Happy Friday, Love Scent fans!

First, we have good news! The ever-popular Liquid Trust, which (as many of you know) has been out of stock for a while, is available again! Head on over and grab a bottle or two! And you’ll be happy to know that, due to recent changes in manufacturing, we won’t be running out any time soon!

Also, a reminder: we’re still celebrating the start of spring here at Love Scent! You can still get 20% off your order by using the code LUVHOTSPRING at checkout. Don’t forget to take advantage of these savings while they’re here!

Now, let’s turn to the main topic of today’s post: the link between pheromones and diet.

There are a lot of ways to naturally improve your pheromone levels, and most of them are related to your body’s production of sex hormones–specifically, testosterone and estrogen. Many pheromones are byproducts of your body’s sex hormone production, so by changing the levels of those sex hormones in your body, you are directly impacting the type and amount of pheromones you’re putting out into the air.

There are a lot of ways that you can increase or decrease the levels of sex hormones (and therefore pheromones) in your body. Exercise helps a lot, as does getting enough sleep. But one of the easiest and most flexible ways to increase your natural pheromone production is to add some new foods to your diet.

Some nutrients have a noticeable impact on your body’s sex hormone levels. Adding foods that are rich in these particular nutrients to your diet can therefore help you naturally improve your pheromone production. If you’d like to learn more about these links between pheromones and diet, read on!

 

1. Zinc

If you are deficient in testosterone, zinc is a great way to get your levels back up–especially if you’re a man. Zinc deficiency is associated with low testosterone levels, and adding zinc to your diet increases testosterone in the body, with the strongest gains seen in people who were zinc-deficient to begin with.

Women should know that a diet low in zinc also leads to increases in estrogen. Because estrogen is important for a woman’s sex drive and sexual pleasure, women should pay attention to how a zinc-rich diet affects them and pursue a healthy balance between testosterone and estrogen. (Remember: women naturally produce testosterone too, and it’s also important for a woman’s sex drive!)

If you’d like to add zinc to your diet, here are some foods to look into. But remember: too much zinc can be bad for you, so moderation is key! Men and pregnant women should aim for 11 mg of zinc a day, while non-pregnant women should am for 8 mg a day.

Here are the foods that are highest in zinc!

1. Oysters–a mere 3 ounces of cooked oysters will get you a whopping 74 mg of zinc!
2. Beef chuck roast–3 ounces of beef will get you 7 mg of zinc.
3. Crab–a 3-ounce portion gets you 6.5 mg of zinc.
4. Broiled beef batty–3 oz of this will get you 5.3 mg of zinc.
5. Fortified breakfast cereals–a good source of many nutrients, 3/4 of a cup of fortified cereal will get you 3.8 mg of zinc.
6. Lobster–3 oz of this fancy shellfish will get you 3.4 mg of zinc.
7. Pork chop/loin–3 oz of lean pork will get you 2.9 mg of zinc.
8. Canned baked beans–1/2 a cup of this summer cookout staple will get you 2.9 mg of zinc.
9. Dark meat chicken–3 oz will get you 2.4 mg of zinc.
10. Yogurt–8 ounces of fruit yogurt at breakfast will let you start your day with 1.7 mg of zinc.

As you can see, it’s not hard to get the recommended daily amount of zinc. Some yogurt with fortified granola for breakfast, some grilled dark-meat chicken for lunch, and a seafood dinner will get you all you need.

Of course, there are a lot of other zinc-rich foods out there, including seeds and nuts, beans and peas, oatmeal, and cheeses. If the above list doesn’t have anything you like, check out other options here!

 

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is another nutrient that has a positive effect on testosterone levels in men. Magnesium increases the free testosterone in men’s bodies, even in sedentary men, with the biggest gains seen in those who are exercising too. “Free testosterone” is the testosterone available for your body to use, as it hasn’t bound with any other proteins in the body.

Recommended magnesium levels vary depending on age, gender, and whether someone is pregnant or breastfeeding. Men aged 19-30 should aim for 400 mg a day, and 420 mg a day after the age of 30. Women aged 19-30 should aim for 310 mg a day and 320 mg a day after the age of 30.

Here are some magnesium-rich foods for you to consider:

1. Roasted almonds–a 1-oz portion of these gets you 80 mg of magnesium.
2. Boiled spinach–1/2 a cup of this superfood gets you 78 mg of magnesium.
3. Roasted cashews–1 oz of these will get you 74 mg of magnesium.
4. Oil-roasted peanuts–1/4 cup of these will get you 63 mg of magnesium.
5. Shredded wheat–2 large biscuits of this breakfast go-to will get you 61 mg of magnesium.
6. Soymilk–1 cup of the plain or vanilla variety will get you 61 mg of magnesium.
7. Cooked black beans–1/2 a cup of these in your burrito bowl will get you 60 mg of magnesium.
8. Edamame–1/2 a cup of shelled and cooked edamame beans will get you 50 mg of magnesium.
9. Smooth peanut butter–2 tablespoons on your toast will get you 49 mg of magnesium.
10. Whole wheat bread–2 slices will get you 46 mg of magnesium.

All of the above foods are great additions to a healthy diet, and make getting your daily magnesium needs easy. Have some shredded what with soymilk to start your day, snack on peanut butter toast or nuts when you need a pick-me-up, and have some spinach or black beans (or both!) to end your day.

If none of the above foods look good to you, you can check out other sources of magnesium here!

 

3. Vitamin E

Vitamin E , which consists of several compounds that impact many of our bodily functions, is also important for maintaining a healthy sex drive. It is sometimes referred to as the “sex vitamin” and has a wide range of effects on our physical and mental health. Getting enough Vitamin E is important for every part of your life, not just your sex life!

Men and women need the same amount of Vitamin E. All adults should aim for 15 mg a day. If you’re breastfeeding, try to get 19 mg a day.

The foods highest in Vitamin E are:

1. Wheat germ oil–this oil can easily get you all the Vitamin E you need, with 1 tablespoon giving you 20 mg a day.
2. Roasted sunflower seeds–a 1-oz portion of these gets you 7.4 mg of Vitamin E.
3. Roasted almonds–1 oz of these will get you 6.8 mg of Vitamin E.
4. Sunflower oil–1 tablespoon of this oil will get you 5.6 mg of Vitamin E.
5. Safflower oil–1 tablespoon of this oil gets you 4.6 mg of Vitamin E.
6. Roasted hazelnuts–1 oz of these will get you 4.3 mg of Vitamin E.
7. Peanut butter–just 2 tablespoons of this nut butter will get you 2.9 mg of Vitamin E.
8. Roasted peanuts–1 oz of these will get you 2.2 mg of Vitamin E.
9. Corn oil–1 tablespoon of this oil gets you 1.9 mg of Vitamin E.
10. Spinach–a boiled 1/2 cup of spinach gets you 1.9 mg of Vitamin E.

Even if you’re not a fan of wheat germ oil, you can see that it’s not hard to get the recommended daily amount of Vitamin E. Snack on nuts and seeds, make a sunflower- or safflower-oil based dressing for your salad, and add some spinach to your dinner.

If you’d like to try some other Vitamin E-rich foods, have a look at the other options here!

 

4. Vitamin D

There is some debate about whether Vitamin D is a true vitamin or a hormone, but whichever side of the debate you’re on, it’s undeniable that it’s important for our overall health. Most people know that it makes our bones stronger and improves our mental health, but fewer people know that it also plays a role in increasing testosterone levels!

Our Vitamin D needs change as we age. Men and women 19-70 years old need 15 mcg (not mg) of Vitamin D a day. After the age of 70, we need 20 mcg.

Very few foods naturally contain Vitamin D, with fatty fishes being the main exception, so most of us get it from dietary supplements and fortified foods. Take a look at the best ways to get your Vitamin D:

1. Cod liver oil–1 tablespoon gets you 340% of your daily Vitamin D needs.
2. Cooked swordfish–3 oz of this fatty fish gets you 142% of your Vitamin D needs.
3. Cooked sockeye salmon–3 oz of this fish gets you 112% of your daily Vitamin D needs.
4. Canned tuna fish–3 oz of tuna gets you 39% of your daily needed Vitamin D.
5. Fortified orange juice–1 cup of most fortified orange juices gets you 34% of your daily needed Vitamin D (check the label to make sure).
6. Fortified nonfat milk–1 cup of most fortified nonfat milks get you around 30% of your daily Vitamin D recommendation.
7. Fortified yogurt–6 oz of average fortified yougurt gets you 20% of your daily recommended amount of Vitamin D.
8. Canned sardines–2 canned sardines get you 12% of your daily Vitamin D.
9. Beef liver–3 oz of beef liver gets you around 12% of your daily needed Vitamin D.
10. Egg yolks–1 large egg yolk gets you about 11% of your daily needed Vitamin D.

As you can see, if you want to get your Vitamin D naturally, fish is hands-down your best option. If you can’t eat fish, or just aren’t a fan, choose fortified foods or dietary supplements instead. Remember to consult with your doctor about the best supplements to choose for your needs.

 

5. Boron

Boron is one of those nutrients that isn’t on many people’s radar, but research shows that it’s important for overall health…and that it can increase levels of sex hormones in men and women alike. Boron increases estrogen and testosterone levels in postmenopausal women, and increases free testosterone levels in men.

Because boron hasn’t been as thoroughly studied as many other nutrients, it doesn’t have hard-and-fast daily allowance recommendations like the other suggestions on this list. That said, research into boron’s effect on sex hormones suggests that at least 3 mg a day will help increase testosterone and estrogen.

Here are some boron-rich foods to add to your diet:

• Raisins–about 3.5 oz of raisins gets you 3 mg of boron.
• Avocados–a 3.5 oz serving of this popular superfood gets you 2 mg of boron.
• Brazil nuts–3.5 oz of these get you around 2 mg of boron.
• Prunes–3.5 oz of these energy-rich dried fruits gets you 1 mg of boron.
• Dried apricots–3.5 oz of these tasty fruits get you about 2 mg of boron.

As you can see, it’s not hard to add some more boron to your diet: a mix of fruits and nuts will give you enough to start seeing results!

 

There you have it, Love Scent fans! We hope you now have a better understanding of the links between pheromones and diet, and can see how easy it is to increase your natural pheromone production by adding new foods to your meal planning!

 

Have you noticed the connection between pheromones and diet? Are there foods that make you feel more youthful or fill you with sexual energy? Tell us about it in the comments! Also feel free to contact us directly with any questions (about pheromones and diet, or anything else), comments, or concerns. And be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about blog posts, exclusive promotions, new products, and more!

 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.