So, sex life with your partner is waning. Things aren’t as passionate as they used to be and now you’re not sure what to do. Well, maybe it’s time to change up your food shop!
Yes, this is starting to sound like the beginning of a cosmo article that is trying to convince you that slurping back oysters will definitely get you in the mood. The question is, do oysters and all these other foods considered aphrodisiacs even do anything?
The most common foods that are considered to spice up your love life are usually oysters, chocolate, chillies, celery and watermelon. Hang on, celery and watermelon… really? Well, celery contains photo-androgens which supposedly increase sexual desire in women. Watermelon on the other hand acts similarly to viagra in the way that it increases blood flow and blood vessel relaxation due to the citruline in the food. It all sounds scientific, but to be honest I doubt any of us have felt anything sexual after eating a slice of watermelon or a stick of celery.
What about the others though? Let’s start with chillies. Chillies such as cayenne peppers are supposed to stimulate nerve endings and increase blood flow. Applying this logic to the male sex organ might actually help men who have erectile dysfunction. However, there’s nothing especially sexy about glugging down pints of milk to get rid of the feeling that your mouth is on fire.
Chocolate is perhaps the most understandable food to be related with sex. It is constantly paired up with romance, and even Cher in Clueless buys herself chocolate to attract the attention of her love interest. The issue is that the science doesn’t really match up with the pairing. Consuming chocolate can lead to increases in serotonin, which should make you feel happier. But wait, just because you’re happy doesn’t mean you’ll instantly turn to sex? Plus, you’d need to eat a lot of chocolate to even induce a change in your mood.
Lastly, let’s look back at oysters. Oysters contain zinc, which regulates sex hormones. Not to sound crude, but I don’t think this justifies swallowing something that tastes like a shell filled with salty water and flem.
Overall, it seems as though if you want to increase your libido, turning to food may not be the best option. Of course fine dining with your partner or a love interest can be exciting, but the actual food you eat will not make a huge difference to your sexual appetite. Even if you ate all these foods all day like Miller, K. (2015) did, you still wouldn’t become a nymphomaniac. Instead, try enjoying experiences and spicing up the environment that you’re in – you’ll probably get further than a change of diet.
Sources:
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-love/eating-only-aphrodisiacs
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-sex/201104/is-maca-aphrodisiac