Beyond its reputation as an aphrodisiac food, garlic is one of those mysterious foods touted to cure everything from lethargy to cancer. In France, it is boiled in a pungent soup as a treatment for the common cold. But the powers of garlic in which lovers should take note are not those that fight sleep apnea or winter sniffles, but its purported power to inspire extraordinary stamina and unbridled energy. (The ancient Greeks fed garlic to top athletes prior to Olympic competition to encourage peak performance).

And if you are one of those picky eaters who tends to shy away from the stronger of culinary smells, chew on this: Under the scrutiny of modern science, it was recently discovered that the chemical substance creating garlic's aroma, which seems to cling to fingers that slice it and tongues that caress it with unnatural tenacity is also one of the chemicals present in female sexual secretions.