Although the famous Dr. Ruth once said, “the most important sex organ lies between the ears,” it doesn’t stop millions of men and women from looking for a little something to stoke the bedroom fire.
You need to look no further than the multi-billion-dollar male enhancement industry for proof of this; it seems like everyone is looking to get a … leg up.
While the little blue pill can make sex possible, it does nothing to ignite the passion or cause you to desire sex.
That’s where aphrodisiacs come in.
Flourishing on reputation more than true, dyed-in-the-wool results, there are more aphrodisiacs then you can shake a rhino horn at – whether it be the customary feast of oysters or the resin of a poisonous toad.
Named for the Greek goddess of love and beauty – Aphrodite – aphrodisiacs have been used for centuries to help put lovers in the mood. It is believed Aphrodite’s worship of sparrows led some European cultures to believe the tiny bird – especially its brain – would ignite lust.
So they ate it.
Galen, an 18th-century physician, once wrote an excellent aphrodisiac must be warm, moist and windy (cause flatulence) – not very sexy, right? The thought was, that if a man were bloated and gassy, other things would … also become bloated.
The Greek looked to many different spices, carrots, asparagus and sweet peas to help achieve the required windy sensation.
While most of us wouldn’t willingly dive into a bowl of sparrow brain or look for love with a stomach full of gas-inducing asparagus, food remains among the most popular aphrodisiacs in today’s culture.
Perhaps the two most popular are oysters and chocolate.
The jury is split when it comes to the true power mollusks have over our libido.
Some would suggest the high level of zinc found in oysters is enough to do the trick. Zinc affects our progesterone levels and, in turn, is believed to have a direct influence on our libido.
Others say the affect has more to do with what female body part an oyster resembles, rather than its nutritional inventory.
The same can be said about rhino horn.
While there are almost zero dietetic aids in the horn itself, apart from some calcium and phosphorus, it is believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac.
Two words: giant and erect.
The same Greeks who aimed to be flatulent in the bedroom often turned to phallic-shaped vegetables to promote healthy female fertility and stir desire. The Mandrake root was often used thanks to its shape.
Not all aphrodisiacs rely on your dirty mind, however.
Some foods, such as chocolate and ginseng, have the ability to coerce the body to release chemicals, such as serotonin. Serotonin has been known to offer a temporary boost in mood, making you happier and more at ease.
Ginseng is also often used medically in the Orient, and some studies have proven the root does have some stimulating properties.
Apparently ginseng promotes sexual response in animals, but studies on humans are inconclusive.
Ambergris, which can be found in the digestive system of sperm whales and is used as an ingredient in perfume, has been linked to a significant rise in testosterone levels in the blood – which, believe it or not, works magic with both men and women.
Perhaps the world’s most legendary aphrodisiac is Spanish Fly, and it too, relies on chemicals to get lovers between the sheets.
Found in blister beetles, the Fly’s chief chemical – cantharidin – heads directly below the belt, irritating the genital membranes. The related heat is mistaken for arousal – but hey, if it works …
According to Stag Shop manager Melanie Stocks, it’s up to each individual to decide what is or what isn’t an aphrodisiac.
“It all depends on who you are,” says Stocks, who helped open the doors of the store – the franchise’s 19th – in November. Located at 346 Bayfield Street, this location is one of the Stag Shops biggest stores, providing 5,500 square feet of unique, fun and sexy merchandise. “If you don’t like chocolate as a person, you’re not going to like chocolate as an aphrodisiac,” she adds, as she points to various scents of massage oils available at her store. “French pastry – sometimes that smell gets people – it inspires (people) to feel good, relax.”
Stocks says chocolate continues to be the most popular scent and taste, as most women are turned on by its richness.
The Stag Shop is chalk-full of everything you’d need to get your motor running – from sensible massage oils, candles, paints, toys and even swings that look like you’d need to tour with Cirque du Soleil to use.
“There are potions and different mixtures, supplements you can get to help inspire sexual energy,” Stocks said, adding that the Kama Sutra line is one of the best when it comes to sexual inspiration.
“It’s not something where you have to litter the room with candles, it could be just something you put on your body,” Stocks says, “and that smell alone will inspire the mood.”
And when you think about, isn’t that what this crazy thing we call love is all about – feeling good?
Time to break out the oyster-flavoured rhino horn.
Get Your Motor Running
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