There are foods that are purely functional: think broccoli, green beans, cabbage, turnips… you get the picture. Sure, they’re good for you, but sexy? Uh, nope. Meanwhile, certain other foods have got it going on! They are healthy and possess super love- and lust-inducing powers. Thanks to a delicious combo of taste, aroma, shape, decadent mouth-feel and other complex biochemical science-y type stuff, the following foods should be added to your shopping list posthaste.
Oysters
Clichéd as they may be, we can’t leave these guys out! Slowly slurping fresh oysters from their shells is a sensual experience in itself, but they owe their legendary powers to zinc, a mineral thought to aid female sexual health and fertility. Oysters also contain the amino acid taurine, which helps boost male, ahem, energy and endurance. Don’t like oysters? That’s a shame!
Strawberries
Red, plump, sweet and packed with antioxidant goodness, strawberries also contain compounds that help set the blood pumping through your veins. And since a healthy circulation equals a happier sex life, we’ll take it! As luck would have it, fresh strawberries dipped in rich, melted dark chocolate (or any kind of chocolate!) are God’s gifts to lovers everywhere. Indulge at will.
Asparagus
Suggestive shape aside, asparagus is a rich source of folate, copper and vitamins A, C, E and K, all essential for reproductive wellbeing and a healthy libido. For a super sexy starter, eat it raw, lightly steamed or grilled with a little olive oil and sea-salt. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes to add a bit of zing (the capsaicin in fiery chillies also stimulates endorphins). Feed them to someone special using your fingers!
Avocados
From their sensuous shape to their smooth, buttery creaminess, avocados deliver the goods in a big way. They’re packed with nutrients that boost sexual health, including betacarotene, magnesium and vitamin E. They also contain vitamin B6, which helps produce the feel-good hormone serotonin. There is nothing you can’t do with an avocado and that’s all we’ll say about that.
Dark chocolate
Chocolate contains phenylethylamine and theobromine, chemicals believed to affect neurotransmitters in the brain leading to euphoria and arousal. Good-quality dark chocolate (choose 72 per cent cacao or higher) is also loaded with antioxidants that boost circulation. A British university study found letting chocolate melt in your mouth is more stimulating than kissing. All of which is code for ‘Please may I have another square?’ and ‘Are there any research positions available at your university?’
Love these love foods
The following foods also contain healthy amounts of love-promoting goodness:
- Honey
- Figs
- Almonds
- Chilli peppers
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Red wine (Sorry, what? Red wine isn’t a food? Oops! We highly recommend it anyway.)
See linked recipes below for some LOVEly ideas.
