Even though we show in another chapter that more women engage in oral sex than you might think, some do not. One of the reasons often cited by those with an aversion to oral sex is actually a nutritional one. Many people believe that semen is high in calories. While this may seem crazy (or even disgusting to some), a rudimentary search of the Internet shows that it is an active concern for a surprising number of women, especially teenage girls.
We should start by making sure that everyone understands exactly what we are talking about. Semen is composed of sperm and fluid from the seminal vesicles, prostate gland and Cowper’s gland. Sperm develop in the testicles and then move to the seminal vesicles through tubes known as the vas deferens. While in the seminal vesicles, sperm mix with the other fluids to form semen.
To figure out the calorie content, you have to know what to count. A normal male ejaculation is about 3 mls of semen, or less than one teaspoon. The amount of semen in any given ejaculation can be higher or lower, however, depending on how recently the last ejaculation occurred. In fact, one study found that each day of not having sex could increase the volume of semen by over half a millilitre. A normal volume of semen can contain about 75 million sperm per millilitre, so the usual ejaculation will contain somewhere between 200 and 300 million sperm.
But sperm are not where the calories come from. It’s the fluid that has everyone concerned. Although there is little nutritional value to semen, it does contain water, vitamin C, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, citrate, chloride, protein and (most concerning to those watching calories) fructose – a type of sugar. However, the amounts contained in semen are very, very small. In total, a typical male ejaculation probably contains about five to seven calories. This amount is so small that you would probably burn it off during any sexual activity at all.
This nutritional information should not be used in any debate about spitting versus swallowing. Just know that swallowing won’t ruin your diet.