Dr Thomas Stuttaford says:
Asparagus, especially when dripping with hot butter and eased into the mouth with your fingers, is so obviously suggestive of oral sex that few people could deny the link. Likewise, bananas are penile in shape, even if not in the form of an erect organ.
Bananas and cucumbers were used by a surprising number of women as a dildo substitute before vibrators became readily available and generally accepted. Although the association between bananas and sex is not as obvious as it is with asparagus, it may stimulate sexual thoughts in people with imagination.
When an oyster is first opened, the appearance of its flesh between the shells is so similar to the inner labia between the outer labia of the vulva that no one could deny a possible mental link between oysters and sex. This, too, could stimulate erotic thoughts. A patient of mine claimed that one of her most erotic experiences was scooping out and eating the inside of a sea urchin, while drinking a vintage champagne. The dissection of the sea urchin also gave it a vulval appearance. Her dinner companion mentioned that another friend also found the experience aphrodisiacal but unfortunately died during the night after the dinner as the sea urchin was infected. My patient said that the element of danger heightened the arousing effect of the champagne and the sea urchin.
Many other substances with no obvious similarity to the genitalia are also reputed to be aphrodisiacs. The Ancient Greeks placed great faith in the power of wine. Euripides said that if the supply of wine ceased, there would be an end to love and an end to every pleasure in the life of man. The clinical evidence for this is not so simple. A small amount of alcohol can ease tension, loosen inhibitions, heighten sexual desire and , since anxieties about performance are also lessened, ability. But drink too much and, even if desire grows, prowess is reduced. The effect is much more obvious in men than women. If a man has a drop too many, he will become visibly impotent, while an intemperant woman will at first notice a loss of secretions that won’t be obvious to her partner. If she has had far too much to drink, she will be anorgasmic.
The Aztecs claimed that chocolate was a potent aphrodisiac. One king, Montezuma, claimed that without 50 cups of chocolate a day he would never have been able to satisfy his harem. Some believe that it wasn’t the chocolate — although it contained the stimulant theobromine — that was the active element, but that Montezuma’s chocolate was mixed with other stimulants. Recently, the Aztec claim has been taken more seriously as modern scientists have shown that chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which stimulates the same hormones as lovemaking. Testosterone levels increase in women after eating chocolate.
Other foods containing phenylethylamine are also considered aphrodisiacs. In some areas, cheese, a substance rich in phenylethylamine, is served as an aphrodisiac and, elsewhere, apples, tomatoes and almonds, all of which have a vaguely sexual appearance and contain phenylethylamine, are regarded as aphrodisiacs.
Using food in lovemaking stimulates some couples. For example, licking cream, or strawberries and cream, off each other, as strawberries bear some similarity to a penile glans. But be warned: others regard a childhood love of messing about with food as a total turn-off.
Suzi Godson says:
Since there are few people interested in conducting clinical trials on the sexual potency of the banana no one can say categorically that aphrodisiacs do, or don’t, work.
Before the invention of the banana milkshake, the banana muffin or, my personal favourite, banoffee pie, banana consumption may well have increased libido because the fruit contains potassium and B vitamins, which are necessary for sex hormone production.
Oysters contain high quantities of zinc, which can stimulate and increase blood flow, and a scientific study unveiled at the American Chemical Society meeting in March 2005 has indicated that eating oysters and other bivalves can raise the levels of sexual hormones. But how many oysters do you have to eat?
Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, an ingredient which is said to promote feelings of wellbeing and sexual arousal, but according to the aphrodisiac expert Amy Reiley, you’d have to eat so much chocolate to experience the effect that you would be more likely to go into a diabetic coma. Reiley, who has a degree in gastronomy and is the author of Fork Me, Spoon Me: The Sensual Cookbook, says that cheese contains ten times more of the same components, so you would be better off eating Stilton.
When it comes to aphrodisiacs you have to factor in a large placebo effect. If a person believes that foods have sexual properties, he or she has at least a 30 per cent chance (the placebo effect is generally about 30 per cent in clinical trials) of experiencing a boost to libido.
The beauty of aphrodisiac foods is that, while they might not do much good, they certainly won’t do any harm so it’s worth giving them all a try. Oysters are obviously a good place to start. And ginger is said to stimulate the circulatory system which makes the tongue tingle, swells the lips and raises body temperature. Spicy foods, such as chillis are thought to boost the libido by increasing your heart rate. And according to the Vegetarian Society, consumed consecutively over three days, asparagus — which contains vitamins A, C and B6, folic acid, potassium, fibre and thiamin — can have a powerful effect on libido.
If you want to create something a little special, you could try this recipe. Truffles were favoured by the Ancient Greeks who believed that their musky scent stimulated and sensitized the skin. If you can get your hands on some fresh white or black truffles, the following recipe is a simple and delicious way to start your weekend. Plan your romantic breakfast for a Saturday morning when neither you nor your partner have any commitments. On the previous Thursday, put your truffles in an airtight container with four raw eggs in their shells. By Saturday morning the truffles will have impregnated through the shells of the eggs and perfumed the egg with their aroma.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and gently whisk with a little salt and freshly ground white pepper. Then bring about 60ml of double cream to the boil in a sauce pan and add a knob of butter. Add the eggs and gently stir with a wooden spoon. Meanwhile, toast some white bread. Continue to stir the eggs and remove from the heat when they are still soft and fluffy. Butter the toast and spoon on the scrambled eggs. Grate some of the truffles over the eggs and serve immediately with a glass of champagne garnished with a vanilla bean. Enjoy!
