Most of us know that Vitamin C is needed for a healthy immune system, but did you know that Vitamin C is also required for healthy functioning of over 300 metabolic processes, including a healthy libido? Your body does not naturally produce Vitamin C, so it must be obtained by what you eat. C aides in the production of anti-stress hormones, helps the body fight off toxins and may even reduce your levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). How does Vitamin C directly affect your sexual health? For one, C can help make a man’s little swimmers strong and healthy by protecting sperm from free-radical damage and toxins, thus increasing fertility. C also helps to build and maintain blood vessels through out the body, including the female genitals. Proper blood flow through these vessels is key for female stimulation and healthy lubrication during sex. C is also involved in the synthesis of the sex hormones, estrogen, androgen and progesterone, all of which are involved in sexual function and fertility. C is required for the metabolism of Folic Acid, which is needed during pregnancy to regulate embryonic and fetal nerve cell formation and is vital for normal development. Vitamin C is now being used in many menopause products to help reduce symptoms, as well as in vaginal creams to help eliminate dryness, which can make sex painful. A healthy and de-stressed immune system, strong viable sperm and a lubricated vagina with the ability to get aroused, sounds like it’s time to load up on Vitamin C enriched foods!
Sexy Veggie Food Choices: citrus fruit like lemons and limes, pomegranates, kiwi, guava, pineapple, chili peppers, pumpkin, cabbage, cranberries and cruciferous vegetables like, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.
Try this simple recipe for Cauliflower Poppers to Feed Your Libido with Vitamin C tonight.
Cauliflower Poppers
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Yields: 4 servings
Sexy Veggie Ingredients included in red
Ingredients:
1large head of Cauliflower
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
juice of 1 Lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2 cloves of Garlic-Minced
1 ½ teaspoons Dill
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
½ cup Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup Tofu Sour Cream (Optional Dipping Sauce)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400.
2) Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces. Try to keep them all approximately the same size for even cooking.
3) Whisk together all remaining ingredients, except the breadcrumbs and toss with the cauliflower until evenly coated.
4) Pour in breadcrumbs and lightly toss again.
5) Spread out cauliflower onto a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.
6) Brace yourself for the most delicious cauliflower experience you have ever had!
photo credit: Mickie G at flickr for Creative Commons
This is a great post, with great information. But a cooked recipe is not the best option for vitamin C, which dissipates within seconds when heat is applied. Red bell peppers, kiwi, strawberries, cabbage, and the other good sources of vitamin C that you mentioned would be better eaten raw if vitamin C consumption is the goal. As a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C is just lost too quickly for heated dishes to be a good source. Squeezing on the lemon juice after cooking would improve the vitamin content of this dish. Sounds great! :)
This recipe sounds amazing! I hope we get some cauliflower with our CSA sooon! This sounds like it would work well with broccoli or mushrooms, too!
I think that if you skipped the dipping sauce, it would be pretty low fat as-is. You could experiment with reducing the olive oil and upping the moisture with broth – maybe subbing for half? But the batter might not stick as well.
This recipe looks amazing. Do you know of anyway to turn it into a low-fat recipe?
I do know that vitamin C is needed for a healthy immune system but I never knew it’s also good for a healthy libido. Interesting fact. And thanks to Chandelle for reminding that vitamin c foods are best eaten raw.
All guys should get Vitamin C directly into their penis skin through the use of a penis health creme. This vitamin will strengthen both the penile tissue and the blood vessels down there. A good creme will contain other vitamins as well, resulting in a penis that looks, functions and feels awesome.