The love affair between food and sex has been a long and torrid one. Known to complement each other, a lot has been said
on the use of food in the game of love. From delicious delicacies to entice the lover to fooling around with juicy succulent fruits during the act of love, food can play an important role in spicing up your sex life.
Who wants Caviar when there is............Garlic! A key ingredient that can juice up the driest of actions.
In ancient times certain food items were thought to have the power of improving the sexual life of an individual, increase the sexual drive and even cure problems of fertility and sexual dysfunction.
These food items were identified as aphrodisiac food, i.e. foods that have the power to boost the libido and ensure that one had a good time. The word Aphrodisiac which comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, means any form of
stimulation that can lead to sexual arousal. Food forms an integral part of
aphrodisiacs which are divided in to two principal groups, a) Psycho physiological and b) internal, food falling in the second category.
Though it may surprise many to hear that food can act as aphrodisiacs, this extract from the 'Encyclopedia Britannica' should corroborate it, "...the psycho physiological reaction that a well-prepared meal can have upon the human organism. The combination of various sensuous reactions - the visual satisfaction of the sight of appetizing food, the olfactory stimulation of their pleasing smells and the tactile gratification afforded the oral mechanism by rich, savory dishes - tend to bring on a state of general euphoria conducive to sexual expression."
Food items that by nature represented seed or semen such as bulbs and eggs were considered to have inherent sexual powers. Some other kind of food items were considered stimulating because of their physical resemblance to the genitalia.
This ancient belief still carries much weight in these modern times, where the power of food in sex has not been underestimated. However, when one thinks of food and sex one naturally associates it with food items that carry a feeling of excitement, that are exotic and refreshing. Juicy red strawberries, freshly whipped cream, thick dark chocolate or oysters and caviar are the images that immediately jump into the mind.
But not once would one imagine that the most common, boring everyday food items would have any power to excite us leave alone create any sexual thrill. But surprises of all surprises you don't have to go hunting for some exotic and expensive fruits or spices to get your aphrodisiacs. Just check your vegetable basket at home and you'll find all your ingredients for erotic stimulation. Don't believe us? Check this out!
Cloves: The most powerful natural aphrodisiacs good enough as mouth-fresheners. So the next time your partner complains of being tired when you are in the mood, just feed him/her some cloves.
Garlic: The heat in garlic is said to stir sexual desires. So the next time your partner stuffs your dish with garlic, you know what is playing on their mind.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes have been associated with goddesses Venus and Aphrodite. Paired with other sensual flavours like, basil and mint they can create a lot of heat and passion.
Coriander: They cannot only spice up your curries but also your sex life. Dried coriander seeds have an euphoric effect especially on women. So the next time you go vegetable shopping don't forget to stock up some extra coriander.
Onion: Remember how widows in ancient India were asked to refrain from using onion and garlic in their food. Well, with the kind of lives these women were expected to lead they couldn’t afford to have their sexual desires kindled. In France, centuries ago, newlyweds were fed onion soup on their wedding day to restore their sexual energy.
So you see, getting yourself or your partner into the right mood is not that difficult or expensive. While scented candles, maoils and caviar are always a welcome treat, for the not-so-special occasions you can give always peep into your refrigerator or your vegetable basket for some help.