Looking to spice up your love life this Valentine’s Day? The trick may be what you eat for dinner.

Consider steaming asparagus or roasting almonds to get your blood flowing and excite your taste buds. These aphrodisiacs will not only help put you and your special someone in the mood for a Valentine’s Day feast, but allow you to enjoy each other for dessert.

Asparagus

Seventeenth century English herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, once wrote that asparagus "stirs up lust in man and woman." This started the frenzy of eating substantial amounts of asparagus in hopes of increasing ones sex drive. Asparagus is also a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, thiamin and folic acid. The latter is said to boost histamine production necessary for the ability to reach orgasm in men and women.

Almonds

Almonds have a history of been regarded as fertility symbols and their smell is said to arouse passion in women. Almonds also provide high doses of vitamin E, magnesium and fiber, which contribute to overall health and stamina.

Avocados

The shape of the avocado alludes to associations with sexuality and fertility. Supposedly the Aztecs called the avocado ahuacuatl, or "testicle tree, as they thought that when the fruit would hang on the tree in pairs, that it resembled part of the male anatomy. In Spain, sixteenth century Catholic priests found avocados to be so suggestive that they were forbidden by the Church.

Bananas

The suggestive shape of the banana and its nutrients are said to pack a sexual punch. Bananas are loaded with chelating minerals and the bromeliad enzyme which are said to enhance the male libido.

Basil

Basil has a sweet aroma that is believed to have an aphrodisiac effect. The Greeks and Italians have used it for centuries to spice up their cuisine as well as their sex lives.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains a host of compounds including anandamide, the feel-good chemical, and phenylethylamine, which has been labeled the "love chemical," because it releases dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain.

Figs

Figs are believed to emulate the female sex organs. The ancient Greeks viewed them as sacred and associated them with love and fertility.

Garlic

Garlic cloves have been used for centuries to spice up foods and passion. They were rumored to be so potent that Tibetan monks were forbidden from entering the monasteries if they had eaten garlic because it was presumed to inflame passions. Researchers in Berlin have found that consuming garlic can help increase blood flow to the groin.

Oysters

Oysters have a reputation for their stimulating effect and have been linked to love throughout history beginning with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, who sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell. Casanova, the renowned 18th century lover, has also been linked to the infamous love food. Rumor has it that he would wake to a breakfast of 50 oysters.

The rumor of oysters acting as a powerful aphrodisiac is also backed by science. In 2005, a team of researchers analyzed bivalve mollusks - a group of shellfish that includes oysters - and found they were rich in rare amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones. The scientists stressed that the oysters have to be eaten raw to be most effective.

Honey

This sweet and sticky treat is a great source of boron, a trace mineral that assists the body by metabolizing sex hormone estrogen. Recent studies show this mineral may also help increase testosterone levels in the blood, which is thought to increase the sex drive of men and women.

Sources:

Food Safety News. “Oysters, a simple food with a complicated histor,” http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/02/oysters-a-simple-food-with-a-complicated-history/; 04 Feb. 2010.

Garlic Central. “Garlic as an aphrodisiac,” http://www.garlic-central.com/aphrodisiac.html; accessed 04 Feb. 2010.

Session Magazine. “Top 10 aphrodisiac foods,” http://www.sessionmagazine.com/top-10-aphrodisiac-foods/; 15 March 2009.