We already know that seafood is rich in protein, vitamin D and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Now we have one more reason to include them in our diet: they can increase our sex drive, according to a study from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

The study involved 501 couples trying to have a child. Over the course of 4 years, the participants recorded their daily consumption of seafood – fish and shellfish – as well as the frequency of their sexual intercourse. The researchers found that 92% of couples who ate seafood more than twice a week were able to have a child within a year. In addition, men and women who consumed more than 8 servings of seafood per month had 22% more sexual intercourse.

Although you may have heard that shellfish are considered aphrodisiacs because of the zinc they contain, the researchers did not attribute the increased sex drive to this ingredient, as they did not study the zinc content of the seafood. Audrey Gaskins, an author of the study, suggests that couples who eat a lot of seafood may spend more time together during meals, which strengthens their connection.

When it comes to fertility, omega-3 fatty acids in fish have been shown to improve sperm and embryo quality, increase the likelihood of ovulation and levels of progesterone, a hormone important for pregnancy, as Audrey Gaskins explains.