The 9 Best Testosterone Boosting Foods

You’re a better version of yourself if your testosterone levels are thriving.

You’ll have more energy to win each and every day.

More strength and virility so you can move forward through life with confidence.

And you’ll have a healthier, more efficiently-running body. Not to mention that testosterone helps lower depression.

So, if you want to naturally boost your testosterone levels, this video is for you.

Nowadays, western diets are filled with processed garbage and estrogenics that are silently killing your testosterone levels.

Even if you don’t realize it, your diet is sucking your dry of virility and testosterone.

Now, before we get into the specific foods that will help boost your testosterone levels, the packaging of the food is just as important.

Within plastics are chemicals called xenoestrogens that increase estrogen and lower testosterone in men, and they seep into your food.

So, whenever possible, get your food in paper or foil wrapping, and avoid plastics as often as possible when it comes to your food and your drink.

Now, the food.

In this video, we’ll be covering the 9 best testosterone boosting foods. Just a heads up, I’ll also be tying in how these foods help you build muscle and strength too.

Before we get into the list, you have to actually know what a testosterone boosting diet even looks like.

 

Basics Of Your Testosterone-Boosting Diet

First of all, there are 3 major macronutrients that provide you with energy: Protein, carbs, and fat. For optimal results, the foods in this video will include sources from each category.

Protein

Protein supplies you with amino acids that are the building blocks of your muscles. According to the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, you should be eating 0.8 g/kg of protein per day. That only comes out to 65 g per day for a 180-lb man.

But if you do resistance training, which you should be doing, the recommendation needs to be adjusted. A study from USANA Health Sciences suggests those who do resistance training need much more protein to recover as well as build more muscle and strength [1].

Research from Virginia Tech showed having 0.73 g/lb per day is enough to maximize muscle and strength [2].

Protein doesn’t seem to be as important as you’d think for testosterone. According to Volek and colleagues, a high protein:carb or high protein:fat ratio reduces T-levels when compared to a diet with more fats and carbs [3].

That’s why you need protein sources for muscle, strength, and metabolism, but not such a high amount that you hurt your T levels.

Protein sources also tend to have important vitamins and minerals, important fatty acids, and have superior absorption than plant sources. So we’ll be focusing on animal sources of protein.

Carbs

Contrary to popular belief, carbs are not inherently bad for you. Including some is important for energy, mood, and fueling your workouts.

A study from the University of North Carolina found that a low carb diet increased cortisol levels and decreased free testosterone levels [4].

So we definitely want carbs yet not all of them are good. A study from the University of Sassari showed that gluten in grains raises a hormone called prolactin [5]. Prolactin has been shown to cause a hormonal cascade that lowers testosterone and induces erectile dysfunction [6].

Fats

This may be even more controversial than the carb discussion, but I cannot understate the importance of fat in your diet for optimal health and an optimal male hormone profile.

Research published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry found compared diets with under 20% of calories coming from fat vs. 40% of calories from fat. The <20% group saw significantly lower testosterone levels [7].

In terms of the specific types of fat you eat, research clearly shows that saturated fat and monounsaturated fat boosts your testosterone levels. But polyunsaturated fat suppressed testosterone levels.

That’s why we won’t shy away from saturated fat from animal sources, or from monounsaturated fats like in olive oil. But we may want to at least limit polyunsaturated fats by reducing our consumption of processed cooking oils like canola oil [3].

Macro Breakdown

With all that beijing said, your daily calorie intake will be split up similar to these recommendations.

Fat: 35-40%

Protein: 25-30% 

Carbs: 35-40%

Keep those things in mind as we begin the list of the 10 best testosterone boosting foods. We’ll break this down by first going over food sources high in protein, food sources high in carbs including starches, fruits, and vegetables, and finally fat sources.

 

#1: Yogurt

Since yogurt is produced by bacterial fermentation of milk, it has the added benefit of pre and probiotics.

Some yogurts use pasteurization to kill bacteria through heating. But if you choose an option with active or live cultures, you can improve your digestive health.

Besides having an easier time in the bathroom, proper gut health increases testosterone levels in men and even converts cortisol into androgens in the gut [8].

Yogurt also tends to be fortified with vitamin D. Which is important considering its one of the vitamins that people are most deficient in. Research from the University of Colorado at Denver found that up to 74% of people in certain populations got insufficient vitamin D [9].

Besides being crucial for things like bone health, according to the Medical University of Graz, vitamin D supplementation is a powerful way to improve your testosterone levels [10]. And as we know, more testosterone makes it easier to build muscle and strength.

And of course, yogurt is a great source of high quality protein. Dairy protein contains 2 major forms of protein: casein and whey.

Casein makes up 80% and provides a slow absorption of amino acids into your blood. Whey protein makes up the 20% of the protein content and is much slower digesting. But it contains amino acids crucial for muscle-building called branched chain amino acids, or BCAAs.

These include valine, isoleucine, and leucine. Leucine is most notable since research by Norton and Layman has shown that a certain amount is needed to hit the ‘leucine threshold’ and actually stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is essentially muscle building. Without enough leucine, muscle building won’t actually be initiated [11].

 

#2: Eggs

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein because they are extremely bioavailable. In fact eggs are given a biological value of 100 because they have the most readily usable protein.

It also contains the healthy fats we discussed earlier, monounsaturated fat and saturated fat. Don’t skip out on the egg yolk because that’s where all the healthy fat is in addition to vitamins and minerals. Just take a look at the vitamins and minerals from a single boiled egg according to healthline.com.

Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA

Folate: 5% of the RDA

Vitamin B5: 7% of the RDA

Vitamin B12: 9% of the RDA

Vitamin B2: 15% of the RDA

Phosphorus: 9% of the RDA

Selenium: 22% of the RDA

I do want to address the elephant in the room though. Doesn’t eating eggs increase cholesterol and risk of heart disease?

Yes, it’s true that eggs have a high amount of cholesterol, 212 mg out of the recommended 300 mg.

It makes intuitive sense that eggs are dangerous but the notion falls flat in reality. A study published in Metabolism suggests that consuming cholesterol from eggs doesn’t significantly raise our cholesterol levels [12].

Think about it like this, cholesterol is so prevalent in our bodies like in our cell membranes. So adding a couple hundred mg is actually a very tiny fraction of the existing cholesterol in our bodies.

Plus, our livers produce cholesterol. So when we have enough, it regulates how much it produces [13].

I should add that eggs technically do help raise HDL cholesterol, but that’s considered good cholesterol that actually reduces risk of heart disease. Research published in the Journal of Internal Medicine ran a study where people ate 2 eggs every day for 6 weeks and increased HDL cholesterol [14].

 

#3: Grass-Fed Beef

Like I mentioned, animal sources of protein are proven to absorb better. Tons of studies like this one from the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences suggest that plant protein absorbs at least 10% lower than animal protein [15].

Whey protein is usually considered the gold standard for high quality protein. Valenzuela and colleagues compared whey protein and beef protein and found that they lead to similar changes in lean body mass and strength [16].

If you’re thinking red meat is terrible for you, studies like the Harvard school of public health study found that red meat increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes [17].

But there’s a huge caveat. That’s for processed red meat. Unprocessed red meat has been shown to have no link with these diseases and even can improve your health. Which is exactly why I suggest organic, grass-fed beef.

And we can’t forget about the high amounts of vitamin B12, zinc, and the highly-absorbed iron, which vegans and many people in general tend to not get enough of...all of which also are important for high testosterone levels.

 

#4: Bacon

This one may be especially shocking. The problem lies in either misconceptions about bacon or how it’s actually prepared.

The fat in bacon is actually 50% monounsaturated. Most of the remaining fat is saturated fat. Both are the testosterone-boosting, healthy fats we want more of.

Next, we do want to decrease exposure to processed meat like we talked about.

So I recommend organic, grass-fed bacon in the naturally smoked or plain cut form. I personally prefer boar bacon.

#5: Potatoes

Some carb sources like grains can be processed so that they are stripped of important nutrients. Or they can contain gluten. Since gluten raises prolactin which then reduces testosterone, I prefer non-gluten sources of carbs like potatoes.

There’s a big debate about whether sweet or white potatoes are better. Most will automatically say sweet potatoes are good for you because they provide steady energy and are packed with nutrients like vitamin A. That’s all true, but potatoes simply have a different nutrient profile.

While potatoes actually have far more potassium which is important for managing blood pressure.

The only bad thing about white potatoes is that they tend to be included in highly processed junk like french fries. A simple solution is to stop buying those packaged forms of food and stick with natural white and sweet potatoes, which have vitamin C that’s actually been shown to lower testosterone-killing cortisol as well.

 

#6: Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables include staples like broccoli and cauliflower.

I decided to group cruciferous vegetables together because they are what I called estrogen-killing vegetables. According to research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, they contain phytochemicals that have been shown to block estrogen absorption [18].

Due to estrogen in our environment, men nowadays have high estrogen levels that feminize them and reduce their testosterone levels. So don’t forget to have a few servings of broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnips, or rutabagas.

 

#7: Pomegranate

Throughout history, pomegranates have symbolized fertility and was thought to enhance sex drive as well.

Thanks to research, we now know pomegranates are a hidden gem for both erectile dysfunction and exercise performance. A study from Boston University has been shown to increase blood flow and erectile response [20].

Another study in 19 athletes found that just 1 gram of pomegranate extract supplies dietary nitrates which increase blood flow to delay the onset of fatigue and increase energy efficiency [21].

That means you could potentially boost performance in the gym and gain more muscle and strength.

Pomegranates are also high in polyphenolic antioxidants that reduce stress and reduce risk of heart disease by helping your blood pressure.

A study published in Endocrine Abstracts actually showed that pomegranate juice boosted testosterone by 24%, which is pretty impressive considering this was just one single food item in their diet [19].

 

#8: Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-fed butter is another great source of saturated fat to boost testosterone.

It’s also loaded with vitamin K2. In fact, high fat grass-fed butter is one of the best forms out there. 

Leafy greens have a lot of vitamin K1, which is important for blood clotting. K2, on the other hand, is higher in animal products and has a unique benefit. Research published in the Journal of Vascular Research found that K2 decalcifies your arteries [22].

That’s why research published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that those with the highest intakes of vitamin K2 had a 57% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 26% lower risk of death from all causes over a 7-10 year period [23].

 

#9: Avocado

Of all the foods on this list, avocados are probably the most well-known for being a superfood. They’re loaded with nutrients vitamin K, vitamin C, and even have more potassium than bananas.

Avocados are a food that’s very high in fat. Fortunately, 71% of the fat is in the form of T-boosting monounsaturated fat. It contains oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat included in olive oil.

According to the University of California Davis Medical Center, avocados are known to fight inflammation and improve your heart health [25].

As you can see by this list, if you want to boost testosterone, build muscle, and have unstoppable virility, you need healthy food sources from all food categories.

Even when you have that in check, you still may want even higher T-levels.

There are testosterone-lowering estrogens in our shampoo, water bottles, food supply, deodorant, and everywhere you’d least expect. Plus, every year, men lose up to 2% of their testosterone according to the National Institutes of Health [26].

That’s where Man Boost comes in.

Man Boost is my industry-leading formula to lower estrogen, raise testosterone, and aid in brain function.

It contains no fillers or proprietary blends that so many companies use to hide what’s actually in the supplement.

Man Boost contains 4 of the most powerful testosterone-boosting and estrogen-blocking ingredients:

• Zinc picolinate which has been found to raise testosterone and even reduce estrogen activity by 57%
• Resveratrol which increases the amount of the protein sTAR to increase conversion of cholesterol to testosterone in your testes and has been shown to boost T-levels by 51%
• IC-3, a rare molecule that causes you to flush estrogen through the liver
• Boron which has been shown to increase free testosterone by 28%, decrease free estrogen by 39%, and reduce vitality-killing inflammation

You can grab Man Boost through the link below.

Those were the 9 best testosterone boosting foods. Make sure to stock up on them and grab Man Boost, and you’ll be on your way to sky-high testosterone levels.

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22958314/
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3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9029197/
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5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15085559/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16985734/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6538617/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23328391/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17608242/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154195/
11. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/136/2/533S/4664398
12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0026049565900028
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC24942/
14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8120521/
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2710749/
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628355/
17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20479151/
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5535874/
19. https://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0028/ea0028p313
20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15947695/
21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4146683/
22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14654717/
23. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/134/11/3100/4688389
24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23678636/
25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16484595/
26. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11158037/