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the aphrodisiac power of
cheese
Dairy is not necessarily a food group evocative of sensuality.
Yet cheese is a delicacy of European culture, said by
some to resemble the scent of a woman. Embraced in Italian
culture as an aphrodisiac, cheese contains ten times
as much PEA, phenylethylamine – believed to release
the same rush of hormones as sexual intercourse
-- as
does chocolate.
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Australian
researcher, Dr. Max Lake, who has performed extensive
study on the connection between sexual arousal and culinary
scents comments, “The vaguely sexual odors of certain
cheeses
may be pleasant to both men and women.”
In addition to the PEA provided by a serving of cheese,
Lake surmises that part of this ancient food’s
appeal is in its scent. The five-carbon fatty acid that
gives most cheeses their flavor is a close relative
to a mid-cycle vaginal pheromone.
return to aphrodisiac dictionary index
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