Ask the Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,\nI am a big fan of receiving blow jobs from my girlfriend (I realize this does not make me an anomalous case). I get fellatio rather regularly, but when I talked with her about increasing the frequency, she noted, "It's not the greatest taste in the world." Which leads me to my question: Is there anything I can do physically or nutritionally to improve the taste of my semen?\nMmm Mmm Good\nDear Good,\nRemember that old saying, "you are what you eat"? Well, add this to the list of occasions where that phrase might actually come in handy. Semen is a bodily fluid, just like saliva, sweat, urine and even your girlfriend's vaginal secretions. All of these bodily byproducts are affected by what you eat.\nIf you're terribly concerned about the way your semen tastes, you could try altering your diet. Basically, anything that makes your breath, sweat or urine smell funny will probably have a similar effect on your semen. Remember these three little words to live by: Vegetarians taste better. Meat, processed food, caffeine and alcohol can all make your semen taste more bitter or acidic, so try cutting those out for a few weeks, and see if that makes a difference. Easily digestible foods such as whole grains. Fresh veggies are your best bets. Avoid spicy things such as curry and garlic. Oh, and while you're at it, quit smoking. Pretty soon, you'll be doing tai-chi at sunrise.\nBut if converting to a holistic lifestyle doesn't exactly appeal to you, there are other options. As you said in your letter, this is a totally subjective matter. Some people like a more potent flavor in their lovers. And anyway, let's face facts: It ain't exactly ice cream. And while there are things you could do to alter the flavor, you're never going to make it taste like ambrosia. So think about some alternate solutions.\nFirst of all, if she doesn't like the taste, she doesn't have to swallow. (Hello! That much should be obvious.) She might feel like she's pressured to swallow every single time, or else you might not enjoy it as much. And you know how it is with performance pressure: whether it's real or imagined, even the littlest bit can ruin a sexual encounter. And she probably shouldn't be swallowing anyway, since there is a wealth of new evidence that shows HIV and other STDs are more easily transmittable through oral sex than previously believed. If you two are in a monogamous, long-term relationship, you're probably safe, but she shouldn't make a habit of it. So perhaps she could simply go down on you for a while, and then help you achieve orgasm through manual stimulation or some other means.\nShe could also experiment with flavored condoms. That way, she can actually choose her own flavor for any given encounter, you get your oral-sex induced orgasm and you're both protected against the transmission of diseases. How could that be bad?\nIf you've tried everything under the sun to prevent oral sex from leaving a bad taste in her mouth and she's still not into it, maybe she just doesn't like it. Some people don't. In that case, there's not much you can do, other than be grateful for what you have, or find a new, more willing partner. You decide which is more important.\nSend questions and comments to the Sexpert at jfinkel@indiana.edu. Look for the Sexpert Tuesdays in the IDS.