Eating your way healthy is easy to do. We all basically know what we need: more fresh vegetables, less processed food, and tons of clean water. But did you know that there are specific foods that each body system responds to? If you occasionally suffer from yeast infections, aren’t feeling the mojo anymore, or have a funky odor downstairs, it could be because of the foods that you are eating. Instead of instantly reaching for a medicine or douching, consider including some foods for the vagina that will help keep it healthy, sexually active, and infection-free.

Foods to Include

Cranberries

Perhaps the most well known food that supports vaginal health is cranberries. Cranberries contain ingredients called PACs (A-type proanthocyanidins). These molecules help prevent urinary tract infections by interfering with the way that bacteria stick to the bladder wall.

The concentration of PACs is not strong in cranberry juice. This means that you need to be sure to eat the fruit, not just drink the juice. Plus, cranberry juice can be packed with sugar, and sugars increase the risk of vaginal infections.

Power Up with Sexy Plants

Plants are super powerful for vaginal health and sexual health. If you aren’t feeling the love anymore, try some plants to help get the juices flowing again.

Avocados contain libido-boosting fats that enhance lubrication and strengthen vaginal walls.

Apples contain phloridizin a molecule that promotes sexual function, vaginal blood flow, and can improve the ability to orgasm.

Sweet potato, kale, collard greens, and carrots all contain vitamin A help to support female fertility by increasing the amount of cervical fluid and ensuring that eggs develop properly.

Fermented Foods

One of the main ways that the vagina stays healthy is by keeping an acidic pH. Normal vaginal fluid has a pH of 3.8-4.5, and when the pH is higher than this, there is a risk for both bacterial and yeast infection. Bad news: there are a ton of things that alter vaginal pH. Stress, perfumed vaginal washes, sex, and periods all raise pH. During your period, be sure that you are using safe period products that allow blood to move freely out of the body. This will help the vaginal pH to remain acidic.

Fermented plants like kimchi, miso, tempeh, and pickles help to balance vaginal pH and reduces the risk of infection. Not only do they bring a big dose of acidic goodness to help lower vaginal pH, they also contain probiotics, healthy bacteria that the vagina uses to optimize pH.

Don’t love funky ferments? Play it safe with dairy-free yogurt and a squeeze of lemon. This can help balance pH with acid from the lemon and probiotics from the yogurt.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Oil

Omega-3 fatty acids have been show to be more effective than ibuprofen at easing menstrual cramps because they reduce swelling and inflammation and promote vaginal blood flow.

Instead of fish oil, try a vegan fatty acid supplement like flaxseed, sea buckthorn, and walnut.

What to Avoid

While there are a lot of great foods for the vagina, there are others that wreak havoc. Making periods more painful, sex less fun, and may even make it harder to get pregnant. Here are some foods to avoid if you want a healthy vajayjay.

Sugar and Alcohol

I mean, isn’t this the baseline advice for basically every healthy eating protocol? The toxic effects of sugar and alcohol basically extend to every body system, including reproductive health.

Sugar and alcohol both encourage yeast growth in the vagina and increase the risk for infection.

Alcohol is a double whammy because it also increases the risk of menstrual cramps.

Aroma-Changing Foods

If you are getting ready for sex, especially oral sex, you may want to skip foods that change the aroma and taste of the urine and vagina like garlic, asparagus, and onions.

Caffeine

Caffeine can lead to dehydration, and dehydration reduces the amount of lubrication in the vagina. This can make sex more difficult, especially after menopause.

Skip the morning cup of Joe and try an herbal tea instead.

Foods for the Vagina: Which one will you eat?

If you’re not feeling the best with your girl downstairs, your diet could easily be to blame. Which foods for the vagina are your favorite?