Every few months, a new viral product hits TikTok Shop, Amazon, and beyond, leaving us wondering if we need to open our wallets again. In the past year, Tab’s sex chocolates have gone viral as a couples’ trend, giving people a fun, new date night activity to explore. (Fun fact: new experiences help break bedroom boredom!) So what are these libido boosters all about?about ‘sex chocolate’Sex chocolates claim to tackle every couple’s toughest battle: bedroom boredom. You’ve seen that sponsored reel on Insta. Pop in a chocolate, and have some fun.According to the brands behind sex chocolate, these are aphrodisiacs with no BS ingredients that increase sexual desire, arousal, or pleasure. Aphrodisiacs are foods, drinks, or generally anything that gets you aroused, come from the ancient Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. These can be foods like oysters that you slurp back with your lover, medication prescribed by a doctor, and even herbal supplements. However, herbal supplements, like the oh-so viral Sex Dust, often read as a woo-woo health tip, so the skepticism is fair. We’ll have to cover aphrodisiacs and sex dust too, but for this story, let’s stick to chocolatey goodness.What is sex chocolate made of?Let’s just say that once researchers realized the powers of maca root, they got right to helping us out with our libido. As Dr. Felice Chan, a board-certified acupuncturist and Chinese medicine herbalist with a background in neuroscience, told one of Amsterdam’s most iconic sex stores, The Oh Collective, “Studies have shown that ingredients such as Maca can improve intimate desire and hormone balance in both men and women over 12 weeks of use.”Other key ingredients in most sex chocolates include ginseng and horny goat weed. If that sounds new, they’re both ingredients used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practices for supporting erections and increasing blood flow. Several studies have aimed to answer the question of whether traditional Chinese medicine practices could be supported by science, which has offered some clarity, but not entirely. Horny goat weed, a plant known as Epimedium, is a TCM hack for boosting libido, while ginseng is used for erection support. Think, Viagra but as an herb. Studies have struggled to pin down these two as certainly effective, with many medically reviewed websites like VeryWell Mind suggesting that much more research is needed. In addition to sex chocolates, maca, ginseng, and horny goat weed are also combined for other sex arousal products and aphrodisiacs. Sex Chocolates to tryAlice Mushrooms Happy Ending Alice Mushrooms is a functional mushroom brand that keeps its chocolate recipe simple with organic semi-sweet dark chocolate, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. Their Happy Ending mushroom recipe, however, is what gives you a Happy Ending and includes organic cordyceps (nicknamed Himalayan Viagra), ashwagandha (stress and anxiety reduction), maca, horny goat weed, mucuna pruriens (for stamina), damiana (aphrodisiac), tribulus, cayenne, and cinnamon.(opens in a new window)Happy Ending(opens in a new window)Available at Alice MushroomsBuy Now(opens in a new window)Available at AmazonBuy Now(opens in a new window)Tabs Dark Chocolate SquaresTabs, the first viral sex chocolate brand, offers several different types of chocolate depending on your preferred taste. There’s not milk chocolate, a vegan milk chocolate alternative, dark chocolate, Pink Cherry Rose Chocolate, and a variety pack if you’re unsure which to buy first. In contrast to other competitors, it’s gluten-free and has vegan options. Tabs’ natural botanicals ingredients, however, are cocoa for mood elevation and supporting blood flow, horny goat weed, maca root, and kanna aka sceletium for “calming warmth,” and anxiety relief. (opens in a new window)TabsDark Chocolate Squares(opens in a new window)Available at AmazonBuy Now(opens in a new window)Do sex chocolates do anything?As a sex and wellness writer, I can personally attest that sex chocolates can work! Although I can’t pinpoint which ingredient is responsible for making my clit throb, of those I’ve tried, they have proven to be an aphrodisiac for me. I’ve personally tried Alice Mushrooms’ Happy Ending (as well as Moon Juice’s Sex Dust, which is not a sex chocolate but promises to give the same effects). Both were effective in boosting my arousal and keeping me there. The only caveat is the serving sizes. If you feel nothing, it could be a case of dosage. To deviate from the sex chocolate talk, here’s a quick hot take on Sex Dust. If you use it daily, you’ll notice effects over time. It’s meant to be mixed into your coffee or tea, but coffee tastes best IMO. Tabs and Alice Mushrooms, on the other hand, are meant to be used about 30 minutes before sex, and the effects should last an hour and a half. If consuming Tabs, the packaging recommends you’ll only need one serving. Reviews seem to support that. Alice Mushrooms, however, might require you to consume 2 to 3 squares to feel aroused, though. Essentially, read labels always.Bottom LineSex chocolates are a great aphrodisiac for couples seeking to wake up their sex lives. If you’re skeptical about trying these, opt for a tried-and-true sex chocolate like Tabs. The best way to gauge how these will perform for you is by checking out the ingredients. If you see maca root, you’re in good company, as science supports its usage for arousal. Ingredients like ginseng, horny goat weed, and other forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine don’t have much research to support their usage, but according to horny reviewers, their favorite aphrodisiacs, including sex chocolates, are giving them the extra boost they desire. The post What the Hell Is ‘Sex Chocolate’? appeared first on VICE.