This week is National Oysters Week and love them or hate them, they’re a notorious aphrodisiac food, well-known for spicing things up in the boudoir. But don’t worry if you can’t stand them, they’re not the only natural food products with a reputation for getting you in the mood for love.
According to medical experts, aphrodisiacs work by being a natural love-drug that increases your libido and really gets you in the mood. They’re usually rich in zinc, an element that helps with hormone balance and sperm production so if you and your man need a little bit more oomph in the bedroom, you might want to try some of these.
There have also been a lot of studies into the visual link between food and erotic feelings (no, really!). For example, foods that look like sexual organs can be arousing and romantic and of course, eating with your fingers can be really romantic, according to sex counsellor and founder of Loveology University, Dr Ava Cadall.
Here are six foods, some obvious and some less so, that will really get you in the mood for love.
African Tiger Nut Milk
Otherwise known as Earth Almonds, Tiger nuts have been used for over 4,000 years for their endless health benefits, but did you know, it’s also a libido enhancer? Often put into a drink called Kunun Aya, it’s meant to work well for men to encourage sexual arousal and helps with erectile dysfunction. It mixes Tiger Nuts with ginger, dates and coconut milk to make a drink which is also popular in Spain.
Aniseed
For women, aniseed or star anise is a natural plant that has historically been used for increased milk flow for nursing mothers, to induce periods and even to ease childbirth. Its aphrodisiac qualities are better for women as it contains oestrogen compounds and relaxes you, making it great for women’s libidos.
Maca
The Peruvian vegetable, often mistaken as a root, Maca, is grown mostly in the Andes and is globally well-known for being an aphrodisiac and fertility booster. It’s a good source of Vitamin C and B, potassium and copper. It tastes malty and nutty and is great with chocolate and vanilla. Nobody knows why but it’s been proven to heighten sex drives but has little effect on sex hormones. It simply seems to increase sexual desire in both men and women. Find it at your local health store in dried powder form.
Ginko Biloba
Another natural sex booster, the “oldest tree known to man” Ginko Biloba has long been used as a kind of natural Viagra as it helps men to last longer during sex, there are levels of nitric oxide in the root that allow more blood flow to certain areas.
Asparagus
Asparagus season is in June in the UK but during the spring, they are also really popular. Packed with vitamins and super delicious, asparagus has been an aphrodisiac since ancient times. Apparently, eating asparagus three days in a row helps with hormonal production and contain compounds called steroid glycosides that promote sexual hormones too.
Avocados
If being the most fashionable food of the era wasn’t enough, the not-so-humble avocado also claims to have many aphrodisiac benefits too. The Aztec word for avocado (ahucatl) is also the same word for testicle and the high levels of folic acid, Vitamins B9 and B6 increase testosterone productions for a better sex drive.
