Food & Drink
'Hot' snacks can add spice to your love life
BY DANA YOUNG
Winter 2012 |
We all have sexual fantasies, but the reality is Canadians are conservative when it comes to sex. The majority of us think the right time is night time.
A Sun Media-Leger Marketing poll of 1,524 Canadians in 2007 found 78 percent preferred the comforts of a duvet to those of a beach blanket. The survey also found 60 percent of couples spend less than half an hour on foreplay with 21 percent of married people spending 10 minutes or less on foreplay.
A survey for Yahoo earlier this year found one third of the people surveyed would rather give up sex than the internet.
So, it is important for even the hottest couples to know how to spice up their love life from time to time. Certain foods can be powerful aphrodisiacs.
Almonds have been known to increase passion, act as a sexual stimulant, and aid with fertility. Asparagus "stirs up lust in man and woman," wrote English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper in the 17th century. In 19th-century France, bridegrooms were served sexy spears at their prenuptial dinners. Asparagus is a source of folic acid, potassium, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamine. Folic acid is said to boost histamine production necessary for the ability to reach orgasm for both sexes.
The Aztecs referred to avocados as testicles because of their physical shape. They are rich in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat making them good for the heart and arteries.
Bananas are sexy looking as well as a nutritious complete meal, loaded with potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. They also contain chelating minerals and the bromelain enzyme said to enhance the male libido.
Basil, a member of the mint family has an alluring aroma, that can cure headaches. Basil also has a warming effect on the body and promotes circulation.
Any member of the tropical citrus fruit family is super-rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid which are essential for men's reproductive health.
Figs have a long history of being a fertility booster. They make an excellent aphrodisiac because they are packed with both soluble and insoluble fibre which is important for heart health.
Those sexy Aztecs also found a link between the cocoa bean and sexual desire. The emperor Montezuma was said to consume the bean to fuel his romantic trysts. Chocolate contains tryptophan, a building block of serotonin, a brain chemical involved in sexual arousal. It also contains phenylethylamine, a stimulant related to amphetamine which is released in the brain when people fall in love.
Strawberries' red colour make them sexy. The berry is also an excellent source of folic acid, a B vitamin that helps ward off birth defects in women and, according to a University of California study, may be tied to high sperm counts in men.
Mussels may be the perfect food for adding a little romance to your life. Researchers claim mussels contain compounds that prompt the body to release hormones connected with physical attraction. Mussels are rich in zinc, a mineral known to keep feelings of love alive. Fresh blue cultured mussels are not only tasty, they’re a healthy seafood choice. They provide a full day’s serving of omega-3s, and contain high levels of zinc, iodine, vitamins B and C, and iron. Mussels are also very low in fat (2.2 g fat per 100 g of mussel meat), sodium and carbohydrates. An average serving of mussels is only about 90 calories.
Raw oysters are high in zinc, which raises sperm and testosterone production, thus increasing the libido. Like some fish, oysters contain omega-3 fatty acids, considered to increase one's overall well-being and even fight depression. They are also a source of dopamine. Casanova ate 50 raw oysters every day.
