While there are plenty of factors affecting a couple’s sex drive, including relationship issues, stress and biological factors, diet too can have a direct effect on sex hormones.
According to a nutritionist, one can boost their libido by choosing the right food for breakfast and ensuring that what they eat early in the morning is packed with Vitamin D.
According to studies, lack of vitamin D lowers oestrogen levels in women and testosterone in men.
Speaking about it, Rob Hobson, head of London-based Healthspan Nutrition, recommends eating mushrooms, fortified breakfast cereals, mackerel and eggs for breakfast to help boost vitamin D levels.
He says that diet is one of the most important factors in getting nutrients and very few food contains adequate amount of vitamin D. He goes on to add that the main source is oily fish and a little can be found naturally in eggs and mushrooms.
Vitamin D is also found in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and margarine spreads, he adds.
Here are food which help increase sex drive in people.
Fish is an excellent source of vitamin D
Oily fish like mackerel: Fish has been touted as an excellent source of vitamin D, especially oily fish including salmon and mackerel. Mackerel provides 360IU per serving while salmon has up to 685IU of vitamin D. However, a study by Boston University Medical Cente in 2009 found that farmed salmon had approximately 25 per cent of the vitamin D content as wild salmon.
Cereals with soya milk can be a good vitamin D source
Fortified breakfast cereals: Popular cereals such as Kellogg's Special K, Quaker's Oats, and Multi Grain Cheerios are fortified with vitamin D. One can further its level by adding fortified dairy or soya milk and a glass of orange juice.
A typical egg yolk contains around 18 to 39IU of vitamin D
Eggs – go for free range: While most of the protein in an egg is found in the egg white, the vitamins and minerals are found primarily in the yolk. A typical egg yolk contains around 18 to 39IU of vitamin D. However, free range chicken get plenty more sunlight and have three to four times the amount, according to 2014 research by Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg in Germany.
Furthermore, those from chickens fed with vitamin D-enriched feed have levels up to an astounding 6,000IU of vitamin D per yolk, Iowa State University reported in 2013.
Eating wild mushrooms help the body get vitamin D
Mushrooms: Excluding fortified foods, mushrooms are the only plant source of vitamin D. However, it's worth noting that mushrooms contain vitamin D2, whereas animal-based food produce contains vitamin D3.
Although vitamin D2 is thought to help raise blood levels of vitamin D, studies have suggested it may not be as effective as vitamin D3. Nonetheless, wild mushrooms are a good sources of vitamin D2.
