So in this loverly season, you may ask which are the top 10 aphrodisiacs (read: food, drug or any other agent that arouses or is believed to arouse sexual desire).
Here they are, from the Book of Lists:
• Asparagus – it’s rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, which are important in maintaining a high energy level. But beware, it contains aspartic acid which neutralizes excess amounts of ammonia in one’s body and this may cause apathy and sexual disinterest.
• Caviar – it’s 30 percent protein, as all fish and their by-products are. It’s linked to the myth of Aphrodite, goddess of love, who emerged from the foam of the sea.
• Eel – it’s rich in phosphorus and has an excitant effect on the bladder.
• Garlic – both Eastern and Western cultures regard it as an aphrodisiac.
• Ginseng – it’s touted as the elixir of life, has been used for over 5,000 years. Recent Russian experiments say that ginseng increases sexual energy and has a general healing and rejuvenating influence on the body.
• Honey – it’s rich in minerals, amino acids, enzymes and B-complex vitamins.
• Lobster – an excitant, it shares the Aphrodite-derived power attributed to seafood.
• Oysters – it’s rich in phosphorus.
• Peaches – the fruit provokes lust, according to one herbalist. Fact is, the word "peach" is used to describe a sexually appealing girl.
• Truffles (underground fungi) – it’s rich in protein. A French proverb warns, "Those who wish to lead virtuous lives should abstain from truffles."
More, certain minerals and herbs have been reported to be important for a healthy sex life. According to the Super ‘T’ book, among these are:
• Zinc – it’s essential for testosterone production. A study suggests that impotent men who have low testosterone levels have low levels of zinc.
• Boron – it’s been advertised as a "legal steroid alternative." It helps make the bones of postmenopausal women stronger by enhancing their estrogen levels.
• Ginkgo biloba – shows promise in treating impotence, according to a study done in 1989. Warning: Should be used with caution or not at all by patients on aspirin or other therapies for thinning the blood.
• Saw palmetto – has been sold as a "steroid replacement" or "sex-enhancing" supplement. However, it may have the opposite effect.
• Damiana – it’s being marketed as the "female Viagra." It contains several compounds that may produce a mild stimulatory effect. Some herbalists recommend it as an antidepressant. While you may conclude that a person who feels less depressed will have more sexual interest, there are no clinical studies supporting damiana’s claim as a sexual enhancer.
• Sarsaparilla – has been sold and promoted as a bodybuilding supplement that supposedly boosts testosterone levels. What causes the sexual confusion is that an extract from the plant can be synthetically converted into testosterone in a lab. But this reaction does not occur when the extract is taken.
• Yohimbine – often sold as a natural testosterone booster and libido enhancer. A prescription formula called Afrodex (which contained yohimbine and was effective but controversial) was pulled from the market by the FDA due to safety concerns.
• Kava kava – it’s a mild relaxing and disinhibiting agent, according to some female patients who reported better sexual function after using it.
• L-arginine – an amino acid that’s said to improve fertility.
• Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) – increases the cells’ and body’s ability to generate energy, thus one’s level of sexuality, too.