Eat Chocolate for Better Sex

Want a night to remember? Forget roses and jewelry and make sure your date is planning to treat you to some chocolate.

Eating chocolate leads to higher levels of desire, arousal, and sexual satisfaction, according to a study from an Italian university reported in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Female participants who consumed at least one cube of chocolate a day experienced more active libidos and better overall sexual function than those who didn't indulge.

The sweet stuff contains a compound called phenylethylamine (PEA), which releases the same mood-altering endorphins that flood our bodies during sex and intensify feelings of attraction between two people, says Lori Buckley, Psy.D, a certified sex therapist. Although the amount of PEA absorbed from scarfing a few truffles is most likely mild and fleeting, one thing is for sure—eating chocolate feels great and makes us happy. And sharing it with a loved one only doubles the fun.

Here are five ways to harness the powers of chocolate and sweeten your next sexy interlude.

Take the bored out of game night when you challenge him to strip chocolate checkers (or chess or backgammon or Connect Four...). Replace the game pieces with Hershey's Kisses, Peppermint Patties, or any size-appropriate chocolate of choice; then shed your inhibitions and your clothes as you devour the chocolate and, finally, each other. Check, mate! Bonus: Engaging in a dose of healthy competition can boost the libido. Play to win and in the end everyone will.

Add a deliciously decadent twist to your next massage session with edible chocolate-flavored body oil. The feel-good endorphins released through touching combined with the arousing chocolaty smell and taste will take you to the next level. To further intensify things, try an oil that warms up with some friction.

Make satisfying each other as easy as 1-2-3. Create a sexy guide that tells your guy where and when you want to be touched. Use melted chocolate or syrup to number different parts of your body from 1 to 10 (or 15 or 20…) and let him follow the numbers, lapping up the chocolate as he goes. How long he spends in each spot is up to him. Repeat as needed!

Blindfold your partner and slowly feed him bites of different chocolaty treats. Mix it up to include a variety of textures, tastes, and temperatures. Chocolate-dipped strawberries, salted dark chocolate and caramel candies, chocolate pudding, and white chocolate truffle ice cream will do the trick. The anticipation and mystery that builds between bites will intensify the seductive experience and rev him up from his taste buds to his toes. Make it extra sexy and use your fingers, mouth, or (fill-in-the-blank) as you go along. Then switch it up and savor your turn as the taster.

Give your guy a gift he'll never forget. Using chocolate body paint—or just plain 'ol chocolate syrup—apply a delicious 'bikini' that covers up your naughty bits. Give it a little somethin' somethin' extra with bow- or heart-shaped pasties and adhesive body jewels (FYI: just make sure to keep paint away from your vaginal opening—if it gets up inside it could lead to an infection). Text him a sneak peek of your tasty surprise and watch how fast you'll both be knocking on heaven's door.