Typically, an aphrodisiac is defined as a food that causes arousal or enhances sexual desire.
Aphrodisiacs have been around for as long as people have been having sex. If there’s a food that has a reputation as a sexual enhancer, people are going to try it. However, do they really work, or is it just a placebo effect? For instance, you heard oysters can impact your sex drive, so you feel more inclined to want sex simply because you have high expectations. Whatever the case, still worth a bite, right?
These foods are said to increase sensations of arousal such as body temperature, heart rate, blood flow, or physical energy, making you feel more like having sex.
If you’re wondering our holiday staples don’t have us all jumping up from the table and running of to the bedrooms to get it on with our partners after dinner, maybe it doesn’t work because, like me, most of you eat too much at Christmas dinner? So huge disclaimer here, everything in moderation!
If you stuff yourself or your partner, sexy times probably won’t happened because you’ll both be too full to move, let alone have sex. Or maybe it’s because the effects of having family around (or at least my family) counterattack the aphrodisiac effect of the food?
Eggnog and Coquito
Eggnog is made from eggs, milk, cream, honey, vanilla, and nutmeg — all of which are considered to be aphrodisiacs. Coconut, which is the main ingredient in coquito, is also a metabolism booster that increases blood flow, and, may possible act as an aphrodisiac. Eggs are said to boost the libido; ayurvedic medicine says that milk strengthens reproductive tissue; honey helps metabolize estrogen and may boost testosterone, both of which are important for sex drive; vanilla is thought to have a highly sensual smell; and nutmeg was previously used used in India to treat low libido in men. So, basically, eggnog and coquito are the ultimate sex drink.
Challah
This delicious baked bread is made from eggs rather than milk or butter and is often braided before baking. Eggs as mentioned above are thought to boost libido
Sufganiyot.
Deep-fried donuts filled with jelly and sprinkled with powdered sugar are a traditional Israeli treat. Fill them with strawberry for the ultimate aphrodisiac treat. They’re rich in the antioxidants that will keep you looking and feeling young. And the hefty dose of vitamin C they serve up promotes blood flow.
Also, vitamin C is thought to promote the production of estrogen. In addition, strawberries contain several minerals known to support a healthy sex drive including: magnesium; potassium and folate.
Rugelach.
Rugelach is small flaky sheets of dough filled with chocolate or cinnamon and baked to crispness. Pure, dark chocolate has a centuries old reputation as an aphrodisiac. Also cinnamon heats up your body and, in turn, your sex drive.
Hanukkah Doughnuts on display in a market bakery during the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah . Photo by Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye
Chocolate
Chocolate is a classic and it’s abundant at Christmas time. In anything from Rugelach to hot chocolate, to fancy cakes! Chocolate contains chemicals like phenylethylamine, which may elicit feelings of excitement attraction, euphoria, and general well being. phenylethylamine (PEA),can stimulate the same hormone your body releases during sex. It also sparks dopamine production in the brain. Cacao also contains tryptophan, a key component of the neurotransmitter serotonin known to promote a sense of well-being and relaxation.
Apple Cider/Applesauce
A study found that the more apples women eat, the more lubrication and and sexual function they have. So go ahead and drink that cider and enjoy that applesauce with your latkes!
Leg of Lamb
Lamb is a great source of carnitine, which has been shown to improve testosterone receptors and increase sperm count. Maybe stay away from this one if you’re not trying to make a baby? Make sure you add plenty of garlic, which contains allicin, and that increases blood flow. The result may be improved stamina and sexual energy. You can also braise it in red wine for more of an aphrodisiac effect!
Oysters
Seafood in general is a popular food for many folks, specifically Italians and the Irish. They’re also probably the best known food aphrodisiac, with science proving it to be true in 2005, when researchers discovered that oysters actually contain rare amino acids that make us produce higher levels of the sex hormones testosterone and progesterone.
Marzipan
Marzipan is made from almond paste and almonds are a well-known aphrodisiac. They’re an ancient fertility symbol and some cultures even believed that the smell alone could get a woman hot and bothered. Scientists say that almonds provide high doses of vitamin E, magnesium and even fiber.
Pumpkin Pie
While feminine people catch a lot of flak for loving pumpkin spice everything, apparently it’s masculine folks who are secretly getting off on it. According to the director of Chicago’s Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Center, the smell of pumpkin pie increases penile blood flow by 40 percent.
Wine
Red wine has been shown in studies to increase women’s sexual appetite, with even the smell alone being a turn-on. So help yourself to a glass, or braise your meat in it!
Gingerbread
Ginger, one of the main ingredients in gingerbread and the one that gives it its name and flavor, actually increases blood flow throughout the body. So go ahead and enjoy devouring your gingerbread man.
Figs
Figs have long been considered an aphrodisiac, mostly because they’re mentioned in the Bible as one of the fruits in the Garden of Eden. The fig might even be the true forbidden fruit that got Adam and Eve into all that trouble. Figs have a high concentration of antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols which can lead to feelings of relaxation and well being. From a nutritional standpoint, the soft, plump tree fruit is a fine source of iron and potassium-minerals much needed in the bedroom.
