Aphrodisiac Foods

Countless ordinary foods have been considered aphrodisiac at some point in history, for various reasons. Some of these reasons might have been:

1) Shape - some foods have a visual resemblance to either male or female genitalia, leading to an association with sex. The resemblance of a plant to the part of the body it was supposed to be beneficial for, is an ancient medicinal belief system called the 'doctrine of signatures'.
2) Nutritional content - if someone is malnourished, many bodily functions can be harmed, including sex drive. If a new food is highly nutritious and restorative of normal bodily function, it may appear to have an aphrodisiac effect simply caused by the restoration of a normal libido through the delivery of essential vitamins and minerals. A good example is zinc, important to male sexual function.
3) Exotic or new - some foods, when originally introduced, were rare, expensive and exciting. A sense of the exotic attached to a new food will often lead to an aphrodisiac reputation, which disappears when the item becomes commonplace and extraordinary aphrodisiac effects are no longer observed. Many examples of this abound - for example the potato!
4) Pleasurable to eat Foods that give great sensory pleasure in eating have become associated with sex, perhaps due to the similarity of some of the sensations.
5) Hot, spicy foods - hot foods such as curry and peppers have been considered to be 'warming' to the internal organs. In ancient times this was seen as a direct medicinal effect and was also often associated with stimulation of desire.
6) Reproductive parts of animals - animal genitalia, milk and eggs have been believed to have direct effects of improving either desire or fertility.
7) Actual aphrodisiac actvity - in some cases, there is the possibility of an actual effect caused by active substances(s) in the food.

List of Aphrodisiac Foods

Here is our "master list" of foods that have acquired an aphrodisiac reputation. This list is presented separately from the herbs - and appears more for the sake of entertainment (and for completion), as it is not in general considered likely that 'ordinary' foods have some actual pharmacological aphrodisiac action. Some however would appear to be worthy of further investigation.

Alcohol

Various alcoholic drinks have acquired (or been given) an aphrodisiac reputation throughout history. Alcohol lowers inhibition, and many people who use the drug socially consider it helpful in getting them 'in the mood'. However, it's well known that too many drinks can impair sexual performance and even the memory of what happened! It's also likely that marketers of alcoholic beverages 'fan the flames' of aphrodisiac reputation for exotic alcohol drinks, as a sales tactic.

Apricot

It is written in many places on that great parchment called the internet, that in Europe at the time of Shakespeare, apricots were considered aphrodisiac - this being mentioned in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". However, looking at this play, one finds only one mention of the fruit - from Titania commanding her fairy minions to be kind to her new love:

Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs
And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
To have my love to bed and to arise;
And pluck the wings from Painted butterflies
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.

There may be subtle implication that the "apricocks" (an old spelling) may elicit amorous feelings, but it is nowhere more explicitly mentioned, and it seems much more likely from the context of the paragraph that they were considered a fine delicacy; part of a simple plan to make him feel good and encourage him to stay.

Artichoke

Asparagus

Beetroot

Beetroot juice has been considered aphrodisiac since Roman times. Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beet

Camel Milk

Camel Milk is considered an aphrodisiac in Ethiopia and other countries. Bedouins think that the milk's medicinal properties vary depending on the types of desert plant eaten by the camel. This does not sound altogether unlikely. Perhaps the aphrodisiac effect originates in the plants eaten by the animals also?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel

Caper

In Biblical times, the caper berry was thought to have aphrodisiac properties. The ancient Hebrew word for caper berry is connected to the word for "desire".
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view_page.jsp?artid=122&letter=C&pid=0

Carob

A food eaten since ancient times, the fruit of the carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua, is sometimes used as a substitute for chocolate. It has also been considered an aphrodisiac. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceratonia_siliqua

Celery

Celery has an ancient legend of being an aphrodisiac stretching back centuries. Interestingly, a 1989 paper from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America stated that Celery contains androstenone, a metabolic product of testosterone and a human pheromone. Androstenone is also found in truffles, boar saliva and human perspiration. Do pheromones only have an effect when inhaled, or is there some aphrodisiac effect from consuming them? There is also a rude football song associated with celery, though it's not certain whether this is of ancient origin or indeed connected to celery's aphrodisiac reputation - although it seems possible. This one is worthy of deeper investigation.
http://www.shapefit.com/celery-pheromones.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=3z2hK8rHYJ0C&pg=PA96

Cockle Bread

This one's a bit more interesting: Cockle bread was made by English women of the 17th century. In order to create an aphrodisiac charm, the mischievous woman would knead the dough and press it against her vulva before baking it; then give it to the desired in the hope of securing their affections! This practice appears to have been considered a form of witchcraft in the 16th century (and thus likely to have been seriously frowned upon by the authorities) - and may have had much older origins. Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockle_bread

Coconut Crab

Considered an aphrodisiac by Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders. Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab

Elk

Consuming Elk antler velvet has been considered aphrodisiac in Asia- however it is not advised as there is said to be a possibility of transfer of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from animals originating in North America.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk
http://web.archive.org/web/20070928000404/http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/commodity/livestock/elk/elkprofile.htm

Garlic

2011 study finds positive a result for garlic, which had an ancient reputation as aphrodisiac: "Effect of Garlic Bulb on Paroxetine-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Male Rats".
http://www.scopemed.org/mnstemps/13/13-1309703845.pdf

Geoduck

Geoduck is a type of large saltwater clam. I is thought an aphrodisiac in Japan, possibly on account of its phallic shape. Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoduck

Hippocras

Hippocras was a 'mulled wine' type drink made from wine, with added sugar, cinnamon and other spices, often heated. It's not known exactly what the spices were that were used in the ancient recipe brought back from the Orient following the Crusades, however a 19th century recipe included cinnamon, ginger, clove, grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) and long pepper (Piper longum).
Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocras

Kabocha

Kabocha is a Japanese winter squash that has been held to be an aphrodisiac in some cultures. It is a common ingredient in vegetable tempura and has bright yellow-orange flesh. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabocha

Kadaknath

Kadaknath is a breed of chicken with black flesh, which was considered a delicacy in India and (perhaps because of this) thought of as aphrodisiac. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadaknath

Mannish Water (Jamaican goat soup)

Mannish water is a Jamaican goat soup and has been popular for centuries at celebratory events. It is also traditionally served to a groom on his wedding night and has acquired a reputation for being an aphrodisiac. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannish_water

Marzipan

Marzipan is mentioned as an aphrodisiac in the famous ancient Book of One Thousand and One Nights. Marzipan's chief ingredients are almonds and sugar, optionally containing also rosewater, honey, pistachios, and sometimes hazelnut. Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan

Oysters

Oysters have long been considered one of the classic aphrodisiac foods. It is said that Casanova, one of the most famous lovers of all time, consumed 50 for breakfast. There may just be something in this one: They are rich in nutrients including iron, zinc and selenium, and one team of researchers has found that their high levels of unusual amino acids D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) may lead to increased production of sex hormones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/23/1111525227607.html

Parsnip

Parsnips were considered aphrodisiac in Roman times
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsnip

Ras el hanout

Ras el hanout is a blend of spices used throughout India for many dishes. Ras el hanout means "top of the shop" and is in general a mixture of the highest quality spices the trader has to offer. Often considered aphrodisiac, it usually contains over a dozen toasted and ground spices - with no exact recipe but innumerable personal 'secret formulas'. Some recipes were said to include over 100 ingredients but typical ingedients include cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric. Other possibilities rare in the western world might be ash berries, chufa, Grains of Paradise, orris root, Monk's pepper, cubebs, or dried rosebud. With such a diverse array of spices, it's hard to identify what might be causing any aphrodisiacal quality, if there is one!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_el_hanout

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Note - the information on this website is not medical advice, has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure any disease. Please seek advice from a medical professional if you have symptoms, are concerned about your health, and before using supplements or aphrodisiac products.

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