Aphrodisiacs are foods and herbs that are believed to stimulate your sex drive or put you in a love-making mood. The word comes from the name of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.

According to WebMD, foods referred to as aphrodisiacs are those that help stimulate the love senses (sight, smell, taste, and touch). But you can’t eat your way to good sex. According to Dr. Zilpah Sheikh (MD), no food has been scientifically proven to stimulate the human sexual organs. But foods and the act of eating can suggest sexual activity to the mind, which in turn can help stimulate the desire for sex. Here are some foods considered to be natural aphrodisiacs:

Nuts

Almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts help you better pump blood throughout your body. That may improve your heart health and blood pressure. A good and unrestricted flow of blood in your body may help you get and keep an erection. Eating 2-3 ounces of pistachios each day may also be good.

Avocados

This fruit contains healthy unsaturated fats and helps keep your hormones in balance. Avocados also have folate, a vitamin needed to make histamine, a compound released during orgasms.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is packed with antioxidants. Its juice may boost your sexual life, too. One study found that drinking a glass a day for 2 weeks improved testosterone levels in men and women.

Chocolate

The ancient Aztecs considered it a powerful aphrodisiac. Chocolate consists of the compound phenylethylamine, aka the “chemical of love.” But chocolate’s power as an aphrodisiac is probably more myth than reality.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries are aphrodisiac fruits and good for your overall health. They may also help men keep erections. Researchers found that foods rich in flavonoids—nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their colour—are linked to a lower risk of erectile dysfunction (inability to get or keep an erection). Also, blackberries contain zinc, which may play a role in regulating testosterone production.