10 foods to improve sperm count and quality

• Posted on July 23, 2014July 23, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Getting pregnant is not always as easy as we think it should be.  One common problem is a low sperm count, but the good news is that there are foods that are not only super tasty, but super good for sperm.

The best part?  Some of these foods are also aphrodisiacs… so if you’ve gotten a little bored with getting it on to get preggo, whip up a menu based on these sexy foods.

Asparagus – That little green vegetable that gets so much flack for what it does to the smell of your urine actually has some fantastic powers over sperm.  The ridiculously high amount of Vitamin C prevents sperm from oxidizing, and it protects the cells of the testicles.  Additionally, Vitamin C decreases free radicals so your man’s body can focus on producing sperm instead of fighting off disease.

Avocado – Summer is the perfect time to pick up some yummy avocados for guacamole… and a hot night at home.  Packed with vitamin E, vitamin B6, and folic acid, avocados boost sperm motility and give it the strength to penetrate an egg.

Bananas – Upon reading that this fruit can help your guy out, we had some giggly flashbacks to Drew Barrymore putting a condom on a banana in Never Been Kissed.  Phallic shape aside, there are some awesome things going on in bananas to help increase sperm count.  Bananas have a rare enzyme in them called Bromelain, which has been shown to regulate sex hormones.  There’s also a good amount of vitamin B1, vitamin A, and vitamin C which will help increase his stamina and boost his body’s ability to make sperm.

Beef – This was a little surprising to us given that doctors are constantly saying to lay off red meat if you want a healthy heart.  Lean beef, though, is a fantastic source of zinc.  A little research on the Dr. Oz site told us that zinc has protective properties that keep free radicals from getting at your man’s little swimmers.  In fact, zinc goes even further to prevent testosterone from converting to estrogen, which is the culprit of a low sex drive.

Dark Chocolate – There’s no sexier food to bring into the bedroom than dark chocolate, but now, it’s not just the seductive taste you’ll want it for.  Dark chocolate contains L-Arginine HCL, an amino acid related to the arginine in walnuts.  It also doubles your guy’s sperm count and semen volume.  Men who eat a little dark chocolate everyday have also noted that they have stronger and more intense orgasms.  BONUS: it does that for you, too.  *wink*

Garlic – Along the same lines as ginseng, garlic possesses the power to increase blood flow.  The chemical allicin not only helps keep plaque from building up in the arteries, it also improves the flow of blood to the genitals and boosts the strength and endurance of the sperm.  Garlic also contains selenium and vitamin B6 to prevent sperm damage and regulate hormones.

Ginseng – Dr. Oz recommends ginseng for guys who are dealing with less than impressive bedroom scenarios, but a little more online research tells us that men in Asia have been supplementing ginseng into their diets for centuries because it improves virility.  In fact, ginseng increases libido, sexual performance, and aids in blood flow to the testicles.  In a study at Southern Illinois University, 45 men with erectile dysfunction were put on a ginseng regimen, and at 16 weeks, 60% of those men reported having stronger erections.

Oysters – The fact that oysters are an aphrodisiac was first presented to me in the form of Sex in the City.  The process of feeding to each other and sucking down the slimy little things really gets people going.  Did you know they also have sperm count increasing benefits?  A good portion of a sperm cell is composed of zinc, which oysters are relatively high in.  Eating oysters can not only increase sperm production but it can aid in the repair of damaged sperm.

Pomegranate – This is the most super of all super foods.  It seems like it can truly cure whatever ails you from the common cold to low sperm count.  Because of the intense cocktail of antioxidants in pomegranates, the juice can lower a chemical in the blood called malondialidehyde.  That chemical destroys sperm, so drinking pomegranate juice is like putting a super hero cape on all those sperm so they can destroy the evil free radicals and get to the egg just in time.

Walnuts – In high school, we were given a comparison between the size of a walnut and a testicle.  Strangely enough, size is not the only link between them.  Walnuts contain arganine, which helps the testicles to increase sperm production and also aids in semen volume increase.  It also contains Omega-3 fatty acids which improve the blood flow to the penis.  These nuts also have twice the antioxidant power over other nuts so they do a great job of protecting the little guys, too.  BONUS: eating 7 walnuts a day lowers cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

-modernmom