​Cupid's Recipe for Romance!

With love and romance high on the agenda this week, a trip to your local grocery shop could be the recipe for love you're looking for! While an active lifestyle, balanced diet and self-confidence are the best routes to a sexy you –  that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few foods out there that can give you that extra boost you’re looking for.
 
Since ancient times men and women all over the world have been wolfing down copious amounts of aphrodisiac foods in the hope to boost their libido and enhance fertility.  Named after Aprhrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, aphrodisiacs were originally used to cure impotency and infertility. Later, with the sexual revolution and less emphasis on producing offspring the use of aphrodisiacs shifted to focus on libido and addressing impotency problems.  However, many of the well known aphrodisiac foods, such as oysters, asparagus, avocados and nuts gained their reputation because of their nutrient content rather than any physiological effect they may have on the male or female sex organs.
For men, zinc is the most important nutrient needed by the prostate gland. In fact, the prostate contains the highest concentration of zinc in the body; it uses 10 times more zinc than any other organ. Zinc deficiency is commonly associated with prostate enlargement and researchers believe that a diet rich in zinc may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Zinc deficiency is widespread as over-farmed soil and food processing has depleted much of the zinc from our foods.  Zinc is very much associated with protein foods such as beef, lamb, pumpkin seeds, poultry and seafood. Oysters, incidentally, are one of the richest sources of zinc so it is no wonder that they are at the top of the sexy food charts! 
 
Chocolate is the undisputed food of love and as usual, Mother Nature was right on the mark long before the ad men came along.  Dark chocolate (above 72% cocoa) and cocoa are one of the most heart-friendly treats available.  For centuries chocolate was consumed as a drink rather than a bar and was hailed as a "cure all" because of its restorative and life sustaining properties.  More recently, studies have confirmed that dark chocolate and cocoa support the heart and the entire circulatory system due to its powerful antioxidant content.  Compounds found in dark chocolate and cocoa have the ability to lower blood pressure, dilate arteries for increased blood flow as well as reduce the stickiness in blood.  Chocolate comes from the cacoa bean - the seed of the cacoa tree.  As with all things in Nature - the health benefits of chocolate are greater in foods closest to their origin.  The therapeutic effects of chocolate are greatly reduced in processing - the added sugar, milk solids and other ingredients negate the health benefits of real chocolate.  Ground cacoa bean powder and raw cacoa butter are also available in shops and make delicious treats when used in cooking.
 
Top fruits include pineapples, raspberries and strawberries which are rich in vitamin C.  Vitamin C is essential for building collagen, a structural component of all tissues. No heart or blood vessel or any other organ could possibly function without collagen so for centuries, those lacking lustre in the bedroom department were often told to go home and have a fruit salad! The reputed claims of bananas and asparagus have just as much to do with their suggestive form as their nutrient content. These are rich in potassium and B vitamins vital for energy and regulating blood pressure.  Vitamin E and essential fatty acids are crucial to hormone production and healthy circulation so make room in your cupboard for raw almonds, avocados, sunflower seeds and olives. When cooking use aromatic herbs and spices such as garlic, ginger and basil to enhance the stimulating effect of these foods. Surprisingly - celery, though not the sexiest food, contains andresterone, which is the hormone that gives men a subtle smell that drives women wild!  Women could benefit from the aromas of almonds and vanilla, often used in perfumes, which mimic pheromones which can bring a man to his knees!  So forget the fancy lingerie - don an apron and stir up some passion in the kitchen!

Enjoy the love, Irene :)