 |
| Seduction - Image courtesy: Corbis, Thinkstock |
Did you know that aphrodisiacs can take your love life to a whole new
level? Aphrodisiacs work in two ways — igniting passion by either
working on the mind, or by affecting parts of the body. For instance,
something that increases blood flow in the sex organs and thereby create
desire falls into the second category.
If you thought: ‘If it looks
like a sex organ, it must do something...’ you are not alone.
Vegetables such as carrots, asparagus and cucumbers have all been
associated with aphrodisiacs.
People throughout history have made
aphrodisiac associations with animals that are known to be virile and
prolific reproducers — rabbits, tigers, goats and bulls, for instance.
Historically, people ingested the sex organs of these animals for better
sex.
Get into the mood for some lovin’ with this list of famous
aphrodisiacs — some are aphrodisiacs simply because of their shape, some
because of their aromas, while others claim a chemical basis for their
powers of seduction.
ChocolateChocolate has
phenylethylamine and serotonin, two chemicals that light up pleasure
areas in the brain. Chocolate is similar to sex in that it makes you
feel good. Stories go that the Aztec ruler Montezuma drank 50 goblets of
chocolate every day to enhance his sexual abilities.
OystersThe
Romans placed the oyster high on their list of prized aphrodisiacs. A
legend goes that the world’s greatest lover Casanova would eat 50 raw
oysters for breakfast! Interestingly, oysters are high in zinc, which is
necessary for sperm production. Raw oysters (apart from mussels and
clams) are also high in D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate, which
may be effective in releasing sex hormones like testosterone and
oestrogen. An additional hypothesis is that the oyster resembles the
vagina.
BananasIn addition to the phallic
shape of the banana itself, the banana flower also has a phallic shape.
Bananas are rich in potassium and B vitamins, which are said to be
necessary for sex-hormone production.
NutmegIn ancient China, women prized nutmeg as an aphrodisiac, and researchers have found it to increase mating behaviours in mice.
Licorice
In
ancient China, people used licorice to enhance love and lust. The smell
appears to be particularly stimulating. Alan R. Hirsch, MD,
neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research
Foundation in Chicago, conducted a study that looked at how different
smells stimulated sexual arousal. He found that the smell of black
licorice increased the blood flow to the penis by 13 per cent. When
combined with the smell of doughnuts, that percentage jumped to 32.
PapayaPapaya
is oestrogenic, meaning it has compounds that act as the female hormone
oestrogen. It has been used as a folk remedy in promoting menstruation
and milk production, facilitating childbirth and increasing the female
libido.
HoneyIn medieval times, people drank
mead, a fermented drink made from honey, to promote sexual desire. In
ancient Persia, couples drank mead every day for a month (known as the
“honey month” – hence the world “honeymoon”) after they married in order
to get in the right frame of mind for a successful marriage. Honey is
rich in B vitamins (needed for testosterone production) as well as boron
(helps the body metabolise and use oestrogen).
GingerPeople
have deemed ginger root an aphrodisiac for centuries because of its
scent and because it stimulates the circulatory system.
AvocadoThe
avocado tree was called a “testicle tree” by the Aztecs because its
fruit hangs in pairs on the tree, resembling the male testicles. And the
fruit itself, when halved, resembles the female sex organ — the vagina.
AniseedAlso
known as anise, the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that you could
increase desire by sucking on anise seeds. Aniseed does include
oestrogenic compounds (female hormones), which have been reported to
induce similar effects to testosterone.
CarrotsThe
phallus-shaped carrot has been associated with sexual stimulation since
ancient times and was used by early Middle Eastern royalty to aid
seduction.
Celery Men, if you eat celery it
will make you more attractive to women. “When you chew a stalk of
celery, you release androstenone and androstenol odour molecules into
your mouth. They then travel up the back of your throat to your nose,”
says Alan Hirsch, MD, author of Scentsational Sex. “Once there, the
pheromones boost your arousal, turning you on and causing your body to
send off scents and signals that make you more desirable to women.”
CardamomCardamom
is an aromatic spice. Certain cultures deem it a powerful aphrodisiac
and also claim it is beneficial in treating impotence. It is high in
cineole, which can increase blood flow in areas where it is applied.
Chili peppersEating
chili peppers generates physiological responses in our bodies (eg,
sweating, increased heart rate and circulation) that are similar to
those experienced when having sex. The capsaicin they contain is
responsible for the effects and is also a good pain reliever.
Basil
For
centuries, people said that sweet basil stimulated the sex drive and
boosted fertility as well as producing a general sense of well being.
The scent of basil was said to drive men wild — so much so that women
would dust their breasts with dried and powdered basil.
CucumbersAside from its phallic shape, the scent of cucumbers is believed to stimulate women by increasing blood flow to the vagina.
Garlic
Long ago, Tibetan monks were not allowed
to enter the monastery if they had been eating garlic because of its
reputation for stirring up passions. Garlic increases circulation.
Pine nuts
People
have been using pine nuts to stimulate the libido since Medieval
times. Like oysters, they are high in zinc. Pine nuts have been used
for centuries to make love potions. The Arabian medical scholar Galen
recommended eating one hundred pine nuts before going to bed.
SEDUCTIVE DISHES TO COOK UP:
Insalata Valentino
Ingredients: (For
the salad) 90 gms iceberg lettuce, 50 gms red leaf lettuce, 10 gms
arugula, 10 gms endives, 10 gms onions, 15 gms tomatoes, 30 gms fresh
strawberries, 20 gms carrots.
(For the dressing) fresh strawberries,
strawberry juice, lemon juice, a few jalepenos, olive oil, fresh mint
leaves, basil, a sprig of parsley salt and pepper to taste.
(For garnish) Bread slices and gorgonzola cheese
Method: Break
the iceberg, arugula, endive s and red leaf lettuce by hand into halves
and refresh in cold water. Cut the tomatoes, carrots and onions into
juliennes and the strawberries into quarters. Prepare the dressing by
first taking olive oil, salt and black pepper in a bowl and whisking
gradually. To this mix, add the strawberry juice, chopped fresh
strawberries, lemon juice, jalapeno, mint and basil leaves. Put all the
salad ingredients except carrot in a mixing bowl and pour the dressing.
Toss with light hands. Arrange in a salad bowl or hollow plate and
sprinkle the carrot on top. Place the parsley sprig on top. Toast the
bread slices and top them with gorgonzola cheese. Arrange these next to
the salad, and your romantic salad is ready.
Cointreau French Kiss
Ingredients: 37.5ml Cointreau, flesh from 1 ripe large fresh passion fruit, 15 ml fresh lemon juice, 5 ml sugar syrup
Method: Scoop
flesh from the passion fruit and add all the other ingredients into a
shaker. Shake and fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish
with an orange penny.
Strawberry and Cointreau CrushIngredients: 225 gms strawberries, 2 tbsp castor (superfine) sugar, 30 ml/2 tbsps Cointreau, 300 ml full cream, whipped
Method: Reserve
four strawberries for decoration, then crush the remainder with the
sugar. Whisk the Cointreau into the cream, then fold in the strawberry
mixture. Spoon into individual glass dishes and top with a strawberry.
Chill before serving.
Oysters in Blankets
Ingredients: 2 cans smoked oysters, a few bacon strips, ¼ cup vegetable oil 3 tbsps minced garlic
Method: Wrap
a bacon slice around each oyster and pin it with a toothpick. Heat oil
in a skillet. Add garlic. Add the wrapped oysters and cook until the
bacon is crisp.
Recipes courtesy Suresh
Thampy, executive chef at Courtyard by Marriott, Sanjay, pastry chef at
Courtyard by Marriott, Prashant Sabne, pastry chef, Renaissance Mumbai
Convention Centre Hotel, Mohammad Ashfaque Qureshi, Masterchef at
Mirador, Richard Lambert, global brand ambassador for Cointreau, and
Amit Chowdhary, executive chef at Corniche
SOURCE :- http://idiva.com/news-work-life/seduction-foods-recipes/10958
