“You are what you eat,” goes the old adage. Eat carrots and your vision will be sharp for years to come. Nosh on cranberries and your body will always be cleansed of toxins and bacteria. Eat beans and…well, everyone knows what they are good for.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and there are cards to be bought, jewelry to be boxed up and flowers to be exchanged. But the quintessential proof of love on Feb. 14? Chocolate, and not because it comes in a heart-shaped box. Chocolate is one of many foods known for being an aphrodisiac, bringing sensual vibes and increased arousal to whoever ingests some. The name comes from the Greek goddess of love and sexuality Aphrodite, who was born from another Greek god’s castrated genitals and part of the tale that created Cupid.
You don’t need to gorge on chocolates to spark love-making fires—There is an entire food pyramid of aphrodisiacs to add heat to your romance life.
Fruit is one of the largest categories of aphrodisiac foods—Look no further than the phallic shape of the banana for proof. But the real effects are more than skin deep. Bananas contain both the bromelain enzyme and chelating minerals, which increase the male libido. Peaches also have a shape that gets minds racing, and their combination of vitamins and nutrient-dense skin were first thought by the Chinese to enhance sexual performance. Pineapples, strawberries, pomegranates and figs are also part of the group.
The other half of the colorful food groups, vegetables are healthy for kids and healthy for adults. Celery has been used by different cultures as an aphrodisiac for centuries, containing a male hormone that arouses females called androsterone. Garlic, too, has been used by Greeks, Egyptians and Romans, and today has been scientifically proven to increase blood flow and circulation. Asparagus, avocado and carrots—which could explain why rabbits procreate so frequently—are members of the veggie-disiac family as well.
Like any well-balanced diet, meat doesn’t play a tremendous role in stimulating sex drive, but there are two big players in the group. Beef works on two levels: Grilling a thick slab of meat is about the manliest activity known to…man, and beef contains tyrosine, an amino acid that helps create dopamine, aka your sex drive’s best friend. The other is oysters, which contain more zinc than any other food. Zinc is instrumental in the production of sperm.
Even a mood-killing dish can work wonders if it has the proper garnishes and condiments. At the top of the list is honey, already deliciously sweet and sticky. The gooey good stuff is chock full of boron, which has been proven to increase estrogen levels in women. Leafy toppings like cilantro, basil and arugula have been believed for ages to pack the right combinations of vitamins and minerals to put love in the air. Even the oldest condiment around, mustard, has aphrodisiac properties—It produces heat in the body, so much so that Monks were forbidden from putting any on ancient hotdogs or pretzels because it would steer them away from God. Add nutmeg and ginger to the list, too.
Of course, a little dessert never hurt anybody. The obvious aphrodisiac sweet is chocolate, but two others worth mentioning are licorice—mentioned in the Kama Sutra and capable of increasing testosterone levels—and coffee—which can increase sex drive in women who don’t frequently consume caffeine.
Opponents to the idea of food as an aphrodisiac say it create a placebo effect, where thinking the food will stimulate romance is what causes any change to actually take place. And even if that’s the case, who cares? Whether your relationship becomes excited because you ate chocolate-and-honey-covered oysters or just thought eating them would help, the result is what you’re after.