Aphrodisiacs

Oyster aphrodisiac

Bing

This is the second article in a series on aphrodisiacs. In the first article it was explained that an aphrodisiac is a substance that can purportedly increase sexual desire. Additionally, because desire is a mental process/emotion, drugs like Viagra which work on a physical basis alone (per claims of the manufacturer) do not fit the true definition of aphrodisiac. Of course, it can not be denied that if people have an expectation for sex and a purple pill is popped at the right time, the expected activity may certainly result.

Oysters are among the oldest and most commonly utilized aphrodisiacs available. In fact , the word aphrodisiac is derived from Greek mythology. Specifically, it comes from the goddess Aphrodite. The story states that the goddess came from the ocean perched upon an oyster shell and that she gave birth to Eros, god of desire. There is also the ancient belief that foods that resemble certain body parts stimulate or enhance those parts. An example of this would be walnuts and the brain. A walnut cracked in half reveals a geography startlingly similar to the human brain. Further, modern science has found walnuts to contain vitamin E which is essential for sexual and reproductive health.

Oysters resemble female genitalia. They also have a sensuous feel. When taken on the half shell with a glass of wine, might this not be a true elixir? And similarly, like walnuts containing nutrients that are good for the brain, oysters contain nutrients which are essential for reproductive health. Specifically, oysters contain zinc. The highest concentration of zinc in humans is in the prostate gland which helps to produce semenal fluid. Might this contribute to enhanced desire? Zinc is also necessary for the production of testosterone. Other nutrients found in oysters are certain amino acids which have been found to stimulate the nervous system and increase sex hormones in lab experiments with rats.