Forget the roses and candles, the way to your partner's heart is with chocolate and oysters.

There are chemical compounds in food that are believed to enhance the mood for love, and whether they do or not, lovers turn to these foods every February 14th.

If you want to guarantee some "frisky" business make your partner a chocolate, vanilla, honey, caviar and oyster sandwich.

Foods with aphrodisiac powers include:

Chocolate.  It contains a host of feel-good chemicals that release dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain.  The chemicals are said to induce feelings of excitement, attraction and euphoria.

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Figs.  Adam and Eve wore fig leaves to cover their private parts. The ancient Greeks held them as sacred and associated them with love and fertility.

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Vanilla.  The scent and flavor of vanilla is believed to increase lust. The scent of vanilla also is recognized by the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls memory and emotion.

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Oysters.  Probably the most famous food aphrodisiac, they are high in zinc, a necessary component for sperm production, and in chemicals that affect the libido and stirs up desire.

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Honey.  This natural product of “birds and bees” makes up the first part of honeymoon. In ancient Egypt, newlyweds were encouraged to consummate their marriage after the ritual drinking of honey and water.

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Basil.  This herb is said to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility. It is also said to produce a general sense of well-being for body and mind.

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Avocado.  The Aztecs called the avocado “testicle tree” because they believed the fruit hanging in pairs on the tree resembled testicles. The Catholic priests in Spain found this fruit so obscenely sexual that they forbade it.

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Caviar.  Its reputation as an aphrodisiac is due to its luxury status and association with fertility. It is an egg. This indulgent food also has high zinc content, which is essential for blood flow and sperm production.

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