Garlic - Aphrodisiac & Health Benefits

An aphrodisiac for two

Most people are surprised to learn that garlic is an aphrodisiac. But the benefits of garlic have a string attached. You see, unlike most aphrodisiac foods, aphrodisiac garlic is one that both lovers must eat for its magical properties to manifest powers of romance.

The reason? Well, that’s probably obvious but I’ll explain just in case. It’s no mystery of science or magic but one of common sense. A whiff of (maybe not so) aphrodisiac garlic breath is about as arousing as the smell of a zoo on a hot, summer day. The only antidote is to partake with your lover in the feast of sweet stink. This way, you numb your senses to any unappealing odor.

The health benefits of garlic

Beyond its reputation as an aphrodisiac food, the benefits of garlic are many. In fact, it seems like there are theories that garlic can cure just about anything. (This is also true, to some extent, of the other members of the allium family. Alliums also include leeks, chives, onions and shallots.) Some proclamations may be a little thin on truth. But here are some of garlic’s benefits that are recognized as effective.

In France, garlic is boiled in a pungent soup as a treatment for the common cold. And although this may have started as a folkloric treatment, the scientific community supports the claim. In one double blind study, daily garlic consumption reduced the rate of common colds by 63%. That alone may be reason for you to start consuming more garlic!

The benefits of garlic also include an ability to lower LDL cholesterol. (That’s the “bad” kind of cholesterol.) And it appears to be most effective on individuals with high cholesterol. Although this doesn’t immediately impact your sex life, it does effect your heart health. And a healthy heart keeps the blood pumping and makes sexual arousal possible. So next time you consider your cholesterol, remember the effect it can have on your sex life!

Garlic is also linked with improved athletic performance. And this isn’t a new idea. The ancient Greeks fed garlic to top athletes prior to Olympic competition to encourage peak performance. There’s little evidence that it works. But I did find one clinical study to support the claim.

Love these benefits of aphrodisiac garlic? Find out why ginger is another powerfully aphrodisiac spice!

Why garlic is an aphrodisiac

If the health benefits of garlic weren’t enough to sell you on the fact that it could help your sex life, here are a few facts that link garlic specifically with games of love.

There’s an enzyme in aphrodisiac garlic called allinase. It is released when garlic is chopped or crushed. It results in a compound called allicin. And this compound is thought to increase blood flow to the sex organs.

Aphrodisiac garlic is also surprisingly nutritious, although most of us don’t eat it in large enough quantities to make a significant impact. But it does bring trace amounts of several nutrients important to your sex life to your diet. These include vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, potassium, selenium and manganese. And you might be surprised to learn that it’s also a source, (although marginal), of fiber and protein.

Discover why we call garlic one of the 10 Best Foods for Men

Ok, maybe you’re one of those picky eaters who tends to shy away from the stronger of culinary smells. But if you are, you might want to chew on this: A scientific study proved that the chemical substance creating aphrodisiac garlic’s aroma, (the one that lingers in the air and also creates garlic breath), is one of the chemicals present in female sexual secretions.

Discover more of the world’s greatest aphrodisiac foods