Love At First Bite

No lipstick on your teeth? Check.

Chewing gum? Check.  

Getting yourself prepared for a first date can be nerve wrecking, and although a fun opportunity to show your impeccable conversational skills, or hideous social skills, almost everyone is bound to feel a little stressed beforehand.

However, it’s not only our look that can boost confidence. We asked our Nutritionist to tell us, what are the best foods we should eat before a date in order to feel fabulous!

1.To de stress yourself: nuts (No pun intended)

We all get the first date jitters. ‘One of the key things to realise is that stress and anxiety can be fuelled by eating the wrong types of food. Stick to snacks that don’t raise your blood sugar too quickly such as nuts including almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts, as these contain some protein and good fats that will reduce your cravings. They are also a good source of magnesium, which helps with efficient energy production while also being calming to the nervous system.’ explains Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at www.nutricentre.com.

2.To line your stomach: salmon and olives

If you are seeing him for cocktails make sure your belly is ready for alcoholic drinks, too avoid the embarrassment! ‘Overall, it’s important that you do eat before drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol and additionally reduce the irritation that it causes to the stomach. Include healthy fats such as salmon or olive oil dressing to slow absorption of alcohol, thereby slowing the work for your liver. Don’t have time for a meal? Snack on olives before you go out.’ explains Wilkinson.

3.To keep your breath fresh: crunchy fruit and vegetables

‘Carrots, apples and celery can help scrape out the plague build-ups that can cause bad breath. Apart from being nutritious and healthy, these crunchy foods can also boost production of saliva, which fights bacteria.

Don’t forget to drink! (steady on the alcohol, only water at this point). ‘Dehydration is one of the most common reasons of bad breath.’ adds Wilkinson.

4.To keep your belly flat: Legumes and kimchi

Ladies, you can thank me later!

You want to look your best in your LBD. Bloated belly is not an option! Try to include legumes in your diet before the big day. ‘They consist of amylose, which is a resistant starch – so called because it is resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes and it reaches the large intestine essentially intact. So it manages to escape digestion and absorption in the small intenstine. This good quality protein slows down the rate that stomach processes food and delays the passage of the carbohydrates with it.’ explains Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading Nutritionist (www.marilynglenville.com).

‘To balance your gut flora and keep your belly flat and happy consider a good quality live bacteria supplement, such as ProVen’s Adult 25 Billion (www.provenprobiotics.co.uk, £13.95) and include fermented foods in your daily diet. Go for natural yoghurt, miso soup, sauerkraut, kimchi and kambucha.’ Advises Adrienne Benjamin, Nutritionist at ProVen Probiotics.

5.To get in the mood: chocolate and oysters

Finally we can eat chocolate without the guilt overwhelming us!

Not in a mood for a date? Too late to cancel? ‘Have a couple of squares of dark chocolate. Chocolate contains several substances that may improve mood. These include phenylethylamine, which can act as a brain neurotransmitter and affect your mood and pleasure. Chocolate also contains magnesium, one of the nutrients needed for production of serotonin, the primary hormone responsible for good mood. Eating any food that you enjoy also stimulates endorphin release, which makes you feel good.’ says Wilkinson. And it’s a given that we all feel happy eating chocolate.

And finally… For the end of the night

The aphrodisiac Oysters to help give your sex drive a boost.