Some foods are more effective
on the opposite s*x; these do
wonders for both of you. Dig
in! 1 Spinach Come to think of it, Popeye
and Olive Oyl were always
chasing one another around.
Eating spinach puts you in the
mood by increasing blood flow
below the belt. “Spinach is rich in magnesium, a mineral that
decreases inflammation in
blood vessels, increasing
blood flow,†explains Cassie
Bjork, RD, LD of Healthy
Simple Life. “Increased blood flow drives blood to the
extremities, which, like Viagra,
can increase arousal and make
s*x more pleasurable,†says
psychotherapist and s*x expert
Tammy Nelson Ph.D. “Women will find it is easier to have an
orgasm, and men will find that
erections come more
naturally.†So, you could reach
for one of these heart-shaped
boxes of chocolates from our list of best and worst Valentine’s Day candy in America, or you can make
each other swoon with
spinach! Or both, because…
see the next one! 2 Dark Chocolate Chocolate increases both
serotonin and dopamine levels
in the brain, making us happy
and lowering our stress level—
both “mood†boosters if you
know what we mean. Another theory is that cocoa increases
blood flow through the arteries
and relaxes blood vessels—
sending blood to all the right
regions. Whatever the reason,
chocolate is never a bad thing. 3 Peppers The hotter they are, the better.
Hot peppers increase your metabolism and stimulate
endorphins, making you sweat,
plumping your lips, and
speeding up your heart rate.
That gets the blood flowing to
all the essential areas. The net result? Better s*x and a more
memorable finale. (If you’re
planning on handling
habañeros, however, make
sure that you wash your hands
before getting near sensitive body parts.) 4 Green Tea The secret to a hotter nightlife
starts with a hot cup of tea.
Green tea is rich in compounds
called catechins, which have
been shown to blast away
belly fat and speed the liver’s capacity for turning fat into
energy. But that’s not all:
Catechins also boost desire by
promoting blood flow to your
nether regions. “Catechins kill
off free radicals that damage and inflame blood vessels,
increasing their ability to
transport blood,†says Bjork.
“Catechins also cause blood
vessel cells to release nitric
oxide, which increases the size of the blood vessels, leading to
improved blood flow,†she
explains. Make the most of the
benefits from tea with The 7- Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse—
test panelists lost up to 10
pounds in one week! 5 Oysters Oysters are brimming with
zinc, a mineral that elevates
testosterone while
simultaneously boosting
growth factor hormone—both of
which enhance muscle growth and physical performance (in
and out of the bedroom).
Research has also shown
deficiencies in zinc to be a risk
factor for infertility caused by
low testosterone levels. 6 Pesto Eat pesto. Pine nuts are full of
zinc (like oysters, above!), and
people with higher levels of
zinc in their system have been
shown to have a higher s*x
drive than those with lower levels. 7 Ginger If you like your food like you
like your lovers—sweet and
spicy—you’re in luck. Ginger is
another food that can improve
your s*x life by aiding blood
flow and improving artery health. According to a study in
the International Journal of Cardiology, consuming a mere teaspoon of the stuff a few
times a week is all you need to
reap the heart-healthy
benefits. So go ahead and
place that second order of
sushi this week—just don’t leave the ginger on your plate.
(Psst! Did you know that a
sushi joint is the #1 best restaurant for a first date?) 8 Pumpkin Seeds That Pumpkin Spice Latte may
be on your mind first thing in
the morning, but before
bedtime, getting some
sustenance from a real
pumpkin might lift your spirits more effectively. In fact,
pumpkin seeds can help boost
your mood. They’re one of the
best food sources of an amino
acid known as tryptophan,
which helps the production of serotonin in your brain.
Antidepressants help the brain
to circulate serotonin, so if
you’re taking them now, these
little pumpkin pick-me-ups may
make them even more effective. 9 Bananas Bananas are one of the top
sources of potassium, which
helps to counteract the effects
of foods high in sodium. Salty
foods can not only diminish
blood flood to the genitals, which can make it more
difficult to reach orgasm, but
they can also make you
bloated. 10 Potatoes Whether they’re the white or
the sweet variety, potatoes are
a great source of potassium.
This nutrient counteracts salt’s
bloating effects and boosts
circulation, which can help you look better in bed and also
boost your bedroom pleasure.
It can also improve your mood:
Studies have linked low
potassium levels with
depression. 11 Fatty Fish It’s no secret that oily
coldwater fish like wild salmon,
sardines, and tuna are
overflowing with omega-3 fatty
acids, but here’s something
you may not know: The nutrient not only benefits your
heart but also raises dopamine
levels in the brain. This spike
in dopamine improves
circulation and blood flow,
triggering arousal, Bjork and Nelson explain. There’s more:
“Dopamine will make you feel
more relaxed and connected to
your partner, which makes s*x
more fun,†adds Nelson. Just
make sure you buy the right kind. Foods For Her s*x
Drive These best foods that increase
libido are sure to put her in the
mood. 12 Coffee It turns out all those Starbucks
dates may be worthwhile—
coffee may just be the best
libido booster around. It
contains a stimulant that has
been shown to put females in the mood, a study in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior found. Grab a cappuccino and brace yourself
for a long, lucky night. 13 Red Wine If you’re looking for a way to
simultaneously boost your
libido and calm those pre-date
jitters, pour yourself a glass of
red. Women who drank one to
two glasses had heightened s*xual desire compared to
ladies who didn’t down any
vino, a Journal of s*xual Medicine study found. (Just be sure to cut yourself off after
your second glass; enjoying
more than that didn’t stimulate
any further arousal, and
knocking back too much can
stop the show before it starts.) What makes the elixir so
beneficial is a rich antioxidant
profile that triggers nitric oxide
production in the blood, which
relaxes artery walls. As with
many of the foods on this list, that increases blood flow down
south. 14 Steaks and Burgers If your crazy-busy schedule is
to blame for your lack of libido,
you’re not alone. “One of the
primary reasons couples stop
having s*x is because they’re
tired, fatigued and stressed. But sometimes, there’s a
biological component at play,â€
says Nelson. One of the
causes of fatigue in women is
iron deficiency. The condition
can sap energy, which may result in a low s*x drive,
explains Nelson. Bjork
concurs, adding, “Iron
deficiency is common and can
result in feelings of
exhaustion, weakness, and irritability, which doesn’t make
anyone feel like getting
intimate.†Because red meat is
full of iron, it’s deemed one of
our foods that increase libido. Foods For His s*x
Drive These picks are sure to put
him in the mood. 15 Pomegranate Juice A recent study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research and performed at the Male Clinic in
Beverly Hills (yes, they’re both
real!) found that pomegranate
juice, such as POM Wonderful,
had a positive effect on
erectile dysfunction. Pomegranate has been linked
with antioxidants that support
blood flow. Just be sure to
water your juice down a bit:
One cup of POM Wonderful
has 31 grams of sugar. 16 Watermelon Wind down your date with
watermelon. Watermelon has
even more lycopene than
tomatoes, and lycopene rivals
Viagra in its ability to relax
blood vessels and improve circulation to certain, ahem,
areas of the body. Try Jamba
Juice’s Wildly Watermelon
Whirl’n frozen yogurt as a post
date dessert—only 180 calories
and made from real watermelon juice. 17 Blueberries Blueberries make things
harder, but in a good way.
According to a joint study from
the University of East Anglia and Harvard University, eating
flavonoid-rich foods is
associated with a reduced risk
of ED. Of the six main types of
flavonoids, three in particular—
anthocyanins (found in blueberries), flavanones and
flavones (both found in citrus
fruits)—offer the greatest
benefits in preventing ED. 18 Nuts Here’s how nuts can boost
s*xual stamina: Pistachios,
peanuts, and walnuts all
contain the amino acid L-
arginine, which is one of the
building blocks of nitric oxide—a naturally-occurring gas that
helps guys maintain their
erections. Plus, nuts also help
reduce cholesterol levels. The
less cholesterol you have in
your system, the easier it is for blood to circulate throughout
your body and down to your
P*n*s, which can help you
maintain a firmer erection
longer. Stay hard and lose
your belly with these killer snack foods for weight loss. 19 Garlic According to historians,
ancient Egyptians used garlic
to boost their stamina. While
they didn’t have modern-day
science to confirm that it
actually worked, they were most certainly onto something.
Researchers have confirmed
that consuming the plant helps
stop the formation of new fatty
deposits, called nanoplaques,
inside arterial walls. Yes, that includes the arteries leading to
your P*n*s, too. Keep your
heart healthy and your
erections strong by adding
some of the kitchen staples to
your weekly dishes. But bear in mind that garlic won’t make
your breath smell particularly
seductive, so keep it out of
your date-night diet. 20 Oats If you want to go long enough
to help your date reach the
big-O (hint: you should), reach
for some oatmeal. The popular breakfast cereal is a good
source of l-arginine, an amino
acid commonly used to treat
erectile dysfunction. Plus,
whole grains like oatmeal also
help lower cholesterol levels. Having high cholesterol can
lead to atherosclerosis, a
condition that clogs and
narrows arteries, impairing
blood flow. This could
eventually lead to heart problems, but you’ll likely
notice issues below the belt
first. The arteries surrounding
the genital area are narrower
than coronary blood vessels,
so they’re more susceptible to clots. Simply put, the better
your cholesterol levels are, the
better your erection will be,
too.
