By Linda Formichelli

1. Honey. Here's the buzz: The sweet stuff is a bountiful source of boron (a mineral also found in green leafy vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts). Boron helps the body metabolize and utilize estrogen, the basic female sex hormone. Some studies have shown that this mineral may also enhance blood levels of testosterone, the hormone responsible for promoting the specific drive for genital sex and orgasm in both men and women, according to Theresa Crenshaw, M.D., author of The Alchemy of Love and Lust.

2. Fats from vegetables, seeds and nuts are key sources of fatty acids, from which your body produces cholesterol. Despite its bad rap, cholesterol is the basis for all sex hormones. If you (or your man) have recently started a rigorous nonfat diet and you've noticed a flagging of interest and desire, fit in more healthy fats and you'll probably experience a jump in libido. Look for vegetable and nut oils labeled "cold-pressed." These retain more nutrients than those processed with heat. Cold-pressed oils also contain vitamin E, which is essential to keeping your hormones balanced.

3. Grain increases the amount of the hormone testosterone available in the blood. To pump up your libido, herbalist Susun Weed recommends eating a cup of cooked oatmeal and drinking three cups of oat-straw infusion a few times a week. To make the infusion, fill a quart jar one-third full with dried oat-straw herb (available at health-food stores). Pour in boiling water, tighten lid and allow the solution to steep for at least four hours. Strain and refrigerate the liquid. You can drink it warm or cold. It has the same bland-sweet taste as oatmeal, Weed says.

4. This classic aphrodisiac may actually deserve its reputation. Shellfish (in fact, all seafood) is packed with minerals that are critical components of sex hormones. Minerals are also vital for optimal functioning of your brain and nervous system. "The minerals in seafood are already in their so-called salt forms, which makes them readily usable by the body," Weed says.