food & sex

The limbic system is responsbile for regulation of basic needs such as hunger or thirst and primal activities related to sex and emotions. So, while eating keeps us living, fucking... well, it's what got us here in the first place.

Named after Aphrodite, the Greek mythology's goddess of love, fertility and beauty, aphrodisciacs are a little bit of a myth as well. There have been no conclusive studies done to confirm their influence on sexual performance. Since 1989 it's been illegal to use the word "aphrodisiac" for over-the-counter potions. Researches suggest aphrodisiacs word because we believe they do.

Here are some aphrodisiac facts:

Ancient aphrodisiac list included turnips, lizard flesh and river snails but also arugula, orchid bulbs and pistachio nuts.

Casanova fed his conquests oysters to hone their arousal. Oysters contain lots of zinc, which is reponsible for testosterone production.

Greeks & Romans gorged on delicious snacks before fucking.

Chinese women sprinkled nutmeg on themselves as an aphrodisiac.

Known as "love apple," ( after the French name, pomme d'amour) tomato was once sought-after libido booster. Allegedly, having observed the tomato-loving Catholics drowning in endless offspring, Puritans deemed the lusty fruit "poisonous". Tomato effectively disappeared from the British diet.

-rephrased from my old fit to be tied column for the Nutrition 2006 issue of Oxygen magazine