Can Food Really Get You in the Mood?

Oysters. Chocolate. Chile peppers that make you hot and bothered? For centuries, people all over the world have been claiming that these so-called aphrodisiacsand others, including asparagus, bananas, strawberries and you fill in the blankstoke sex drive.But sparking libido with food is more fable than fact, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which reviewed the science on the subject. So why, then, do some people report heightened arousal after eating aphrodisiacs? Experts tell us its all in the mindand in the heart, literally.Experiencing increased libido from an aphrodisiac is analogous to feeling healing properties from placebos, explains June Meyer, M.A., L.P.C., a psychotherapist in Stamford, Connecticut. Whats in your mind matters more than whats in your stomach. But if you think a particular food works for you, says Meyer, why not go for it?Whats more, research shows that sexual dysfunction is sometimes a result of vascular disease, says Melissa Ohlson, M.S., R.D., of The Cleveland Clinic Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program. Eating a heart-healthy diet, says Ohlson, helps keep blood vessels healthy. And since blood vessels nourish sex organs, substituting unsaturated fats for saturated ones, getting plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich grains and laying off the salt may pay off in unexpectedly delightful places.Bottom line: While theres no proof that certain foods directly enhance libido, eating a well-balanced diet improves cardiovascular health, which in turn improves total body and sexual health. And if eating dark chocolate or oysters sets the mood, go right ahead. Just balance your calories with ample physical activityin the bedroom and elsewhere.Visit EatingWell.com for free quick and easy healthy recipe collections!