ROMANTIC DINNERS

Some foods stimulate desire as well as your taste buds

When booking your Valentine’s Day dinner, why not choose a spot with dishes as stimulating as they are tasty.

From oysters to arugula, and figs to pomegranates, aphrodisiacs can add flavor — and fun — to your night.

“An aphrodisiac is something that promotes passion and stimulates desire,” says Meryl Rosofsky, an adjunct professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University. “In the modern day we also tend to think of things that enhance performance.”

All kinds of foods can qualify as an aphrodisiac — whether simply because of their shape or texture, or because compounds in the food actually increase heartbeat and blood flow.

Chilies are an aphrodisiac mainstay, as they’re powerful stimulants of heart rate and blood flow. Pomegranates are more subtle, but their antioxidants allow more blood to circulate. Red wine has the same effect, as well as intoxicating properties. Meanwhile, oysters owe their aphrodisiac qualities to high levels of zinc, which can increase production of the sex hormone testosterone.

But don’t get caught up in all that technical stuff. “[Aphrodisiacs] mainly work because our sexuality is bound up in our imaginations,” Rosofsky explains.

So let your imagination run wild with the help of these aphrodisiac-packed menu items.

Jeri Orving with Wild Arugula, Curly Red Mustard Greens and Fresh Figs at Pure Food and Wine; far r., the restaurant’s Chocolate and Jungle Peanut Butter Cheesecake.