They say the way to the heart is through one’s stomach. But you need not attend a culinary academy to enchant your lover this Valentine’s Day. Here is a list of ten ingredients known to heat up your cooking in and out of the kitchen.
- Yes, we all love “avo” toast and with good reason, too. The secret of the scrumptiously green aphrodisiac could be in its luscious shape, savory taste or in the fact that avocados contain vitamin E, a nutrient said to be crucial in increasing libido.
- It’s in the shape… This aphrodisiac contains bromelain and potassium, two key ingredients that help prompt testosterone production, as well as build stronger muscles. Talk about one hunk of a fruit.
- All hail the “Pom.” This diamond in the rough owes its seductive nature to antioxidants, which protect the lining of blood vessels and support blood flow. While pomegranates can play hard to get, their delectable taste is well worth the chase.
- “I’ve been drinking…watermelon.” Queen B sure did know what she was talking about as she serenaded us with “Drunk in Love.” This toothsome fruit works somewhat like Viagra, prompting the blood vessels to relax and circulation to improve. Like Beyonce, you’ll be “all night.”
- Salmon and Nuts. Fish and sex? While nuts and fish may not be the hottest foods on your menu, they keep your sex-hormone production healthy and crank up your sex drive.
- Red Chile Pepper. It’s a spice; are you surprised? This saucy, red fruit triggers the endorphins in your brain, causing your heart to race. A bite of this love doctor, and you will start to sweat just about everywhere.
- Not your first thought, but once you go down the slippery path, you’ll never go back. What makes the reputation of this notorious aphrodisiac is its high level of zinc—a nutrient known to escalate the production of sex hormones. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, even on a half shell.
- Mild, but kinky. Next time you’re chowing down a bowl of ice cream, make it vanilla. This lovely flavor is a natural in stimulating nerve endings, and its smell is also known to set a sensual mood.
- Red wine. It is no wonder Bob Marley dedicated a song in honor of this crimson elixir. Drinking a fitting quantity of wine not only keeps your heart healthy, but also relaxes and invigorates the senses, increasing libido.
- Dark chocolate. Or better yet, chocolaaaateeeeeeee. This seductive aphrodisiac produces a kick in dopamine, eliciting a sense of excitement and pleasure greater than a sweet tooth’s satisfaction.
Whether you are preparing avocado toast with red pepper flakes or vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, adding any of these magical ingredients to your cooking is sure to send Cupid’s arrow right to the heart.