Every man has heard of nature’s apparent ability to produce roots and veggies that can help to achieve a rock hard erection. The tale goes that by consuming enough watermelon, pistachios, or even dark chocolate can cause the body to get kicked into overdrive and produce an erection that lasts for hours. While the validity of these claims is questionable, this old wives’ tale has left many wondering if the inverse is true: If certain foods can help your erection, can others hinder it?
The list of foods that can hurt your erectile abilities is pretty short, but it’s one that shouldn’t be ignored. So what food could put you on the road to erectile dysfunction? Salt.
Yes, the beloved kitchen staple has linked to plenty of cases of ED. Now, that’s not to say that a pinch of salt every now and again is going to lead to erectile issues, nor does medium salt usage signal upcoming erectile woes. No, salt can only prove fatal for your erection when used in large doses regularly. This is because high salt consumption can lead to cardiovascular diseases, which in turn affects your erection. This is because salt is high in sodium, which can lead to clogging in the heart and arteries. When the heart struggles to output blood, and the arteries struggle to provide blood to the body, this translates into your erection getting the short end of the stick.
You see, when arteries are affected by sodium, it is the smallest arteries that tend to feel the pinch first. One of the smallest cluster of arteries in the body is the group responsible with providing blood to the penis. As such, these arteries end up being the first to pay the price, which means blood can’t reach the penis to allow erections.
But that’s not to say that you should cut salt entirely out of your diet. Just keep an eye on your intake levels, and you should be just fine. Experts agree that salt intake should add up to less than 1,000 milligrams a day. If you stay healthy and watch your sodium intake, your erection should be just fine.