For the past 10 years, the Serbian village of Lunjevica has hosted one of the most unconventional cooking contests that the culinary world has ever seen — the World Testicle Cooking Championship. Organizers explain the benefit of a “ballsy” meal in the competition’s slogan: “Better for the libido than any Viagra.”

Although competitors in the past have conjured up some inventive meals such as testicle pizza and testicles in béchamel sauce, this year’s test was “balls-goulash.” Instead of normal cuts of animal meat, chefs prepared the stew with the testicles of various animals including bulls, horses, camels, and rams.

"Beware. They should be cut diagonally, otherwise they lose their aphrodisiac effect," northern Serbia competitor Zdravko Djuric explained to Agence France-Presse. Due to testosterone levels in animal testicles, the local delicacy in Serbia is revered as a natural aphrodisiac, a substance that boosts sex drive.

A looming question in the scientific community revolves around the legitimacy of natural aphrodisiacs and whether they're just a matter of placebo effect. Some believe that the phallic shape of some types of food sparks arousal.

If you’re looking for a boost in your sex life, but have no desire to whip up a goulash filled with animal testicles, try one of these aphrodisiac food options:

  1. Oysters - There has to be some reason 18th-century romantic Casanova ate 50 oysters each morning. According to a recent study, the presence of zinc, which is found naturally in human sperm, can help boost sexual desire.
  2. Avocado - People in Mexico have been eating avocados to increase sexual desire since the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Not only can the superfood boost libido, but it has also been known to defend against erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer.
  3. Chocolate - Many scientists believe two chemicals in chocolate have the ability to heighten sexual desire: tryptophan, which is essential to the arousal-inducing compound serotonin, and phenylethylamine, which is a stimulant similar to amphetamine that sparks the feeling of love.
  4. Asparagus - Even though it gets a bum rap for making urine smell funny, asparagus can actually help to fuel sexual passion. Packed with vitamin D, this vegetable can add a real boost to sexual stamina and performance.