Eat These Foods to Fall In Love on V-Day!

I’m tired of whipping out the same “sexy” foods every Valentine’s Day—caviar, chocolate, champagne. Are there any other foods or ingredients that have aphrodisiac powers? —Sarah C.  

Here’s the thing: Most foods we think of as “aphrodisiac” are bunk—they might look like sexual organs (oysters, anyone?), but they don’t do much when it comes to performance in the bedroom. And while certain foods might set your heart a-flutter, like spicy capsaicin-filled peppers, they unfortunately don’t have much power over your emotions.

It’s not like you can drink a magic potion to inspire that lovin’ feeling—or can you? With the right superfoods, perhaps!

There are plenty of foods that can make you feel really good, and even mimic that exhilarating feeling of falling in love (you know—faster heartbeat, smile plastered permanently across your face). Dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for a handful of emotional reactions, but it’s mostly related to the pleasure center of your brain. Upping your levels of dopamine is kind of the closest you can get to an aphrodisiac effect.

Sounds super technical, but it’s as simple as whipping up a batch of banana bread or chowing down on a steak! Press play on the video to learn how you can hack your (or your date’s) dopamine levels for a romantic, lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day—no oysters required.