Nature’s love potions

A woman takes a bite of chocolate. [Getty Images]

Tomorrow, many will tap into heightened desires and expectations, and abandoning all semblance of common sense, we will seek out pleasure. Real or imagined.

We sought out to seek foods, not pills, that people turned to for a burst of passion.

Pomegranate, which is just a fancy word for kukumanga: In a 2007 study, 47 per cent of subjects reported improved erections after eating pomegranate fruit over a period of four weeks. How would I even go about assessing information like that? Using the International Index of Erectile Function, obviously. Thanks to this study, pomegranate fruit is occasionally called the “red Viagra.”

Red wine: Infused with the antioxidants quercetin and resveratrol, red wine really helps get the blood pumping.

Chocolate:  Scientists ascribed the aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate to two chemicals it contains. Tryptophan, a building block of serotonin, a neurochemical involved in sexual arousal. And phenylethylamine, which belongs in the amphetamine family of hormones, all stimulants released in the brain when people fall in love.

Asparagus: A potent vegetable boasting of high potassium levels, increases your libido. It is also rich in folates and B vitamins, elements that studies show improve sperm DNA. So, do not forget to befriend a local asparagus farmer if you are looking to make a baby. 

Cucumber: Cucumbers are loaded with vitamin C and manganese, which play a role in supporting sexual welfare and boosting energy and sexual drive. Vitamin C helps blood flow, sorting erectile function.

Avocados: They are partially in season and they come with lots of vitamin B6, which promotes testosterone production. 

Chillies: The sensation of hot chilli on the tongue triggers the release of endorphins.

Nuts: Each variety of nut has its own unique folkloric tale as an aphrodisiac. Nuts contain energising zinc and stimulate better blood flow. 

Cherries and strawberries:  The fruits are packed with flavonoids and vitamins which maintain the blood’s vitality and keep it pumping.

Celery:  It smells like androstenone, the primary male pheromone. Celery’s scent has been proven to induce emotion that then triggers neurochemical changes in the brain, intensifying emotion, and sexual attraction.