Behind its glistening, ruby sheen, the ripe flesh of the cherry bursts forth with a plentitude of nutrients key to sexual performance. Get ready to discover all the benefits of cherries, especially cherry sex benefits.
In spring, favorite varieties from Ranier to Bing cherries turn grocers’ shelves shades of pink and crimson, calling shoppers with their glossy skins and promise of sweet flesh. Only available for one short season, the cherry’s scarcity adds to its attraction. Invite a shining pint full to take that tumble from the shelf into your grocery cart and carried home with care to protect the delicate skin of your sexy cherries.
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Are cherries an aphrodisiac?
Little did your mama know when she ordered you your first Shirley Temple, that childhood mainstay made from ginger ale and grenadine topped with a plump Maraschino, that cherries are loaded with sexual stimulation. Certain cherries, those with more musky scents, are said to stimulate pheromone production.
Historically, cherries were among those fruits frequently used in tonics and elixirs used to improve virility or fertility. And thanks to modern science, we have a better understanding of just how these round, juicy fruits may have offered benefits when it came to sexual health and performance.
Cherry benefits for males
Cherries don’t get the same kind of attention for their health benefits as do blueberries, but they are a source of antioxidants. Although the concentration of antioxidants varies by cherry variety, it’s safe to say that all cherries possess anti-inflammatory compounds. What does this have to do with cherries being an aphrodisiac for men?
Inflammation can interfere with your heart’s activity and can inhibit blood flow. Fighting and or reducing inflammation helps to ensure both heart health and sexual health by promoting blood flow. This is essential for experiencing arousal and sexual climax. In fact, sexual health problems are incredibly common in individuals suffering from inflammatory diseases. Ryan Berglund, MD, a urology specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, lists rheumatoid arthritis as one of the biggest physical causes of erectile dysfunction.
And in addition to helping reduce the inflammation that could cause ED, fresh cherries are a source of zinc, magnesium, potassium and iron, all nutrients considered beneficial to maintaining men’s sexual health. And a cup of raw cherries even offers 5% of the daily value of manganese, a mineral considered key to men’s sexual performance.
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Cherry benefits for female sexual health
But cherries aren’t just for men. When it comes to cherries’ benefits, several of the benefits to sexual health and overall health are considered even more desirable to women than to men.
Cherries may keep you looking your best. These tiny fruits offer vitamin C, which promotes healthy, glowing skin. And, of course, the same antioxidants that will help keep your heart pumping and help prevent erectile dysfunction in men are also associated with fighting the visible signs of aging. So a potential benefit of cherries is that they’ll keep you looking young.
But cherries can also help you look and feel svelte. That’s because fresh cherries are a great source of fiber. A single serving will give you 12% of your daily value for fiber. That’s a lot of fiber for a sweet treat. (A serving of dried cherries offers 3 grams of fiber, making them a smart choice for a portable snack.)
TO TRY: Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies with Dried Cherries
Benefits to overall health
Although it may not benefit sexual health directly, vitamin K in cherries is considered an important nutrient for women’s bone health, particularly as women age.
Additionally, cherries’ quercetin content has antihistaminic attributes. This isn’t directly beneficial to your sexual health but reducing seasonal sniffling, itching or headaches could go a long way toward making you feel good.
Another one of the benefits of eating cherries is their potential to improve athletic performance. In a controlled study published in 2016 using endurance runners, it was revealed that eating cherries increased race times. A second study, this time using active women who were not professional athletes as the test subjects, revealed that cherry juice improved recovery time from athletic activities.
How to incorporate them into your diet
Pop those cherries in the freezer then roll them across your lover’s skin in fine, 9 1/2 Weeks fashion. Or simply place a bowl, piled high at the bedside, awaiting the occasion for a naughty midnight feast. To enjoy the benefits of cherries in winter, try this recipe for Wine-Soaked Dried Cherries.
Often mingled with chocolate, cherries become an exotic ingredient in otherwise mundane desserts. They transform a traditional chocolate cake into something so sophisticated it deserves a name like Black Forest. And of course, what would that sundae be without the cherry on top?
Discover more of the world’s greatest aphrodisiac foods
This article was written in 2010 and most recently updated in May 2023.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only and not to replace medical care. It is important to consult your physician before making dietary changes. More information
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
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