They are, however, a luxurious and healthy treat. The oyster’s slightly salty/sweet scent, a smell not dissimilar to a potent female pheromone, has proven to be sexually stirring. Although the serving of nutrients in a single oyster is negligible, eaten by the dozen, oysters are loaded with zinc, a key nutrient for testosterone production, (important for stimulating libido in both men and women). A lean source of protein, oysters have been credited with keeping men virile well into old age (Casanova supposedly consumed 50 oysters each day to keep his libido in top form).

In 2007, an aim to up oysters’ libido-boosting power led one mad, Australian oyster farmer to slip crushed Viagra into his oyster beds. The resulting oysters were rejected by Australian health officials although there was some Asian interest in the drugged-up mollusks. However, the makers of Viagra slapped a lawsuit on the creative fisherman for misuse of a trademarked name, ending the farmer’s plans to market his chemically altered seafood around the world.