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What is an aphrodisiac food? Is it gently poached shrimp in red curry over grains of fragrant, jasmine rice? Would freshly shucked oysters served ocean-side with a glass of rosé wine work? Or what about the meat of crushed cocoa pods steeped with flecks of chile and sweetened by sugar cane?

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The meaning of aphrodisiac

Aphrodisiac foods are foods celebrated by the greatest cultures in recorded history. And today, modern science around the globe is proving the nutritional impact on your sex life from foods historically regarded as aphrodisiac. And by aphrodisiac, I mean these ingredients increase sexual desire and/or performance.

So how do you define aphrodisiac foods? And why does the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) say there is no such thing as a “romance food?”

The FDA not just dismisses the existence of aphrodisiac foods but also warns consumers against natural aphrodisiacs. The organization maintains that no over-the-counter product, including food, works to benefit sexual function.

Of course, the FDA is trying to protect consumers from products like the manufactured packets labeled “Spanish Fly.” You know the kind, sold at the checkout counters of seedy convenience stores, with long warnings of side effects. (Stay away from that stuff!) But it also tends to define aphrodisiacs rather narrowly as only those products directly improving sexual hormone levels. However, if you look at aphrodisiac effects in history, you’ll see that there are many ways to define the meaning of aphrodisiac foods.

A scientific discovery linking food and sex

It’s true that until recent years, no controlled studies proved any food could increase sexual hormone levels. But a study completed in 2005 and presented to the American Chemical Society changed things. This study inadvertently discovered that rare amino acids raised sexual hormone levels in rats.

The scientists didn’t set out to find a potentially potent aphrodisiac. And yet, that’s the exact result they got. The study was investigating the amino acids of a Mediterranean variety of mussels. And the sexual health discovery was simply a sideline of the group’s true goals.

So, unfortunately, no follow-up studies have endeavored to harness the Viagra-like potential of mussels and the other bivalves, (including oysters and clams), which contain this miracle amino. It certainly does imply that these seafoods have the potential to be powerful aphrodisiacs. In conclusion, I think it’s safe to say that this accidental discovery makes a great argument for the FDA to take a closer look at the potential of aphrodisiac foods.

So how do we define aphrodisiac?

Despite the FDA’s cold shoulder toward foods of love, people around the world continue to define food as aphrodisiacs. There are many reasons why foods are considered aphrodisiac. Some foods earn their title for their ability to produce an immediate physiological effect on the body.

Chile peppers, for instance, have been used as an aphrodisiac food throughout the Americas and Asia. Chiles, as anyone who enjoys their sweet heat knows, raise body temperature and can even release endorphins. (They also bring a blush to the cheeks similar to a sexual flush.)

Ginger, another warming spice, can stimulate the senses in a similar, although more subtle way. This exotic spice can make the eater’s tongue tingle with anticipation. It can also make the lips temporarily swell and plump to proportions that will feed any Angelina Jolie fantasy.

Are drinks aphrodisiac?

Although it’s not a food, alcohol is also considered aphrodisiac for its physiological effects. We all know what happens when the first sips of a drink hit the blood stream and the world becomes a warm and glowing place. Champagne is a particularly effective aphrodisiac. The delicious “pop” of a cork and the tickling of bubbles on the nose make the drink much more than an inhibition assistant. Some say it increases sexual desire.

Life becomes a celebration with Champagne in the glass. There’s a teasing notion in the back of the mind that the entire bottle really must be drunk. (Champagne may lose its fizz if you try to save it). This adds a notion of indulgence to the act of drinking Champagne.

But, of course, the aphrodisiac of alcohol should only be used in moderation. As Shakespeare warned of the temptation of the bottle, ‘It provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance.’

And alcohol is not the only drink with aphrodisiac properties. If you’re a coffee drinker, here are a few things you’ll want to know about this powerful stimulant and its connection to sexual desire.

Can aromas be aphrodisiac?

Thanks to the work of two rather quirky figures in the world of science, we now know that the mere scents of some foods can play a role in increasing sexual desire. In the late 1990’s, Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago completed a study in which food aromas caused sexual arousal in subjects in both waking and sleeping states.

The most successful scent tested in the study to tempt men was a combination of pumpkin pie spice and lavender. For women, it was cucumbers and Good & Plenty candies. Other scents, such as glazed donut, buttered popcorn and vanilla also offered arousing results.

In a series of slightly less formal studies, the late Dr. Max Lake, an MD and vintner from Australia’s Hunter Valley, discovered similarities between the scents of certain foods and the aromas of human pheromones. In his book Scents and Sensuality, Dr. Lake describes the aromas of some Blanc de Blanc Champagnes, as well as ripe cheeses, as startlingly similar to female pheromones.

RELATED: Wine and Pheromones

He also discusses the aromatic similarity between truffles and the male pheromone androstenone. (Ever stop to ponder why truffle hunters employ female pigs? Those randy girls are after the scent of androstenone!)

Can appearance make a food aphrodisiac?

There are foods considered aphrodisiac based on appearance. But I don’t necessarily think that when you ask “what’s an aphrodisiac?,” the best answer is something that looks like a part of the human anatomy.

For example, I’ve heard a European belief from a previous century that strawberries are aphrodisiac for their resemblance to a woman’s nipples. This rumor was clearly started during a time period in which nudity was frowned upon. Because I’ve looked in the mirror and can assure you that there is absolutely no resemblance.

This game of how not to define an aphrodisiac food goes for phallic foods as far as I’m concerned. If size matters, why would any man want to compare his anatomy to a stalk of asparagus?

How nutrition influences aphrodisiac foods

It is my belief that foods with nutritional content essential for sexual health were, in previous centuries, often explained by appearance. But that’s simply because these cultures ddi not have the tools to allow for nutritional analysis. Celery, for example, another one of those rather thin phallic foods, is an important aphrodisiac largely because it contains natural plant estrogens.

In fact, if you look at the nutritional makeup of most foods celebrated as aphrodisiacs throughout the course of history, you will find ingredients rich with vitamins and nutrients essential to a healthy libido.

We now know that oysters, the most clichéd of all aphrodisiac foods, contain that aforementioned amino acid promising to raise sexual hormone levels. But oysters are also an excellent and easily digestible source of zinc, an ingredient that promotes blood flow to the body’s every region.

Which natural aphrodisiac foods are most likely to impact your sex life?

Oysters are not the only food to get your blood pumping. Almonds, eggs, pumpkin seeds and shrimp are also aphrodisiac foods serving up your daily dose of zinc. Other nutrients with nutritional aphrodisiac properties include–but are not limited to–vitamin C, vitamin E, iodine, Omega-3 fatty acids and manganese.

Many ingredients are considered aphrodisiacs because of their ability to provide sustained energy. Lean proteins like wild boar, fish and fowl give the body energy for an all night dance of love. Foods with natural sugars and caffeine can give the body a surge of energy when it is needed most. (This explains the aphrodisiac reputation of decidedly un-sexy ingredients like yams and beets.)

Picture honey drizzled across warm flesh. Or imagine fragrant coffee served in bed on a cold morning, which tends to rouse more than a lover’s tousled head.

Brain chemistry and defining aphrodisiac foods

When discussing what foods are aphrodisiac, there’s one more effect we have to consider. As we learn more about brain chemistry and its impact on the games of love, we will likely discover more reasons to toss out the prescription pad. Instead we’ll be writing a good grocery list.

We now know that certain foods can trigger chemical reactions in the brain to send a flood of happy hormones through the body. (You may have heard that aphrodisiac chocolate can create such euphoric effects. Unfortunately, you would have to eat a diabetic coma-inducing quantity of chocolate in one sitting in order to ingest enough of the needed compounds. Sad, but true).

But more and more secrets of the brain are unlocked through the miracles of modern science. And it is very likely that we will discover a dazzling array of foods with abilities to balance mood. Not to mention invoke romance and trigger sexual desire and help us to better define aphrodisiac.

When is romance part of what is an aphrodisiac food?

In conclusion, I do believe that all of these elements, including nutrition, appearance and brain chemistry play a role in how you define aphrodisiac foods. That doesn’t mean any one of those elements is going to make a natural aphrodisiac successful. If you want to make aphrodisiacs work for you, the true key to success is romance.

Don’t try to drill it down to a checklist. For a romantic meal to achieve the desired results, the experience of sharing it must be an act of pleasure. When planning a meal of seduction, don’t just contemplate a menu of aphrodisiac ingredients.

Think about possible elements you can add to create an experience of indulgence, surprise and even downright daring. Find ways to show that you’re thinking about the other person. Yes, serve aphrodisiacs but think about the types of aphrodisiacs your lover, or potential lover will like. Don’t serve a table full of food, serve them a feeling. After all, as Dr. Ruth Westheimer famously quipped, “The most important sex organ lies between the ears.”

Now that we have a better understanding of how aphrodisiacs work, it’s time to talk about which foods are going to improve your sex life.

Visit my dictionary of aphrodisiac foods for my list of all the best aphrodisiacs.