Aphrodisiacs:
The Essential Food Guide
Getting in the mood is effortlessly
easy for some. But for others, a gentle
nudge may be needed to get them
canoodling. Romantic music, a change
of scene or a porn film may all help.
Another centuries old way of boosting
the libido is to eat certain foods to put
you in the mood. The right tastes and
aromas seem to send the mind and
body into sensory overload and let the
carnal instincts flourish.
Aphrodisiacs - the name derives from
the Greek goddess of sexual love,
Aphrodite. Many ancient civilisations
attributed aphrodisiac properties to
certain foods. These foods achieved
mythical status, even though they
varied from one culture to another.
For instance, the Chinese believed
that warm snake’s blood - the more
venomous the snake the better - gives
men prolonged sexual stamina.
The Aztecs believed that the avocado
is endowed with magical powers of
arousal. And the Romans put their faith
in garlic as the quickest way to pep up
virility and increase fertility.
But is there any scientific evidence that
certain foods make us feel sexier?
And if so, how exactly do they work
their seductive effect upon us? And
which foods are most likely to turn us
on?
Foods that put you in the mood do
so for very simple reason. The foods
themselves are sexually suggestive.
Oysters, for instance, turn men on
because of their similarity in shape,
taste and odour to the vagina. And
bananas are a very phallic fruit that
can turn women on by just looking at
them.
Other foods are suggestive simply
because of their luxurious, indulgent
nature. Think creamy, warm chocolate
or melting vanilla ice cream dripping
slowly from a spoon. Honey has long
been linked with fertility and increased
libido, as well as being a very sweet,
almost hedonistic taste.
There are a whole host of other foods
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