Are you cooking up a romantic meal for your husband or significant other this evening? You can up the love and lust factor of your night by added some strategic foods. Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of the new book Eat Your Way to Sexy says it best: "Cupid doesn't always use an arrow—sometimes he uses a fork." Certain foods can get you "in the mood," while sharpening your mind and reducing stress, she explains. To qualify as one of Somer's super-sexy foods, it must meet at least two of the following criteria: balance hormones, enhance metabolism, improve blood flow (by keeping blood vessels clean and/or raising nitric oxide levels), boost mood, reduce inflammation, and protect brain and skin cells from damage and aging.

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There are tons of foods that match this criteria (and mixing and matching a variety of foods is the key to getting the best protection against disease and aging, while maximizing your efforts to feel, look and think great—the magic combo for sexy, says Somer). Here are her favorite dozen and the reasons why they top the list:

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Salmon: The ultimate aphrodisiac, it's high in protein, B vitamins, potassium to keep the heart pumping in rhythm and astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant. The omega-3s in fatty fish, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), improve mood, sharpen the mind, keep blood vessels squeaky clean and reduce inflammation. These omega-3s even improve fertility in men.

Dark Greens: These are some of the most mood- and energy-enhancing foods on the planet. Calorie for calorie, you get more vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber than almost any other food. Greens clean arteries, protect brain cells from aging and depression, and improve blood flow to all body parts, thus lowering the risk for heart disease, cancer, vision loss, stroke, dementia, high blood pressure, wrinkling and skin cancer, erectile dysfunction, and loss of libido.

Berries: In France, strawberries are considered an aphrodisiac and are served at weddings. Phytonutrients, such as anthocyanins, resveratrol, ellagic acid, carotenoids and polyphenols, protect healthy cells throughout the body, preventing aging from head to groin. Ellagic acid in berries is a youth elixir for skin, increasing elastin fibers and inhibiting collagenase, an enzyme that otherwise breaks down collagen in the skin.

Pomegranates: The 800+ garnet-colored jeweled seeds inside this fruit have long been the symbol of longevity, immortality and abundance in China, and fertility in Greece. Pomegranates are not likely to turn a couch potato into Casanova, but they are rich in potassium, vitamin C, fiber, B vitamins and phytonutrients like polyphenols, anthocyanins and procyanidins. (A cup of pomegranate juice has more than 10 times the polyphenols of apple juice, 639 versus 61 milligrams!) They help improve blood flow to all parts of the body, including the genitals.

Whole soy: Whole soy foods are best known for their phytoestrogens, weak hormonelike compounds that help balance estrogen levels in a woman's body, possibly reducing hot flashes and premenstrual mood swings, stabilizing blood sugar, and even aiding in arousal. Soy also increases nitric oxide, which improves blood flow to the sex organs.

Watermelon: Watermelon is an excellent source of lycopene, a red pigment that lowers heart disease and heart-attack risk. In fact, watermelon has more lycopene than tomatoes do—up to 20 milligrams in each 2-cup serving. Watermelon is a good source of arginine and citrulline, amino acids that maintain the blood vessels, increase nitric oxide and improve blood flow to all tissues. The fruit is a natural hydrator, containing 92% water, and a great source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6.

Wheat germ: The heart of the wheat kernel is a gold mine of nutrition. A ½ -cup serving of toasted wheat germ supplies more than half of a person's daily magnesium needs, a mineral that three out of four people don't get enough of, yet is essential for reducing stress, building bones and regulating thyroid function and heart rate.

Figs: First cultivated in Egypt, figs made their way through Crete, Greece and on to Rome, where they were considered a sacred fruit. The Dutch painters in the 17th and 18th centuries used figs as a symbol of sexuality and fertility. Figs are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which improves blood flow and helps balance blood sugar levels. Their claim to fame is their high antioxidant content, and a special mix of amino acids, believed to increase libido and sexual stamina.

Yogurt: A Greek custom for newlyweds is to eat yogurt with honey and nuts before their honeymoon to ensure prosperity and fertility. Yogurt is a rich source of mood- and mind-boosting nutrients, including protein, calcium, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium and zinc. The healthy bacteria in yogurt promotes vaginal health, lowers blood pressure and also helps lower cholesterol levels, thus reducing heart-disease risk.

Fresh Herbs and Spices: Both fresh and dried herbs and spices stimulate the senses and enhance the sensuality of any dish. They also are gold mines of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that improve memory and blood flow, lower disease risk, and enhance sexual performance and desire. Ginger stimulates the senses, eases muscle pain, soothes nausea and thins the blood. Basil has been used for centuries to heighten sex drive, chili pepper and curry rev circulation, saffron improves sexual function and alleviates erectile dysfunction and cinnamon helps normalize blood sugar. In a study from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, men who smelled vanilla had a 40% increased blood flow to the genitals.

Dark Chocolate: Compounds in chocolate lower blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels, all of which make for great lovemaking. In fact, women who eat dark chocolate report more satisfying sex lives. Caffeine, arginine, phenylethylamines (PEA), and a host of nutrients, from B vitamins to magnesium and iron, all stimulate brain chemistry to improve mood, calm the body and trigger sexual desire. And chocolate releases morphinelike compounds in the brain, called endorphins, that produce lusty, pleasurable feelings.

Red wine: Wine increases sexual desire and responsiveness in both men and women. But be careful: get too friendly with the bottle and your mojo will morph into a parked car. As Shakespeare so succinctly wrote in Macbeth: "It [alcohol] provides the desire, but it takes away the performance."

What do you think?