Dear P,

A typical ejaculation fills up about one teaspoon; the actual amount is determined by a man's age (younger men usually make more semen), when he last ejaculated, and how long he's aroused before ejaculating, among other factors. Contrary to what you've heard, semen is not loaded with calories. Each teaspoon of ejaculate has about five to seven calories and some 200 to 500 million sperm. Since sperm make up only about one percent of semen, what accounts for the other 99 percent? Well, its other ingredients include:

Fructose sugar

Water

Ascorbic acid (a.k.a., Vitamin C)

Citric acid

Enzymes

Protein

Phosphate and bicarbonate buffers (bases)

Zinc

Can swallowing semen enrich a protein poor diet? Unless you're gulping gallons of it each day, it's no substitute for real nutritious cuisine! While it may be nutrition you're after, P, semen can also transmit sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It may be a good idea to keep in mind safer sex practices when considering whether or not to swallow.

Alice!