Are Walnuts & Coffee Sexual Health Superfoods?

Recently published studies suggest they just might be!

Did you know that snacking on walnuts with that cup of java may boost your sex life?

The team here at L2L is always looking to provide the latest and greatest insights when it comes to nutrition science and sexual health.

Today, our attention is drawn to a couple of recent studies looking specifically at the heart health benefits of coffee and walnuts.

This pair of scientific studies, which drew the attention of the tv program, Good Morning America, open up a relevant point of discussion because good heart health is generally associated with good sexual health due to the role a healthy heart plays in pumping blood throughout the body.

So, what makes walnuts and coffee so good for your heart and what role might they play in improving sexual health and performance?

Let’s find out.

Coffee, Walnuts & Men’s Sexual Health

Before we get to the sexual health side of things, let’s look briefly at the studies in question and what they tell us about heart health.

The European Society Of Cardiology study on coffee intake found that those who consumed between half a cup to three cups of coffee per day had healthier heart function.

This effect may be due to the very high antioxidant content of coffee, which is among the highest among all foods and beverages.

People think of coffee as just caffeine, but it really is more than that — especially from the sexual health perspective, where a 2015 study from the PLoS One journal found that coffee intake around this same level of consumption may actually reduce a man’s risk of erectile dysfunction.

So now onto the walnuts!

The American Heart Association’s Circulation journal just published a study showing that about a handful of walnuts (40 grams) daily reduces “bad” cholesterol levels.

This is an important finding for a few reasons.

First of all, high cholesterol is one of the top three reasons why men are prescribed medication and also one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction.

Second, walnuts are very unique because they are one of very few foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Why does this matter for sexual health?

Well, a 2020 study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) found that increased omega-3 intake led to interesting changes in men, including increased testosterone and total sperm count.

In fact, a 2011 paper out of the International Journal of Impotence Research described omega-3s as “critical for men with ED (erectile dysfunction)” due to their unique anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

To top it all off, a 2019 study out of the Nutrients journal found that eating around 60 grams of nuts per day (one and a half handfuls, let’s say) may improve sexual desire and orgasmic function. Certainly, some food (and drink!) for thought for those of you looking to nutrition to improve your sexual heath and performance.