Life

7 Foods To Increase Your Libido While Pregnant

by Emily Westbrooks

One of the first things that women realize when they find out they're pregnant is that the list of things they can eat — especially the fun stuff — shrinks. It's not an enormous inconvenience, but it's just enough of a change to make you start fantasizing about the first bite of soft cheese or the big order of sushi you're going to eat immediately after giving birth. That's why it's important to focus on this infinitely more fun list of foods that increase your libido and are safe for pregnancy, because we know you are a glass-half-full kind of person.

While it may not be advised to drink multiple cups of strong coffee or indulge in uncured meat, you can get in the mood with pine nuts, chocolate, figs, and broccoli. And because you're pregnant, you might even want to combine all four of those disparate ingredients! It might seem dire when you're first crossing food groups off the list, but there's more than enough foods on the approved-for-pregnant chicks list to get you in the mood. A few of these might even spur a few new and exciting recipes you could try with your partner! A delish dinner and then head for the sack —what could be better?

1

Strawberries

Strawberries are another food high in zinc. Patrick Holford, the founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, said, "a woman's body apparently prepares itself for sex more quickly if zinc levels are high," reported The Daily Mail. Additionally, strawberries are high in antioxidants, which can increase blood flow to the sex organs.

2

Pine Nuts

Really, pine nuts. Who knew? I certainly didn't, but as it turns out, people have been using them for hundreds of years. Dr. Frank Lawlis, PhD wrote in Psychology Today, "Like oysters, [pine nuts] are high in zinc," which is a mineral that can stimulate the libido.

3

Chocolate

You don't want to put yourself at risk for gestational diabetes by scarfing up too much, but dark chocolate can definitely help boost your libido. Lori Buckley explained to Women's Health that chocolate releases the same endorphins that are released during sex, at least for a short period of time, making you feel like having a little rendezvous.

4

Black Raspberries

First things first, black raspberries aren't the same as blackberries. They're smaller and less sweet than blackberries or raspberries. Now that we've gotten that common misconception out of the way, let's get down to their libido-inducing properties. Drs. Anna Maria and Brian Clement, authors of 7 Keys to Lifelong Sexual Vitality, told Fitness magazine that black raspberries are a "phytochemical-rich food enhances both libido and sexual endurance." Just makes you're picking up the right berry at the grocery store!

5

Figs

Figs aren't exactly high on the list that people usually try when they're looking for an aphrodisiac, but according to the Libido Cafe, they can increase sexual stamina. That can't be a bad thing when you're already knocked up and a little exhausted from growing a little human!

6

Steak

While you do need to watch how your red meat is prepared steak contains zinc that is the "same libido-boosting nutrient found in oysters," according to Esther Blum, R.D., author of Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous, in Women's Health. Red meat, including beef and pork, needs to be cooked fully in order to keep pregnant women from running the risk of contracting listeria, a potentially deadly bacterial infection, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

7

Spinach

So long as you make sure you don't get it stuck in your teeth, spinach's high magnesium content makes it an oddly great aphrodisiac. Cassie Bjork, registered dietician, explained to Eat This, Not That, "Spinach is rich in magnesium, a mineral that decreases inflammation in blood vessels, increasing blood flow," to all your sexy parts, making it easier to get aroused.

Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.