Want to fire up your sex life by eating foods that can help get you in the mood on the sexiest day of the year? Check out my list of 9 foods that can get the blood flowing and the sperm swimming.
1. Chocolate: Probably the #1 food linked to love and sensuality, just the aroma is enough to boost sexual desire. Widely known to release pleasure-enhancing dopamine into the brain. Eating chocolate is associated with love and attraction. Some say it is better than sex. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which acts as a neurotransmitter, releasing dopamine creating that falling in love feeling in the brain. Warning: consuming too much can cause a false sense of love.
2. Red Wine: This can help you heat things up with your sweetie by sending your lust into overdrive.
3. Bananas: Bananas not only can look like a feel-good food but they contain an enzyme, bromelain, which may boost testosterone production. Rich in vitamin B6, which is known for building serotonin levels and elevating your mood.
4. Avocados: Avocados act as a mood booster because they are rich in folic acid, vitamin B6 and potassium. The smooth and creamy texture combined with the rich flavor of avocados has linked this fruit to love as far back as the Aztecs. As a bonus during American Health Month, avocados are virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat which according to the American Heart Association, good fats are those that can lower bad cholesterol levels and are beneficial when consumed in moderation.
5. Almonds: The aroma of almonds is believed to arouse female passion. Rich in vitamin E, magnesium, protein and fiber, almonds will also make you feel satisfied.
6. Oysters: Oysters have a notorious reputation for love and fertility since they are high in zinc, which has been shown to boost libido. They also contain amino acids that may trigger sex hormone production. Book your Valentine’s Day reservation at the new 801 Fish in Park Place for a variety of fresh raw oyster options. Oysters pair perfectly with a chilled glass of champagne to get you in the mood for romance.
7. Baby Carrots: Recent research from Harvard suggests that carrots have special sperm-boosting properties. They are high in beta-carotene and this antioxidant has been found to boost sperm motility, in other words, helping the sperm swim towards an egg.
8. Watermelon: Touted as the lycopene leader of all fruits and vegetables, this powerful antioxidant might have a Viagra-like effect on men’s blood vessels and increase libido.
9. Salmon (or other cold-water fish): Salmon can help elevate mood and prevent depression with the omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids may also raise serotonin levels in the brain, which regulate your mood and reduce irritability.
Reprinted with permission from my column in 435 South Magazine [1].
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