It's no secret that the unhealthy American diet is contributing to an epidemic of obesity. But there's another hidden epidemic that our fatty diets are at the root of: A national sex crisis.

One of the big culprits, for both men and women, is obesity. As a person's weight soars, their libido plummets due to biochemical changes that result in diminished bloodflow. That extra weight also hinders their ability to have children — with men, it's damaged sperm; with women, it's ovulation problems.

The good news: With some simple changes to your diet, courtesy of "Eat This, Not That!", you can revitalize your sex life. How? First, as you consume filling foods with fewer calories, you'll begin to shed the weight that's dragging down your desire. Then, because these foods also contain ingredients and nutrients that strategically boost sexual attraction and performance, you'll squeeze even more satisfaction out of each and every sexual encounter.

Bananas
Hot! No, it's not just the suggestive shape -- the healthy doses of potassium and B vitamins in bananas help boost the production of important sex hormones.

Oysters
Not! This sensual food has been credited for increasing men's libido due to high levels of iodine and zinc -- iodine can help boost respiration and body temperature, and zinc boosts testosterone. In fact, a team of American and Italian researchers recently found that mussels, clams, and oysters deliver two types of amino acids that spark a rush of sex hormones. But in order for it to work, a guy has to eat at least 50 oysters in one sitting, and nothing kills the mood like a bulging belly and a food coma.

Eat This Instead!
Pumpkin seeds.
They're rich in zinc and protein, plus they can help protect against prostate cancer.

Chocolate covered strawberries
Hot! This sexy combo isn't just a Valentine's Day gimmick. The phenyl ethylamine in chocolate releases the same hormone released during sex, and strawberries contain vitamin C, which helps libido. Plus, Italian researchers found that women who often eat chocolate have a higher sex drive than those who don't. Just make sure the chocolate you're using has at least 60 percent cacao for the maximum benefit.

Chili peppers
Not! You might think that a food that makes you so hot and bothered would get you, well, hot and bothered, but there's no research out there to suggest that chilies do anything for your libido.

Eat This Instead!
Saffron
The luxuriant spice has been found to work as an antidepressant and a pain-blocker -- both these effects can help calm any desire-killing storms. Saffron also contains picrocrocin, a chemical that makes your body more sensitive to the touch. Talk about spicing things up!

Pomegranate
Hot! Pomegranate contains boatloads of antioxidants, which can help increase blood flow to all parts of the body, including the genitals.

Asparagus
Hot! It may not seem like a sexy veggie (especially when it's steamed to the point of limpness --yikes), but asparagus is one of the oldest aphrodisiacs out there. And for good reason -- asparagus is packed with vitamin E, which stimulates the production of sex hormones.

Half a bottle of wine
Not! One glass will take the edge off and cause your blood vessels to relax, but more than that will reverse the effects, and impede your arousal.

Eat This Instead!
Dark chocolate
A recent Italian study found that women who report eating chocolate on a daily basis claim to have more satisfying sex lives. Coincidence? We think not. Willy Wonka's favorite raw material contains a cocktail of chemicals linked to relaxation, intoxication, and pleasure. Like other sweets, chocolate triggers the release of feel-good endorphins. It also provides small amounts of anxiety-quelling tryptophan, arousing caffeine, and a few substances -- anandamide and theobromine -- that, in large quantities, work like a psychedelic drug and an opiate, respectively.

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