Your diet is one of the most crucial aspects of your overall health, and your vagina is no exception. Since your lady part uses natural secretions and immune defenses to keep itself healthy, eating a balanced diet is a must to prevent infections and improve vaginal health.
Certain foods and drinks contain compounds vital to keeping your intimate bits in top shape, helping cramps and infections at bay, and keeping the area well-lubricated. This guide outlines the best foods that promote good vaginal health. Scroll through the page and make your dietary choices accordingly.
The 7 Best Foods For Vaginal Health
You are what you eat, and so is your vagina. Hence, consuming the best foods for vaginal health can help keep things running smoothly down there.
Here’s a quick rundown of the 7 best foods you should incorporate into the ultimate vaginal health-boosting diet.
1. Probiotics
These help balance vaginal acidity levels, thus keeping your lady part healthy. The vagina has a moderately acidic environment with a pH of around 4.5. This acidity helps good bacteria to grow and prevents harmful microbes from developing.
Probiotic-rich food contains certain lactobacillus strains, the most dominant type of good bacteria found in a healthy vagina. This good bacteria helps keep the pH of your vagina balanced, thus lowering the risk of yeast and bacterial infections.
Some of the best Probiotic supplements are yogurt and kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, and kombucha.
2. Cranberry
Cranberries contain antibacterial components, thus lowering your risk of UTIs. It can help prevent bacteria like E.coli from settling in the vaginal walls, hence, keeping UTIs at bay.
However, it’s recommended to intake them in limited amounts, as too much cranberry juice leads to yeast infection.
3. Sweet Potato
Another food item you should add to your vaginal health-boosting diet is sweet potato. It is rich in Vitamin A and can help with fertility in women. Sweet potatoes also help strengthen muscle tissues, thus making your vaginal walls healthy and strong.
It also contains beta-carotene, which is good for a healthy reproductive system. This food is fiber-rich, thus helping control insulin levels while promoting fertility.
4. Garlic
Including garlic in your daily diet is the key to a happy and healthy vagina. It contains anti-microbial properties, which help prevent yeast infections while keeping bacteria from venturing into the uterine walls.
The anti-fungal properties of garlic can help with many vaginal discomforts, like burning, odor, itching, and excessive discharge. You can either eat raw garlic or add it to cooked meals to make the most of it.
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids promote good heart health while keeping the blood flow pumping down there. A study found that women who consume a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to develop endometriosis than those who don’t.
These essential fatty acids improve sexual function in pregnant women by preventing pregnancy anxiety. Some of the best foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, salmon, eggs, and walnuts.
6. Soy
It is rich in Phytoestrogens, a compound that mimics the estrogen hormone in the human body. This food is ideal for those with reduced estrogen levels. Minimally-processed soy products are hydrophilic, thus allowing your muscles to retain water.
Soy can help improve vaginal dryness when compared to the placebo. You should opt for minimally-processed soy products for better outcomes, including tofu, tempeh, miso, and edamame.
7. Avocado
Your favorite toast topper can help enhance your libido, making it ideal for improving your sexual life. Avocados are rich in healthy fats, potassium, and vitamin B6. This libido-boosting fruit helps promote estrogen levels and lubrication while strengthening vaginal walls. It may even enhance IVF success because of its monounsaturated fatty acid content.
Summing Up
So, these are some of the foods that work in favor of your lady bits. Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to making dietary choices; hence, you should contact your healthcare provider and create a meal plan accordingly.
FAQs
Q. What foods should be avoided for better vaginal health?
Here are a few options you should avoid to keep your vagina healthy.
- Processed foods
- Sugar, as too much sugar, can kill important vaginal bacteria.
- Certain meats and dairy products that contain artificial hormones.
Examples of foods with a low GI are whole grains, carrots, apples, oranges, grapefruit, milk, and legumes.
Q. Do Flaxseeds help improve vaginal health?
Yes. Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and phytoestrogens, which are great at relieving menopausal symptoms.
Q. What is the best food for preventing bacterial vaginosis?
Sweet Potatoes can help keep mucous membranes healthy, thus preventing bacterial vaginosis.
