Female Aphrodisiac

What is an Aphrodisiac?

The word aphrodisiac is derived from the name of the Ancient Greek Goddess,Aphrodite. One of the symbols for Aphrodite is a fruit, the pomegranate, which is aptly considered an aphrodisiac. So, in determining what an aphrodisiac is, one must think in terms of love and lust.

An aphrodisiac is a food or drink whose effect causes people to become amorous and yearn for their mate.  It can also be a fragrance or any type of substance that arouses the senses. Throughout time, aphrodisiacs have been thought to increase fertility, virility, and libido.  Certain aphrodisiacs have been considered a remedy for sexual anxiety.

Many fruits and flowers are said to be aphrodisiacs.  Figs, strawberries, grapes, just to name a few, have a desirable effect on the human libido, as well as candied rose petals and jasmine, which are both fragrant and edible.

The Romans considered herbs (the leaves of a plant) or spices (the seeds) that grow in the summer months to have the ability to arouse desire, while ‘cooling’ herbs, grown at other times of the year, would have the power to thwart desire.

Is it Science or Magic?

Perhaps the science of nutrition is the simple explanation to what is an aphrodisiac.  Foods such as oysters, mangos, and avocados are known to contain nutrients that support sexual health.  However, they are also provocative in their appearance.  Some believe that certain edibles are just magical because their curative or provocative attributes resemble what they are healing or stimulating. For instance, oysters are thought to resemble female genitalia, mangos like breasts, and avocados like testicles.  It may be that aphrodisiacs embrace both the nature of science and the mystique of magic in order to live up to their attributes. 

Different aphrodisiac foods contain various vitamins and minerals that can contribute to sexual appetite.  Oysters, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds are considered aphrodisiacs because they contain zinc, bananas contain a substantial amount of potassium, avocadoes contain Vitamin A and E, healthy fats, and edibles that contain vitamin B are a source of energy that fuels the sex drive.

Chocolate and the Libido

Chocolate, the ultimate aphrodisiac, is the fruit of the cacao tree. Coming in the form of pods, with its bitter seed and fatty flesh, chocolate, in all its forms, elicits sexual cravings.  It contains neuroactive chemicals such as theobromine, a close relative of caffeine, and other substances such as phenylethylamine, called the “love drug” because it causes the pulse to quicken, as when one falls in love. 

The Aztecs were one of the first to discover chocolate as an aphrodisiac, a “feel good” substance for the body and mind that could arouse longing and desire.  So what is an aphrodisiac if not both scientific fact and folk wisdom combined?

Make it Spicier, Make it Hotter!

Still other foods produce sexually stimulating effects: Chili peppers make the rhythm of the pulse accelerate and can induce sweating, producing palpitations and reactions typically experienced during sexual activity.  Chili peppers can trigger the release of endorphins, or the “feel good” chemicals that invade the body after physical exertion.

Increased Sensitivity

Garlic, onions, shallots, belonging to the allium genus of plants, and gingko biloba, and ginger are among the ingredients that open blood vessels and increase blood flow, making skin and organs swell and more responsive to touch.

Sex-a-peel?

There are even ironic aphrodisiacs, such as the durian fruit, a large, spiked, dangerous-looking fruit that, when cracked, smells so pungent that it is banned from public places and busses in Singapore.  However, its custard-like flesh is at once so delicious that it is relished in many regions, foremost for its indescribable sweetness, but also for its mystifying arousing effects and aphrodisiac properties.

The paradoxical durian has been known as the ‘god of fruits’ in parts of Southeast Asia. Its luscious and creamy texture is a mix of almond and onion flavors, both foods that arouse the senses. The taste is so unique that comparison to another fruit becomes difficult.  In Java, there is a risqué saying: “the durians come down and the sarongs go up.”

If durian fruit is the beast of aphrodisiac fruits, then dragon fruit is the beauty.  Aptly named dragon fruit for its sexy hot pink scaly shell, it draws looks and appears seductive.  Whether it is its pure white black speckled interior or its red and black-speckled flesh that makes it attractive, this kiwi/melon-tasting fruit invites the spoon.  Like so many other aphrodisiacs, the most seductive way to enjoy a dragon fruit is straight out of the shell, and by the spoonful; better still, feed it to your lover.

Masculine or Feminine in Appearance

So what is an aphrodisiac food if not a food that is nutritious as well as sensual in form, texture, or smell?  Many aphrodisiacs get their reputation due their symbolic appearance.  Fruit can be feminine such as the mango, or masculine as the avocado, and provocative and phallic like the banana. 

While the pear is said to resemble the curves of a woman, the rich and shapely avocado is related to manhood, and was eaten by both Aztecs and Mayans as an appetizer for love.  In fact, the Aztec word for avocado was “ahuacatl” or testicle. In the mid 1500’s, the Spanish discovered that if the pit was left in open air, it would eventually yield a milky reddish liquid that could be used for ink. Many a love letter must have been written with this ink.

Then… What is an aphrodisiac? The Bottom Line

What is an aphrodisiac but the ingredient for a deliciously sexy recipe or meal that tempts the senses and sparks desire.  Aphrodisiacs can be combined in cocktails and cuisine for an extra powerful punch.  Listen to some music, light a candle, and infuse passion in every stir, whisk, dash, dollop, and shake.  Your beloved will not only feel the love in the room, but will also sense the sexuality that comes with aphrodisiacs.