For as long as I’ve been sexually active, I’ve heard the juicy rumours about pineapple being a sexual superfood. Whether it’s the supposed positive effect consuming the fruity stuff has on the taste of semen, or the healthy boost it might give to your libido, pineapple has been touted as a super sexy food for decades.
I wonder what it is about foods as erotic stimulants that appeals to us so much? My guess is that in a world which sells tinctures, courses and products with high price tags as an antidote to all your sexual problems, the idea that something as simple as consuming a readily available (and delicious) food could improve your sex life is incredibly alluring. Or perhaps it’s the connection to nature it would offer us—the primal desire to be at one with the planet and its organic produce. Whatever it is, the rumours around the benefits of pineapple sexually have been rife for decades, so let’s dig into the three most-discussed potential pineapple and sex benefits and decipher whether there’s any truth in them.
Myth 1: Pineapple makes your semen taste better
This is the first pineapple and sex myth I’ve ever personally heard. I’ve had many partners who swear by eating pineapple as a hopeful means to improve the taste of their load. Culturally, I find this interesting. With a cynical hat on, we could look at this as a way for men to encourage women to swallow their cum. “Oh, hey, babe, I’ve been eating pineapple every day for the past week. It makes me really sweet. Maybe you’d like to try it?” Oh, how convenient!
If I switch to my optimistic hat, this could be a well-meaning way for lovers to try and make the experience of having sex with them as pleasurable as possible—something I can very much get on board with. Many of us have complicated relationships with our bodies owing to a mixture of poor sexual education, misinformation, judgment from peers and a myriad of other internalised ideas we pick up during our sexually active years, and this can extend to the way that we taste. Many people hold a little shame around the flavour, smell or texture of their bodily fluids, so perhaps many men and people with penises simply wish to consume pineapple to try and take ownership of their bodies.
So, is this myth true or false? Well, there have been no specific studies into the effect that pineapple specifically has on the taste of cum. However, there’s no doubt that your diet and overall health can impact semen quality and acidity levels, and therefore, taste. If you live off packet noodles, cigarettes, alcohol and takeaway pizza, then throwing some pineapple onto that slice of 12-inch ham is hardly going to make a difference. An overall healthy lifestyle and diet is going to provide way more all-round benefits to not only the taste of your jizz but your overall sexual performance.
Nelson Bennett, MD, urologist at Northwestern Memorial says in a Men’s Health article on the topic of pineapple and sex, “Anything that we ingest, whether it be food, drink, tobacco, etc, has the propensity to affect the taste and smell of our bodily fluids and secretions.”
While there is no solid proof that pineapple has a direct impact on the taste of cum, my anecdotal experience is that my partners who have incorporated pineapple (and lots of other fresh fruits) into their diet have had pleasant-tasting cum. But I am no scientist, just an enthusiastic sampler of bodily fluids.
I’d be remiss to not mention vulvas. While this myth predominantly focuses on penis-owners, it’s not uncommon to hear the same idea about the taste of pussy getting sweeter if you consume pineapple. All the same stuff as above applies, but I’d also like to add that regardless of your anatomy, there is no problem with bodily fluids smelling and tasting like bodily fluids rather than fruit. You’re a human, not a trifle. Everybody tastes slightly different, and as long as you’re clean down there, looking after your health, and getting any strong smells looked into by a medical professional, you’ll be fine.
If you really want to experience the taste of pineapple during play, experiment with sucking on a piece of pineapple to get your tongue tickling and then French kissing your boo, or introducing some body-safe, organic flavoured lube to your oral play. Just be careful when introducing any foodstuff to the vulva because those Ph levels are easily disrupted, and the last thing you want is a nasty case of Thrush.
Myth 2: Improved Blood Flow & Erectile Function
Blood flow is important for sexual response because of the role it plays in erections. When you get hard you go through the physiological process where the erectile tissues of the penis become engorged with blood, causing an erection. So, oneway that consuming pineapple might benefit men, is through the Vitamin C that it contains. Vitamin C rich foods prevent inflammation and strengthen the immune system, and one cup of pineapple contains 78.9 milligrams (mg) of the vitamin, which helps by supporting your blood vessels in relaxing and therefore encourages blood flow through the body.
Is it just penises that become erect during play-time? Nope! The vulva becomes engorged too. The clitoris and the penis are analogous parts, meaning that they develop from the same embryonic tissue, and they’re comparable because of the roles they play in sensitivity (pleasure) and erectile function (which gets ‘hard’). Yep, the clitoris becomes ‘hard’ when in an aroused state, just like a dick, except a lot of the clitoral structure is actually inside the body. Think of the external clit (the bit you can see/feel) like an iceberg, with the main body stretching inches inside. The legs of the clitoris straddle the labia from within the body, and when they become engorged, they contribute to the juicy, swollen labia and vaginal canal you might experience when you’re turned on.
So, these benefits can extend to anyone regardless of anatomy.
Myth 3: Pineapple increases sex drive
Moving on to the third myth about pineapple and sex benefits, that eating it increases your sex drive. Is that statement unequivocally true? No. Are there benefits to eating pineapple that might have a positive effect on your overall sexual function? Yes (are you sensing a theme here?). There are no studies with human samples that directly support this claim. However, it’s worth noting that if you are experiencing the benefits of a healthy diet, which may include pineapple, you might access increased energy and blood flow, which can increase overall life satisfaction and libido.
Let’s dive into the specific elements that contribute to this:
Bromelain
One idea that pops up repeatedly across the internet is that the Bromelain in pineapple, which is an enzyme mixture, has also been shown to play a role in maintaining healthy testosterone levels. However, having low testosterone doesn’t necessarily mean that your libido is struggling—many people have a lively sex drive even with comparatively low testosterone levels.
Antioxidants
According to Healthline, “Pineapples are especially rich in antioxidants called flavonoids and phenolic compounds. One study of rats showed that pineapple’s antioxidants may have heart-protective effects, though human research is lacking.” What does this have to do with sex drive? Well, looking after your general health is an important part of being able to access arousal.
Vitamin C
We already gave a shoutout to Vitamin C, but it can also support libido by giving a shot of energy when consumed, giving you that all-important boost you need to pursue your sexual desires.
Thiamine
Another mood-booster! A study showed that ingesting Thiamine daily contributes to feeling “clear-headed, composed and energetic”. Lethargy is a known libido crusher, so getting that uplift of energy can indirectly support sex drive.
Pineapple and sex and the swinging community
While we’re talking about the connection between pineapples and sex, let’s not forget about the other way that the fruit weaves its way into sexual pop culture. When you flip the fruit on its head, it becomes one of the most recognisable symbols of the swinging community.
Swingers, people in couples who swap partners for sexy fun, have used the emblem as a signal to other potential playmates for decades. The upside-down pineapple is often worn in a tongue-in-cheek fashion to indicate that someone is involved in the lifestyle—whether it adorns a piece of jewellery or sits outside a door as part of home decor (or on another popular swinging spot, the cruise ship).
Pineapple and sex, is it an aphrodisiac? Conclusion
The medical evidence and hard facts surrounding the sexual benefits of pineapple are loose at best, but if consuming the juicy stuff makes you feel like you’re tending to your sexual health, then as far as I’m concerned, that’s a win. Plus, if the sexy myths around this fruit help to make a healthy diet seem more alluring, that can only be a positive thing.
The only way you’ll be able to know for sure is by conducting your own personal investigation into whether pineapple is a powerful sexual stimulant for you—getting your five a day has never been quite so rousing.