2. Brazil Nuts
Nuts are generally considered to be a healthy source of fats.
Although Brazil nuts contain a hefty amount of monounsaturated and saturated fats, their real T-boosting ability lies in their micronutrient content.
Brazil nuts deliver a rich source of selenium, a mineral proven to support testosterone production (38, 39).
Just 1 oz. of Brazil nuts provides your daily requirement of selenium.
3. Avocados
Most fruits contain carbs.
The avocado is unique in that 77% of its calories come from fat, and most of it is monounsaturated fat, i.e. exactly the type of fat that supports T.
Other than the fat content, avocados also provide a rich source of vitamins and minerals, namely:
Vitamin A, B vitamins, K2, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and copper.
Avocados are incredibly nutritious and their health benefits go beyond just increasing testosterone.
Read about all of the ways avocados can benefit your life.
4. Coconut Oil
There are countless studies that show coconut oil to be amongst the healthiest foods on the planet.
About 91% of the fat in coconut oil is T-boosting saturated fat.
However, unlike other common sources of saturated fat (animals, butter, eggs, etc), the fat from coconut oil is made up of MCFAs (medium chain fatty acids).
MCFAs are the perfect energy source because they are directly transported to the liver and instantly used up as fuel. It is near impossible for them to get stored as fat.
There haven't been any human studies on the impact of coconut oil on testosterone, but a few rodent studies demonstrate impressive results:
Rats who were fed coconut oil daily for 60 days had lower cortisol and significantly higher T levels compared to those who consumed olive oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, or no oil (40).
Now, it is not for sure that this exact effect will carry over to humans as well, but it is still interesting to note.
5. Olive Oil
Researchers found (41) that men consuming olive oil everyday for 3 weeks experienced 17% higher testosterone levels. This likely occurred due to the high monounsaturated fat content.
Olive oil is also a proven anti-inflammatory (42) and antioxidant (43).
When you buy olive oil, go for the extra virgin kind.
Extra virgin means that it has been extracted from the first press and is free from any added substances.
6. Grass-fed Butter
Butter provides a rich source of saturated fats.
On top of that, butter also provides CLA (may have positive effect on T) and a bunch of vitamins and minerals as well.
Opt for grass-fed butter because it is sourced from cows feeding on a natural diet of grass rather than grains.
Also, grass-fed butter has a better nutritional profile of fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
7. Ricotta Cheese
Fermented foods, like cheese, aid testosterone by providing your body with probiotics.
Probiotics are loaded with healthy gut bacteria that aids digestion and proper nutrient absorption (44).
Ricotta cheese also provides a natural source of whey protein.
You read earlier that protein is the least important macronutrient for testosterone.
This is true.
However, whey protein intake seems to blunt the effect of the stress hormone, cortisol, during times of intense training (45).
8. Bacon
Bacon is another food packed with T-boosting saturated fat and cholesterol.
But the catch here is that you should go for organic bacon.
The cheap, traditional bacon that you get everywhere is sourced from pigs fed on an unnatural diet and pumped full of hormones, antibiotics, and estrogenic compounds.
9. Minced Meat
Regardless of whether you get minced beef, pork, lamb, or turkey, minced meat provides a rich source of saturated fats and animal protein.
Although protein is the least important macronutrient for testosterone production, your body still needs it for muscle growth and recovery.
Protein coming from animal sources is far superior than it coming from any other source.
10. Tuna
Tuna is yet another great source of high-quality animal protein that can aid in muscle recovery and growth.
But tuna's T-boosting properties lie in its high vitamin D and omega-3 content.
Vitamin D is a crucial component in testosterone production and tuna is one of the best food sources to get it from.
11. Salmon
If you don't like tuna you can opt for salmon, which delivers a similar nutritional profile.
In addition to the vitamin D and omega-3 content, salmon also provides a bunch of dietary cholesterol along with a hefty dose of selenium.
12. Shellfish
Whether its crab, lobster, shrimp, or prawns, shellfish provide a rich source of zinc, magnesium, selenium, and vitamin D.
All micronutrients that are associated with increasing testosterone levels.
13. Oysters
Oysters are the quintessential T-boosting food.
The main T-boosting ingredient in oysters is zinc; just six of them provides the recommended daily amount.
But other than the zinc content, oysters also contain magnesium, selenium, copper, and vitamin D, all of which are vitamins and minerals that have a positive correlation with testosterone.
It is said that Casanova (the 18th century ladies man) used to eat 60 oysters for breakfast every morning.
Maybe he was on to something.
14. Grapes
The skin of red grapes contains resveratrol, a proven aromatase inhibitor (46).
Recall from earlier that aromatase is an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen.
By consuming red grapes you reduce the activity of aromatase, therefore allowing an elevated concentration of testosterone.
15. Pomegranates
Pomegranate is one of the only fruits that has been directly studied for its effect on testosterone.
In one study (47), researchers gave subjects pomegranate juice for 2 weeks, and at the end of 2 weeks, the average increase in testosterone was 24%.
In test-tube studies (48), pomegranates have been shown to have anti-estrogenic effects.
I love pomegranates and include them as an everyday part of my diet (whenever they are in season, that is).
16. Strawberries
In addition to being delicious, strawberries also contain vitamins and minerals that aid testosterone production.
These include magnesium, vitamin C, and a bunch of antioxidants.
Higher vitamin C intake has been associated with lower levels of cortisol (49).
Also, vitamin C intake is associated with a higher sperm count (50).
17. Bananas
Bananas are well known to be a potent source of potassium.
But banana's also deliver a little known mineral called bromelain, which has been shown (51) to support testosterone production.
18. Potatoes
You already know that carbohydrate consumption is critical for your body to produce optimal levels of T.
This is especially true if you are a man who lifts weights regularly.
The problem is that many of the carbs that form the basis of the Modern American Diet come from refined grains.
The extent to which grains affect the human body is beyond the scope of this article, but just know that eating refined grains causes inflammation (52) and spikes blood sugar (53). Both of these outcomes negatively affect testosterone.
This is why I opt for potatoes (all kinds) as one of my main carb source.
They provide me with the energy to power through my workouts while minimizing the effect of cortisol.
19. Kidney Beans
Not only are kidney beans loaded with zinc, magnesium, and iron, but they also provide more protein than any other plant source.
Like potatoes, beans provide an excellent source of slow-release energy without spiking blood sugar.
I add a large can of dark red kidney beans to my turkey chili, which I eat on most days.
20. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds provide an excellent source of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin K, all of which support T.
Furthermore, pumpkin seeds also contain a bunch of T-boosting saturated fat.
Pumpkin seeds are a good snack to much on in between meals.
21. Mushrooms
Mushrooms have powerful anti-estrogenic effects.
They contain an ingredient called polysaccharides, a proven aromatase inhibitor (54).
Less aromatase activity means more testosterone in your blood stream.
All mushrooms have anti-estrogenic effects, but it is the white-button mushrooms that have been studied (55) to have the most powerful effects.
22. Ginger
The active ingredient in ginger, gingerol, has powerful anti-inflammatory effects (56).
Studies have also shown gingerol to have androgenic effects (57, 58). These effects, however, have only been studied in rats.
The only human study with ginger was performed on infertile men, in which ginger supplementation over 3 months increased T levels by 14% (59).
23. Onions
Onions are a proven anti-inflammatory (60) and antioxidant (61).
Multiple rodent studies (62, 63) have found onion consumption to have powerful testosterone boosting effects as well.
It is impossible to say whether this same effect carries on to the same extent in humans, but it is interesting to note.
Onions also contain quercetin, an ingredient that has been shown (64) to have anti-estrogenic effects.
24. Broccoli
Cruciferous vegetables, which include the likes of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts, are all proven estrogen-blockers (65).
Cruciferous vegetables contain carbinol.
Studies have shown (66) carbinol consumption to increase estrogen excretion by up to 50% in men.
As you know, estrogen holds an inverse relationship with T:
Lower estrogen means higher testosterone (this relationship does not hold true when using exogenous forms of testosterone).
25. Spinach
Spinach provides one of the best dietary sources of magnesium. Just one cup of cooked spinach provides close to half of your recommended daily amount.
Spinach also contains B vitamins and iron, both of which are micronutrients that your body needs for optimal function.
26. Curcumin
Curcumin is the active ingredient found in turmeric. It is a proven anti-inflammatory (67), anti-oxidant (68), and possibly an anti-catabolic agent as well (69, 70).
Although its direct interaction with testosterone production has not been studied, affecting these three areas in such a way is likely to affect testosterone positively.
27. Asparagus
Asparagus has long been considered a natural aphrodisiac.
It is loaded with B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin E, and potassium.
Vitamin E has been shown to a have an important role in testosterone production (72). Magnesium, as you know, is also a crucial component.
28. Figs
Figs provide a rich source of manganese, iron, potassium, and zinc, i.e. all minerals that aid your body's cardiovascular health, muscular health, and hormonal production.
Figs also contain a bunch of antioxidants that can help flush your body of unwanted materials (73).
29. Chicken Liver
Chicken liver (and all animal organs for that matter) provide a rich source of zinc, vitamin K, and saturated fats.
You already know that zinc is crucial for optimal T.
Vitamin K has also been shown (74, 75) to affect T positively, but only in rodent studies.
30. Fermented Foods
As mentioned above, fermented foods (pickles, kombucha, kimchi, yoghurt) all provide an excellent source of probiotics.
By eating fermented foods, not only will the probiotics aid digestion, but they will also allow your body to better absorb nutrients.
31. Grass-Fed Beef
Of course, this list would be incomplete without some good ol' steak.
All types of red meat provide hefty amounts of T-boosting saturated fats.
Steak has been my go to meal for a couple of years now, and the best part is that it's so easy to make.
And, like I mentioned above, I always go for grass-fed meats.
Animals brought into a factory farmed environment are injected with growth hormone (to make them grow as fast as possible), fed an unnatural diet (animals that are used to eating grass are fed grains), and given antibiotics (because the animals are getting sick from growing artificially quickly and an unnatural diet).