Set the mood for a night of romance with a little help from nature’s bounty.

Do foods really have the power to put you and your partner in the mood for love? The good news is there’s only one way to find out, and—actually, there is no bad news here.

Try experimenting with new tastes to wake up the senses. Why not make it a progressive dinner? Move to a different room for each new food experience. Don’t overload on any one item, as you build anticipation for each next course. Oh, and remember to share…

How about a healthier take on the popular Kir (crème de cassis plus wine or champagne)?

Serve a chilled, bold Chardonnay spiked with just enough pomegranate juice to add intriguing color and those powerful antioxidants the fruit is known for. Studies suggest it improves blood flow and may reduce problems with erectile dysfunction.

If your sweetie is a teetotaler, offer an energizing aperitif of pomegranate juice mixed with equal parts fresh orange juice and plain soda or mineral water.

Create your own sophisticated oyster bar at home, with only the very freshest jewels of the sea, served on ice, of course.

The act of tossing that smooth, salty morsel down is a familiar erotic ritual. But now, science has finally caught up with what people have known forever, proving that oysters contain amino acids that trigger sex hormone production.

Squeeze a little lemon on each for an added kick. Next?

It’s said that the friars of the California missions took one look at exotic local avocado trees and banned the fruit.

They were onto something—not only do they look a little sexy, their high levels of vitamin E and 20 other vitamins and minerals are a powerful boost to anyone’s energy level.

See how well you “cook” together by creating a light salad. Slice some avocado into peppery, flavorful arugula, another powerhouse plant enjoyed as an aphrodisiac since the dawn of history. Throw in a handful of pine nuts for their energy-boosting zinc, grate some fresh Parmesan, and toss with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil—for a note of irony (and more antioxidants).

Figs are just plain sensual—the look, texture, and tactile experience of peeling a ripe fig to share—no wonder they were a big hit in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve had no idea how much potassium they were getting with every bite.

Serve them gourmet style, already peeled and neatly quartered, with a light drizzle of very expensive, syrupy balsamic vinegar, and a few shavings of that good Parmesan cheese.

Move inside as the night air gets a little cool. Then, warm things up with a hit of chili peppers. They’re loaded with capsaicin, to stimulate endorphins in the brain, speed your heart rate, make you sweat—what is this reminding you of?

Eating whole peppers is not a sexy move, so try subtly blending them into another treat that will get both your hearts started.

Mexican hot chocolate is both warm and comforting, and thanks to capsaicin-loaded cayenne pepper and cinnamon, creates a purely pleasurable dopamine spike to the brain. Add a small shot of aged tequila for a nice finish to this round.

Offer a light dessert to go with the rich hot chocolate. Diagonally slice some just-ripe-enough bananas, loaded with bromelain, the enzyme that triggers testosterone production. Add to the tray a few perfectly red, ripe, oversized fresh strawberries.

Take turns dipping your selections in a small ceramic bowl filled with melted chocolate, and wait for the potassium and vitamin B to kick in, boosting your energy levels even higher.

Top off your evening with something even sweeter, in the room we’ll call The Destination.

The classic romantic “play food,” whipped cream can be consumed in the traditional way—with a spoon, on top of a scoop of rich chocolate ice cream, on more fresh, plump strawberries, or in some other inventive, personal application, but always with mutual consent.

Don’t forget the cherry on top (packed with vitamins like A, C, and E, plus minerals to keep you going all night long).

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• http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pomegranate-power?page=2

• http://www.avocadocentral.com/nutrition/avocado-nutrition-health-facts-label

• http://www.gayot.com/cooking/top10romanticfoods-aphrodisiacs/main.html

• http://www.rd.com/slideshows/aphrodisiac-foods/