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 The Greek Goddess Aphrodite holds claim on where the word ''aphrodisiac" came
from. An aphrodisiac is a smell, food, drink or drug which causes an increase in
sexual appetite, or libido. In 1989, The FDA (food and drug administration)
claimed officially that there is no such thing, and that the use of aphrodisiacs
is based only in folklore and legend.
No one seems to give a hoot what the FDA says. Aphrodisiacs are sold over the
counter and online by the hundreds, from oils and scents that bring out your
own, natural human pheromones as an aphrodisiac, along with Chinese medicinal
aphrodisiacs that include ginseng, ginger, and even (now outlawed and placed on
the endangered species list) rhino tusks. From natural and herbal aphrodisiacs
to chemically invented, aphrodisiacs are still on the market and still quite
popular.
The most popular and widely used aphrodisiacs are still
oysters. Served raw and on the half shell, this seafood, along with scallops,
are equated with powerful sexual energy and stamina.
Next are the
adrenaline glands of various animals sold in apothecary shops. The danger of
these is that some are poisonous if you are allergic to them; use with caution.
Anchovies and licorice are popular aphrodisiacs and date back to ancient Greece.
How do specific foods and glands get on the aphrodisiac list? The answer is
simple, most likely it started after simple observation.
For example,
rabbit and goat glands are considered to provide heightened sexual energy
because the animals that they are procured from reproduce rapidly. Other foods,
such as chilies and curry, cause one to sweat and experience and increased heart
rate.
Eating the heart of a live snake while its still beating is
popular in Vietnam for "making you strong," or increasing your stamina. Snakes
and sex go back as far as the bible.
Once glorified in what is now
Mexico, chocolate is still considered one of the ultimate aphrodisiacs, but was
also fairly hard to come by. As it became more common and available, its
popularity as an aphrodisiac waned.
The husk, or outer casing of the
blister beetle, which is a brilliant green, is used in the making of one of the
most notorious aphrodisiacs, Spanish fly. While this "drug" was used throughout
history as an aphrodisiac, it is only, alas, a myth with a horrifying urban
legend attached to it. (No doubt you have heard the story of the date, having
ingested Spanish fly after her boyfriend slipped it to her, impaled herself on
the gearshift of the car while he went to get popcorn at the drive in movies.)
In actuality, Spanish fly is a drink made with tequila.
Rumor has it that
now; finally, there is a chemically made aphrodisiac in the form of a nasal
spray. The food and drug administration is in phase three of testing this new
OTC aphrodisiac, known only as PT-141 for now.
Article
Source: http://www.articlepostings.com
Shayla Moore is a writer for www.oasislingerie.com
She has many intresting topics and ideas for all to read about. Check out more
of her articles.
Photograph by Lisa O'Sullivan
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