A popular one appears to be a thick smoked meat sandwich on rye, chicken wings, or pizza, according to a Swagger informal survey.
The “what” is Post-Coital Noshing (PCN) – that after-sex fridge raid.
The spiked appetite is as a result of the body’s physiological need to urgently replenish the nutrients expended during intercourse, explain experts.
“The desire to consume food after sex can be caused by the number of calories burned during the act of love making,” explains Emanuela Fernandes, novelist, and journalist, who has written about food’s sensual aspects for Playboy.
But watch out – you could be having the wrong PCN, causing any number of issues like reflux, bloating, muscle pain, or dehydration. That’s the last thing you want after a sexy, sensuous evening.
Rani Glick, a nutritionist, and health coach likens sex to a “complete physical workout”, and thus would require the same kinds of foods as post-exercise.
According to Glick, carbs, proteins, fruits and vegetables are the healthiest way to go. “Proteins like chicken or tofu helps repair muscle, and light grains – especially gluten free grains – are least likely to bloat you,” she adds.
“Magnesium-rich foods, like pumpkin, squash, and chicken, are good for cardiovascular health, blood supply to the heart, restoring the arteries, and muscle health.”
A four to one carb-to-protein ratio is a sound measurement for muscle recovery after intense exercise, one study found. Doing so effectively replaces glycogen (a kind of sugar) and sodium (a kind of salt).
On the avoid list, she advises, is anything with processed sugar, an “artificial high” that invariably results in a “crash” later on. Late night fried foods, moreover, are often blame-worthy for reflux.
Andrea Sinclair, certified registered holistic nutritionist, suggests nutrient-dense foods.
“There’s a window of 40 minutes where your body absorbs all of the nutrition. Perfect is a protein shake, or yoghurt, or some source of quality protein.”
Ix-ney on caffeine and alcohol – both diuretics – she says, as they will dehydrate you even more, even though initially they might make you feel good.
Plus, junk food is no good, she says.
“It spikes your blood sugar, not necessarily a great thing to do. Any time you ingest that, your body needs to mount an insulin response, to pack it into the cells. You don’t want empty calories, especially if you want to think about performing again.”
Lastly, she advises eating foods high in potassium (dark leafy greens, potatoes, fish), the mineral that regulates heart and muscle activity, and maintains healthy blood pressure.
There is one particular food that has high doses of this mineral.
Wait for it…
A banana.
So the next time you reach for your PCN, you’ll know what the body needs, so you can make it to the next round of PCN.
