The history of wine, women and song

The aphrodisiac history of grapes is as old as the history of mankind. The evidence stretches all the way back to ancient Egypt. It entwines the history of man with that of wine. How? When archeologists unlocked the mysteries of ancient Egyptian tombs, they found traces of wine. And that discovery revealed that man had indulged in the elixir of romance, also known as fermented grape juice, since the beginning of civilization. 

Since those first attempts at fermenting the fruit into an alcoholic beverage, wine has served as the muse of poets, songwriters and dreamers. And in most cases, the drink is mentioned in the context of romance, eroticism and sometimes downright debauchery.

But even without the transformation into a drink of love and song, the aphrodisiac history of grapes is linked symbolically with romance, fertility and virility.

The ancient, aphrodisiac history of grapes

The ancient Romans, acknowledged as the first civilization to cultivate grape vines, declared both wine and fresh grapes emblems of Bacchus, God of Ecstasy. (He was also the God of Fertility.) And pre-dating the Romans, the ancient Greeks made it a tradition to give clusters of freshly picked grapes to newlyweds. This custom was somewhat of a fertility right. You see, it was believe that the grape seeds would bless the happy couple with many children.

A fruit of seduction

When you consider the grape, it’s easy to see why this summer and autumn fruit was first regarded as an aphrodisiac. The sweet jewels make a perfect finger food. And a finger food packed with age-defying antioxidants. The grape is a plump, luscious fruit. And for this reason, it is often used in romantic literature to symbolize a woman.

Grapes and your health

Unfortunately, the part of aphrodisiac grapes that has the most potential to impact libido is a part usually not eaten. It turns out that the oil found in grape seeds has the potential to offer the body a lot of nutrition beneficial to overall and reproductive health.

Modern science reveals that grape seed oil is a source of antioxidants with  free radical-fighting effects. And it’s a source of vitamin E for its role in supporting the health of your reproductive organs. And while we don’t typically crunch the seeds when crushing the plump flesh of grapes between our teeth, the benefits are obtained from several practical applications. For one thing, you can use grape seed oil in cooking and those antioxidants will set to work while you up your daily vitamin E intake. Alternatively, you can use it topically–perhaps as a massage oil–and your skin will reap the benefits as anti-aging effects. Learn more about the potential benefits of this oil.

Peel me a grape

One of the most powerful images of seduction is that of hand feeding the aphrodisiac of grapes to your reclining lover. In summer, freezing the grapes can prove a sinful way to beat the season’s heat.

Discover more of the world’s greatest aphrodisiac foods