Chocolate in expert’s list of 17 aphrodisiacs for Valentine’s Day

Normally, prices of roses or other flowers and chocolates go up on Valentine’s Day because it is the most common gifts given to one’s love or partner on Feb 14. More than just express one’s feelings for a partner, girlfriend or wife, chocolates also top list of aphrodisiacs that could enhance love-making sessions that usually is part of this day.

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Some people would prefer taking drugs to improve their performance in bed, but the proliferation of fake Viagra and other male enhancement place the health of men at risk. That’s one of the reasons why some lovers prefer to use aphrodisiacs instead because it is safer and natural.

The list of foods said to be aphrodisiacs is long, but some are based on old wives’ tales, while others could be dangerous like the Korean bug. Dr Diana Hoppe, a board-certified obstetrician and gynaecologist, listed 17 foods that are proven to enhance sex drive, reports The New York Daily News.

However, not all these foods are readily available in one place or affordable or palatable. Most of the 17 items are easy to buy and common items such as bananas, carrots, eggs, garlic, watermelon or chocolate. Others, such as pomegranate seeds, oysters, figs and oysters, are either difficult to find because it is a seasonal food or grown only in a certain region and too expensive if exported.

Meanwhile, not everyone is into spice, so perhaps Indian and Thais and certain nationalities may appreciate chili peppers or capsicin may have the stomach to eat hot foods with chili pepper which stimulates nerve endings to release epinephrine. It is a chemical that boosts heart rate and produces tingling sensation.

But except for few people, chocolate is a universal favourite. Long accused of causing excess weight and sugar rush, chocolate, specifically chocolate cake, has been found in a new study to even help lose weight if eaten during breakfast.

Chocolate is an aphrodisiac because it contains phenethylamine, a stimulant that induces a sense of well-being and sexual attraction. More preferable is dark chocolate, which has 65 percent more cocoa, because it is high in anti-oxidants that decreases inflammation, in the process reducing the risk for heart ailments and other types of cancers. According to WebMD, it is a chemical that stimulates the body to produce certain chemicals that play a role in depression and other psychiatric condition.

Hoppe, founder of Amazing Over 40 Inc, a health coaching certification programme for women, urges couples to also experiment and be creative in the kitchen to fuel the fire in the bedroom.