Liquor-Free Valentine's Love Tips

Valentine’s Day, like many a holiday, has a strong association with booze. Just ask the Missouri State Representative who, in 2010, tried to get some “Love Legislation” passed to allow restaurants and bars without Sunday liquor licenses to make an exception if Valentine’s Day fell on a Sunday. So does that mean that sober people should sit on the romantic sidelines and just toast tea? Not at all, says Chicago Healers practitioner Dr. Martha Howard, who came up with a list of a dozen foods that have an aphrodisiac effect. Included on the list are:

• Chocolate—which releases dopamine in the brain’s pleasure center, inspiring attraction, excitement and euphoria
• Almonds—which, for the child-minded, increase fertility
• Asparagus—rich in folic acid, which boosts histamines that can allegedly enhance “performance”
• Avocado—also high in folic acid as well as calming due to its B6 and potassium
• Bananas—which supposedly boost male libido
• Figs—said to stimulate arousal
• Oysters—high in sperm-producing zinc 

"These foods are ideal for Valentine's because they're all celebratory," Howard tells The Fix. So what does she think is the most effective item on her list? "Chocolate," she says without hesitation. "It contains Phenylethylamine, which is considered the 'love chemical' because it causes a release of dopamine and brings on feelings of excitement and pleasure." Bring it on.