Many men have traded in steaks for poultry or fish in an effort to eat what they assume is a healthier option.
Red meat often contains high amounts of saturated fat that has been linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and certain cancers.
However red meat such as pork, beef and lamb are some of the most important sources of zinc, vital for the maintenance of testosterone levels in the blood.
The mineral is also a key component in the production of healthy and mobile sperm and for maintaining a strong sex drive.
Nutritionists recommend that men aged 19-64 should be consuming 9.5mg of zinc a day – equivalent to eating 8oz of beef a day.
Dr Emma Derbyshire, a public health nutritionist with the consultancy Nutrition Insight, said: “For males, zinc is a vital nutrient to help maintain normal levels of testosterone in the system. Without it both sex drive and fertility could be seriously impacted.”