The Foods of Love

Do foods like chocolate and oysters really have any aphrodisiac powers?

Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, might have feasted on a daily banquet of truffles, oysters, and champagne. But scientists tend to think the idea of foods with special “love powers” is about as reality-based as the goddess herself.

“If naturally occurring compounds in certain foods, such as phenylethylamine in chocolate or zinc in oysters, are considered so-called food aphrodisiacs, it’s based on folklore rather than science,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Though research in this area is murky, one thing is clear: eating can make a difference when it comes to your health. Here’s how:

Mediterranean Magic
Though eating one particular food may not hold the key to an amorous love life, a healthy diet overall may be beneficial. In fact, says Blatner, “Two recent studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet may help improve sexual health among both men and women with metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions that places people at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

A Mediterranean diet means eating plenty of these foods:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Olive oil (instead of other oils)
• Low-fat dairy products
• Fish and poultry (in small amounts)

Balance and Belief
Overall balance may be your very best health strategy. “A balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management is a healthier path than eating any one particular food or ingredient,” says Blatner.

But hang on to that plate of chocolate-covered strawberries! Though science doesn’t support any aphrodisiac effect, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these foods—and maybe more than that. At the very least, you may benefit from the nutritional attributes they provide:

• Chocolate contains antioxidants that may help keep the body’s cells healthy, but the science is still inconclusive. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a component thought to be similar to the chemical our brains release when we are in love,” says Blatner.
• Oysters are high in zinc.
• Asparagus contains many vitamins, including the B vitamin folic acid.
• Bananas are ripe with potassium.
• Figs are high in fiber.
• Strawberries are plump with vitamin C.
• Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fat.