Seductive Foods to Woo your loved one this Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is hot on the horizon, and for many of us it will be a brain racking exercise in hunting out the ultimate in amorous edibles; those seductively tempting little morsels that will be guaranteed to stimulate our flagging, winter-weary, poverty-stricken senses as we battle our way through the endless rain, particularly down here in the South West..

I spend much of my life eating out as a professional hotel and restaurant inspector, and whilst I love the day job with a passion, nothing is guaranteed to get me in the mood for a romantic liaison more than a home cooked meal, lovingly prepared, just for me; preferably snuggled up toasty warm by a roaring log fire.

It is well documented that what we eat has a direct impact on our body and its functions, and aphrodisiacs were originally intended to stimulate by arousing sexual excitement. This is because procreation was once an important moral and religious issue, and the use of aphrodisiacs was intended to ensure both male and female potency, improving inadequate performance and increasing fertility. All good stuff to keep the human race going.  

One of the key issues, of course, is nutrition. Under nourishment creates a loss of libido and reduces fertility rates, in addition to being the cause of many other complications that can follow our progress through life’s challenging path. Foods that in their natural state seem to represent "seed or semen" are considered inherently to have sexual powers, whereas others are said to provide stimulation by their "physical resemblance to genitalia".

Lucky for all of us in the mood for love, there are plenty of options to be had. There are a wide range of foods readily available; nowadays these may be from anywhere in the world, and available during all seasons. However, I would argue that the quality, and the potency, will be greater if in season and gathered closer to home.

With this in mind, and wanting to gain maximum advantage in the wooing stakes, here are some suggestions for ingredients that should form part of the ultimate erotic banquet; in which all the ingredients are designed to release those inhibitions and evoke the ‘Love Goddess’ Aphrodite.

The Aztecs called the avocado ahuacuatl, or "testicle tree", as the fruit hanging in pairs on the tree resembled testicles. Catholic priests forbade it, but it is rich with folic acid, vitamin B6 and potassium, all of which help to boost the immune system.

The book of The Arabian nights tells a tale of a merchant who had been childless for 40 years and was cured by a concoction that included coriander, which is also known as an "appetite" stimulant.

Basil boosts circulation, which has an aphrodisiac effect in stimulating sex drive and increasing fertility. The scent is said to drive men wild – so much so that women would dust their breasts with dried, powdered basil.

Culpepper wrote, “asparagus stirs up lust in man and woman" and in 19^th Century France bridegrooms were served three courses of it at their pre-nuptial dinners. The Vegetarian Society suggests "eating asparagus for three days for the most powerful affect". You may just have time....

Its sexual shape is obvious, but the banana is loaded with potassium, magnesium and B vitamins, as well as chelating minerals and the bromeliad enzyme, said to enhance the male libido and aid sex hormone production. They also provide instant, long-lasting energy – to give you staying power, and are excellent at regulating blood pressure too, which can help with erectile disfunction.

In Egyptian times honey was used as a cure for sterility and impotence. Medieval seducers plied their partners with Mead, and honeymooners drank mead to "sweeten" the marriage.

Last, but by no means least in any woman’s books, chocolate. The king of natural aphrodisiacs, it contains anandamide, the psychoactive feel-good chemical, and PEA (phenylethylamine), the "love chemical," which releases dopamine in the pleasure centres of the brain and peaks during orgasm. PEA is said to help induce feelings of excitement, attraction and euphoria.

Not exactly the most balanced suggestions for a romantic meal, but if all else fails – then take your loved one out for dinner, but be sure to stay away from carbohydrates, which induce sluggishness. Also avoid dill, lettuce and watercress, which are all said to be an-aphrodisiacs, producing the opposite of the required effect!