If your fire needs a little stoking, think outside the bedroom. Like, the kitchen. Certain nutrients and compounds can have a big impact on your reactions, impulses… blood flow. It’s truly a gift that a deliciously sensory experience like eating can have such a sensual reaction between the sheets. Here’s what to stock up on.

Hot Peppers

Turn up the heat with cayenne or other spicy peppers right before a roll in the hay. These hot treats do more than just create a fire in the belly — they contain a compound called capsaicin, which helps to promote circulation and blood flow to your sensitive areas. Capsaicin also has analgesic properties, meaning it’s anti-inflammatory and reduces pain and uncomfortable friction. Eat it right before, because the results are immediate!

Oysters

These decadent little morsels are nutrient powerhouses, and actually a total beauty food, too. They are high in protein, iron, and the true hero, zinc. This mineral is excellent for skin health, but it’s also a key player for your body’s ability to produce testosterone. While that may sound like something ladies don’t need to worry about, think again. Women produce testosterone too, and it plays a major role in our virility and drive to get busy. Essentially, high levels of zinc can spark desire, and oysters are one of nature’s highest sources of zinc. Make sure to eat them raw to reap maximum benefits.

Maca Root

Typically, maca root is consumed in powder form. It’s a light caramel color with a subtle, earthy-sweet flavor, and a great addition to smoothies to keep energy up without overworking adrenals in this age of chronic stress. But that’s not all it can do. Anxiety is a terrible blocker for our feel-good hormones and ability to relax. Maca boosts the production of dopamine, which helps quell anxiety and puts you on track for a state of bliss. How you want to find your bliss is up to you, but we can think of a few ways. 

Olive Oil

This Mediterranean diet staple is not only delicious and healthy (also great for skin!) but a sumptuous proponent of good sex, both in the short term and for longer in life. Regular consumption of good quality olive oil can keep blood vessels in tip-top shape, making sure healthy blood flow is possible in all of our favorite extremities. This is especially important for the longevity of men’s sexual health, so get your man on the EVOO, stat.

Almonds

Rich in healthy fats and vitamin E, almonds are a major multitasker for sexual health. They promote good circulation, boost testosterone, and prevent impotence in men. Besides those benefits, healthy fats also help to balance your hormones, the imbalance of which is typically a major factor in decreased sex drive and a super common issue with women. They can help to stabilize blood sugar so you don’t shift into hangry mode, which is a mood killer for the rest of the day (and night). Can you think of a high-stress day where you skipped lunch, nearly snapped, then ended the day writhing in ecstasy? We can’t either.

Watermelon

It’s juicy, it’s wet, and it’s super hydrating. But it does more than just lube up your insides. Watermelon is packed with phytonutrients like lycopene, beta-carotene, and citrulline, all of which help relax tight blood vessels and rev up desire. That’s because phytonutrients are bioactive, meaning they react with the human body to trigger certain responses and feelings. P.S. Viagra also works by relaxing blood vessels. To us, eating watermelon together feels a little sexier.