6 Libido-Enhancing Vegan Foods for This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so we’re here to help you get into the romantic spirit thanks to delicious (and nutritious!) plant-based ingredients. But we’re not helping you with just raw foods such as avocados and cacao, as we’re also including easy-to-make recipes that will transform any dinner into a honeymoon-esque meal. With these six libido-boosting foods, your life just got a lot healthier … in more ways than one.
 
1. Arugula
A delightfully spicy leafy green that’s part of the cruciferous vegetable family, arugula contains beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support overall health by combating free-radical damage and nourishing our bodies. From the culinary perspective, arugula is delicious and easy to use in vegan recipes. With its delicately peppery flavor, arugula can be eaten in a salad, blended into sauces, and added to green juices. In this raw vegan recipe for Walnut, Arugula, & Basil Pesto, you can enjoy arugula along with additional delicious plant-based ingredients that support sexual health. Plus, this entrée is so easy to make that you’ll surely wow your partner with such a delectable, elegant meal! And great news in the love-life department: arugula has been hailed as a powerful aphrodisiac since the first century!
 
2. Walnuts
Rich in flavor and healthy fats, heart-healthy walnuts can help keep arteries flexible, which means better blood flow to certain parts of our bodies … and better blood flow is something we definitely want when it comes to getting in the mood. In addition, with more antioxidants than any other nuts, walnuts support the body’s overall health and vitality, which are all great things when it comes to maintaining and promoting a healthy sex drive!
 
3. Garlic
While it might not leave you with the freshest breath, there’s an old expression that goes something like this: “If your lover doesn’t like the smell of garlic, it’s time to find a new lover.” Or maybe that’s just what you hear growing up in an Italian family. At any rate, garlic is another raw plant-based ingredient that supports sexual health. Similar to walnuts, garlic is high in antioxidants but is also heart-healthy and serves as a natural antifungal. Furthermore, garlic is packed with allicin, which increases blood flow and dilates blood vessels.
 
4. Avocado
High in monounsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol, avocados are another power player when it comes to getting your blood pumping. They’re also high in vitamin B-6, vitamin E, and folic acid, all of which are known to boost libido, which is fantastic news for fans of this popular ingredient. In this recipe for Thick & Creamy Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Pecan Crumble, the green delights are whipped into a decadently romantic chocolate frenzy sure to turn any evening into Valentine’s Day.
 
5. Cacao
Who doesn’t love chocolate, especially for romantic occasions? The great news is that chocolate not only boosts your mood and sex drive but it can also be served in ways that are both healthy and delicious. Cacao has more antioxidants than green tea or wine and is packed with a chemical called Phenylethylamine (PEA), which is something our bodies release when we’re, um, excited. In addition, cacao makes for a natural mood-enhancer that can come in handy when you’re looking to get into a romantic state of mind, making it a deliciously convenient plant-based ingredient for desserts.
 
6. Maca
This ancient starchy Peruvian root is most often found in powdered form and makes for a tasty addition to many vegan recipes, but especially in desserts. Maca’s earthy sweet taste pairs well with raw cacao, which enhances everything from puddings to ice creams. The root is well-studied in terms of its ability to increase sexual desire and is considered a nutritionally robust plant due to its fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron, and selenium. Maca can also help balance hormones in women, alleviating symptoms of menopause while giving sex drive a boost.

Natalie Norman is a certified raw vegan educator, culinary artist, author, speaker, and professional photographer who radically transformed her own health by adopting a raw food diet.