Eat These 7 Vegan Foods for the Best Valentine’s Day (and Night) Ever

The term “aphrodisiac” is often misunderstood. There’s no miracle libido-boosting food or any ingredients that will make you automatically want to take off your pants as soon as you digest them. However, there are nutritional components found in certain foods that will make your body perform better or worse—sex organs included.
 
So, for Valentine’s Day, it’s important to recognize which foods will help ensure that dessert isn’t limited to chocolate cake. Follow this list featuring a few feel-good faves, and you can have a Valentine’s Day 365 days a year.
 
Avocado
The Aztecs named the avocado tree the “testicle tree,” most likely due to the fact that they grow in pairs. The heart-healthy fats in this creamy fruit keep your blood flowing
to all of the right places. Plus, the monounsaturated fats can ward off heart disease, and men with heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED). Yikes!
 
Blueberries
Speaking of ED, blueberries have been described as one of the best foods for men because they have lots of soluble fiber, which can help clear arteries. Blueberries can also relax your uppity blood vessels and improve circulation.
 
Cacao
As if you needed another reason to eat chocolate, cacao is packed with antioxidants, which will keep you healthy all over. Cacao also contains phenylethylamine, which stimulates a sense of excitement and boosts your mood. If you’re opting for chocolate over raw cocoa, remember that the darker the better, as it will have less sugar and higher cocoa ratios.
 
Greens
It’s time to make green juice your go-to morning ritual. Kale, spinach, and collards are blood-purifying foods that enhance circulation and can speed up stimulation in all the right areas. They’re also full of folate, which boosts sperm health and arousal in general. More greens, please!
 
Spicy food
Spicy food can speed up your metabolism and increase blood flow. And you know what I mean when I say “blood flow.” Chile peppers also fire up the nervous system, which intensifies sensations all over your body—a bedroom boon for obvious reasons.
 
Soy
Sometimes soy gets a bad name, but it’s actually full of phytoestrogens that keep those lady parts well-lubricated and boosts prostate health, a must for healthy male sex drives. But keep your soy picks organic and GMO-free to avoid pesky artificial hormones and pesticides—not so sexy.
 
Beta carotene
The vibrant orange found in sweet potatoes is a vitamin A powerhouse, and vitamin A is an important generator for sex hormone production. Ladies, it also keeps the vaginal and uterine walls healthy.
 

Portions of this article were adapted from The Lusty Vegan, a Cookbook and Relationship Manifesto for Vegans, and the People who Love Them by Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg, © 2014 by Vegan Heritage Press.