(U-WIRE) As the flames of this year’s Valentine’s Day die out and February comes to a close, students will soon be turning to creative ways to keep romance alive.
Although a romantic dinner is always appealing, lovebirds are usually looking for a more palatable alternative than the mystery meat and soft serve ice cream up for grabs at the nearest dining hall.
For those students who want to take their significant other beyond the thrill of congealed vegetables and greasy chicken patties, some are looking to the elusive powers of “aphrodisiac foods” to spice up the evening.
According to GourmetSleuth.com, mankind has been turning to the various properties in food to help make the sparks fly ever since the Greco-Roman era. After all, the very word “aphrodisiac” derives from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
Throughout history, certain foods have been touted for their abilities to not only inspire the carnal appetite, but to also increase fertility in women, and masculinity and performance in men.
The potency and effects of foods as aphrodisiacs have long been disputed in the fields of nutrition and psychology.
“I don’t believe they work, because a bowl of strawberries and chocolate is not going to suddenly turn me into a love machine,” said Colleen Simses, a human development and family studies major.
What causes most of the debate is the idea that aphrodisiac foods work on the mind, rather than solely on the body. That is, many foods have no magic “Viagra protein” in them that inspires lust, but rather it is their shape, texture or aroma that provokes a psychological response.
For example, according to GourmetSleuth.com, the asparagus, banana and the avocado – which have had three of the longest histories of being thought of as aphrodisiacs – reportedly inspire arousal because of their provocative shape alone; the Aztecs went so far as to name the avocado tree “Ahuacuatl” (Translation: testicle tree), if that gives you any idea of how the ancients viewed guacamole.
Many spices are also included on aphrodisiac foods lists because of their rich, sensual tastes. Hot and potent spices – like chilies, ginger and garlic – are just as popular aphrodisiacs as warm and sweet spices – like vanilla, nutmeg and truffle oil – and because of this are often featured as key notes in perfumes, according to About.com.
Jenny Standish Bunce, a microbiology major, believes in the power of aphrodisiacs and even offered up a personal recipe.
“My perfect aphrodisiac is sauteed onions and garlic; it’s delicious and it works every time,” she said.
As for the popular myths about chocolate, strawberries, wine and oysters: yes, these have all been on the list at some point or another, but perhaps the only one in the group with any staying power is chocolate. According to globalchefs.com, chocolate causes the brain to release “good mood” hormones and mimics the effects of love and lust with one bite. http://www.buzzdash.com/bb.swf?BB_id=72267
