BL-24 - Flipbook - Page 103
FOOD & DRINK
extremely high in nitrates. Drop the morning latte and
make the switch to beet juice? The dark pink wee
takes some getting used to, but it is harmless. Should
you need reassurance, Aphrodite was also a beetroot
a昀椀cionado.
generation) matcha green tea. A small number of
studies suggest that traditional alcoholic drinks may
have a link to arousal, although maybe disinhibition
is the cause. However, too much and you risk falling
prey to “brewers’ droop”.
To more exalted vegetation. Truf昀氀es are the fruiting
bodies of soil fungi. White or black, these fungi exude
volatile compounds that attract animals for their
seed dispersal and thus reproduction. The pungent,
musky aroma of truf昀氀es is similar to the pheromone
androstanol, found in humans. Any resulting sexual
arousal might be a result of these volatile compounds,
or simply the heady thrill of shaving something so
valuable over your food. Napoleon proclaimed that
“truf昀氀es increase a man’s power and woman’s desire”.
He may have had a point, although, as far as we know,
nobody asked Josephine.
Chocolate is also widely touted as an aphrodisiac. Is it
merely the psychological pleasure of its consumption,
or is there something chemical at work? Cocoa
contains antioxidants such as 昀氀avonoids which are
thought to have some bene昀椀cial effect on the brain
related to cognition and blood perfusion, but there
is minimal scienti昀椀c evidence for its aphrodisiac
qualities. The consumption of chocolate is mired in
ephemeral pleasure and guilt to such an extent that,
in 1998, three scientists developed the Attitudes
to Chocolate Questionnaire to evaluate different
dimensions of cravings and remorse among chocolate
eaters.
Ginseng or panax ginseng has long enjoyed a
reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac, particularly in
the Far East. The root has been used in Chinese herbal
medicine for centuries, and also as an additive to
various foods and drinks: ginseng tea springs to mind.
Ginsenosides are the class of pharmacologically
active components with possible roles in nitric oxide
enhancement, antioxidant and immune regulation.
These compounds are potent, and overdose can
lead to unwanted drug interactions, poor sleep and
agitation. In the journal ‘Spermatogenesis’ there
is a comprehensive review on Ginseng and Male
Reproductive Function, in which the authors suggest
that the use of ginseng may be useful for development
of new therapeutic agents for male reproductive
diseases or disorders.
The list of other supposedly stimulating foods is long,
and you might consider pomegranates, asparagus,
chilli or (a favourite of the health-conscious TikTok
Asparagus, delicious with hollandaise and at its best when 昀椀rm,
not droopy
The bottom line is that exercise, stress management,
sleep, hydration and a good diet, supplemented by
a fair share of aphrodisiac foods, will help to secure
body equilibrium, preserve brain functions and its
neurotransmitters, blood 昀氀ow and more, creating the
milieu for health and mental wellbeing, which may
in turn improve sexual function. There is, however,
little hard evidence (if you will pardon the expression)
to link any aphrodisiac properties of foods with
meaningful performance enhancement.
But there’s no harm in trying. For amorous gourmets,
I would prescribe an aphrodisiac cookbook. There
are plenty to choose from, including InterCourses, by
Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge and featuring
145 “couples-tested” recipes. As the nights draw in,
perhaps it’s time to 昀椀nd a companion and experiment?
103
BOISDALELIFE.COM
ISSUE 24
