Good Eats: Aphrodisiac Whole Foods

Forget the exotic oysters and rhino horn—some of the best aphrodisiacs may be right in your pantry. And, with Valentine’s Day on the horizon, a little bump in libido can only add to the adventure.

“Though we tend to indulge in rich, decadent foods when we dine with our beloved on Valentine’s Day, we’d be better off focusing on the big picture by consuming foods that encourage blood flow, such as plant foods—vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices—rather than foods that hinder it with foods such as meat, dairy, and eggs,” says Colleen Patrick Goudreau, five-time cookbook author and founder of The 30-Day Vegan Challenge.

According to Goudreau, various plant foods have been eaten for thousands of years for their aphrodisiac qualities, inspired by their sensory characteristics (visual, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, aural) or by their internal effects. “Many such foods and beverages provide amorous inspiration for bewitching and beguiling your beloved,” she says.

Here, Goudreau serves up her hot list for libido-boosting whole foods that may be right at your fingertips—plus a tasty, aphrodisiac recipe.

Apricots: The ancient Chinese considered apricots to be a symbol of sensuality, and these round thin-skinned fruits were used by the Australian Aborigines as an aphrodisiac. Mangoes, peaches, and papayas also fit the sensual bill.

Hot Peppers (Chili, Jalapeno): Dilating the blood vessels, hot peppers (even in the form of cayenne powder or chili pepper) increase blood-flow throughout the body, which is what a healthy body is all about: allowing blood to flow to all of our organs easily and without hindrance.

Chocolate: Phenylethylamine, one of hundreds of chemicals contained in chocolate, arouses the same feelings we experience when we’re in love.  

Pine Nuts: The Roman poet, Ovid, included pine nuts in his list of aphrodisiacs, and The Perfumed Garden, (an ancient Arabic love manual), prescribed pine nuts for restoring a man’s sexual vigor.

Tomatoes: Referred to as the “love-apple” by the French, this seed-filled fruit deserves inclusion for its juiciness and various shapes, sizes, and colors.

Mango Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

1 or 2 ripe bananas, preferably those that have been peeled, cut into pieces, and frozen

½ cup or more frozen mango ¼ cup frozen pineapple chunks ¼ cup fresh orange juice

½ cup (or more) nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, oat, hemp, or hazelnut)

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

¼ cup non-dairy yogurt (optional)

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a blender until thoroughly blended. You can make it thinner or thicker depending on your preference. Just vary the juice and milk for the consistency you prefer. Any blender will work, although a high-powered one, such as a Vitamix, creates the smoothest, creamiest consistency.

Yield: One 16-ounce glass

 Mango Smoothie-1

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Erinn Morgan

About

After a 10-year career as an award-winning New York City-based editor launching and redesigning urban, style-driven magazines, Erinn Morgan left her downtown Manhattan digs after September 11th, 2001, in search of a less encumbered, freelance lifestyle. A life-changing, two-year-long trek around the country in a motorhome eventually landed her in Durango, Colo., which she now calls home. Her writing has appeared in numerous— More about this author →