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To celebrate National Pecan Day (April 14), we’re talking about nuts– and not just the kind that are salted or unsalted! Some believe that certain foods, including five varieties of nuts, can actually improve your sex life. As Health.com reports, when it comes to almonds, for example, they “contain zinc, selenium, and vitamin E, which are vitamins and minerals that seem to be important for sexual health and reproduction. Selenium can help with infertility issues and, with vitamin E, may help heart health. Zinc is a mineral that helps produce men’s sex hormones and can boost libido. Blood flow is important for your sex organs, so choosing good fats, such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in almonds, is a good idea.”

With that in mind, the list that follows is not your typical “oysters and red wine as aphrodisiacs” debriefing, but instead a practical guide to naturally adding a little lust in the bedroom, courtesy of some these shelled, roasted, and salted nuts. So next time you’re strolling the grocery store aisles on the hunt for good snacks, remember these guys may actually help you and your partner in the sack!

Read Related: Aphrodisiac Foods: Hard Fact or Soft Science?

1. PecansPecans have long been recommended as a food to eat to increase a woman’s libido. Because of their phytoestrogen contents, including healthy fats, they may just boost sex drive. They are also packed with protein and zinc which contribute to balancing hormones. Plus, pecans happen to be delicious when roasted, or in dessert.

Read Related: 8 Facts You Need to Know About Activated Nuts

2. AlmondsFilled with Omega-3 fatty acids, almonds are not just good for your heart! The essential amino acid l-arginine helps circulate neurotransmitters in the brain. This means, when something feels good, you feel even more of it… which usually means you’ll want even more of it later, right?

3. PistachiosWhile we already know that pistachios can do wonders for lowering cholesterol, as a 2012 study showed that men who had a handful of pistachio nuts every day for three weeks had a higher sex drive. Conducted in Turkey, the study measured participants’ sexual desire, pleasure and satisfaction. Plus, don’t deny it: these green little morsels are so much fun to eat!

4. CashewsIn Jamaica cashew juice is sold on the street, known as an elixir for male enhancement. The magic of cashews includes a firmer erection for men and an increase in both sexual desire and pleasure during sex for both men and women. Everybody wins! Now, where can we buy cashews in bulk?

5. Brazil NutsBrazil nuts boast selenium, a vitamin that improves both sperm production and motility. If you’re hoping your action between the sheets will lead to a baby on the way, incorporating Brazil nuts in the future baby-daddy’s diet will better the health of his sperm, all the way down the the DNA! Brazil nuts are also the perfect thing to eat before or after a work out. They are all about nutrition, texture and flavor.

Humans are sexual beings and as such, we are made to have sex. Sexual needs are part of the basic hierarchy of needs proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in his theory of human motivation.  In his theory, Maslow purported that humans have physiological needs that are essential for our survival, and placed sex along with breathing, eating, sleeping, drinking, homeostasis, and excretion.

Sex does and should feel good (otherwise, consult your physician). Moreover, sex has many health benefits—looking younger among them—and orgasms in particular have been linked to positive health outcomes and keeping the doctor away. But what about not having sex? Since having sex can be good for your health, is not having it be detrimental to your health?

David Roelfs and colleagues at the University of Louisville in Kentucky conducted a study about celibacy and health that suggested that single people may die younger. The results, published by the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that single men and women who have never been married are at a higher risk of dying at a younger age than those who were married. The study consisted of a meta-analysis of 90 studies that involved 500 million people. The study made a comparison between mortality rates of married and single people (excluding divorced and widowed individuals), and the data established that single men die 17 years before their married counterparts and women die 15 years earlier than their married counterparts.

Jennifer Bass, head of information services at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction in Bloomington, IN, says that, although there is no good data to categorically show a correlation between overall good health and sex, it is known that healthier people have more sexual activity. However, it is hard to establish what comes first: does good health make you want more sex or does more sex lead to better health outcomes? Although this question may be as hard to answer as the question on “what came first, the chicken or the egg?”, another reputable study found a positive association between high  frequency of orgasms, decreased mortality, and better health.

A study conducted by researchers in Queens University in Belfast in Ireland tracked the mortality rates of approximately 1,000 men over a span of 10 years. The study was published by the British Medical Journal in 1997 and its results found that men who reported the highest rate of orgasms had half the death rate of their less active counterparts.

Needless to say that engaging in dangerous sex practices, such as unprotected sex in casual sexual encounters, may lead to more harm than good. Engaging in unsafe sex may actually decrease your mortality rather than increase it if you contract an STD.

When asked whether or not they thought not having sex was bad for their health, this is what some women had to say:

I think not having sex is bad for me. I feel cranky, irritable, and out of sync when I go through dry spells. I need sex. I am not married, but I have a healthy libido, and I feel more balanced when I have sex regularly, especially with a partner with whom I can feel connected. —Adela V., San Germán, PR

I am definitely in a better mood when I have sex on a regular basis. I am happier, I feel sexier, I feel in control. I feel good about myself when I have a fulfilling sexual life. Sex is important and essential for me! —Teri B., Dallas, TX

I love sex! I enjoy a healthy sex life with my husband and I love it! Sex makes me feel more confident in our relationship, strengthens our bond, enhances our communication. If sex is good, everything else seems to fall in place naturally. We enjoy sex at least three times a week, and I love the way it makes me feel! —Nancy C., Scottsdale, AZ

Sex must be good for you. And, conversely, not having it must be bad for you. I think people who have sex on a regular basis, especially in the context of an emotionally binding relationship, are happier beings. But overall, sex is good, period! It feels good, orgasms feel awesome, and the after-feeling of sex is insuperable. —Mayra G., Dallas, TX

Now that we know sex may help you live longer, there’s even more reason to enjoy more of it!

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