Eat for Better Sex

Foods that rev sexual desire and boost your sex drive.

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Liven Up Your Libido
Just not feelin’ it tonight? While increasing circulation to your genitals is important to boosting your sex drive, hormone levels — no surprise — matter to sex drive too. Testosterone and estrogen, found in both men and women (though not in equal amounts), are integral to driving desire. Think of them as fuel for your passion.

When you’re low on fuel, well, your passion just peters out. Low testosterone equals a low sex drive for both men and women. To make matters worse, low estrogen levels in women result in vaginal dryness and sometimes painful sex. Here’s what to do:

• Try This

  Turn up the heat tonight with a dinner à deux. Try a curry-based main course to get the blood flowing and a glass of red wine.
  Fuel your testosterone. Zinc helps with hormonal and reproductive function. Found in the legendarily romantic oysters, among other sources, it’s also important for proper prostate function and production of testosterone. (Just not that into raw shellfish? Shrimp has it too.)
• Manage weight to manage hormones. Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight through a healthful diet helps maintain testosterone levels in men. A Mediterranean diet, which is rich in whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables in addition to heart healthy fats can help you reach or maintain that healthy weight.

QUIZ: Are You Satisfied With Your Sex Life?

Pass the Chocolates
Guess what: Chocolate — the darker the better — really does up your chances of getting lucky. Its serotonin-boosting compounds are especially helpful to women, who tend to have less of this feel-good brain chemical than men. Plus, it contains caffeine, an ingredient that will not only fight fatigue but will also increase blood flow.

Want the oomph without the candy? Try chili peppers or curry for their “body-heating and blood-awakening” capabilities, advises Patti Britton, PhD, a clinical sexologist and author of "The Art of Sex Coaching."

— by Joelie Klein

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