body. This conversion helps relax blood vessels and may improve blood flow. Watermelon also contains lycopene, which may have anti-cancer and anti-obesity benefits, according to one 2014 study.

12. Pomegranate

There’s no direct link between pomegranate and PE, but pomegranate juice may have antioxidant and cardiovascular benefits associated with better erectile function. Some studies indicate it may improve erectile function and blood flow, though more research is needed.

When it comes to what to eat before sex to last longer, it’s clear that some foods show promise. Still, it’s crucial to recognize that sexual stamina is a complex issue influenced by various physical, psychological, and interpersonal factors.

Don’t look at the above list of foods as the recipe for an erectile witch’s brew. Instead, consider incorporating more of them into your diet regularly. Even if the “erectile potential” of each food isn’t supported by future research, they’re still great for your overall health.