The Top 10 Aphrodisiac Foods in Common Folklore
"Food, sex, and nature are one." From ancient emperors to modern-day commoners, people have always sought ways to enhance their libido. Aphrodisiac foods don't necessarily need a scientific basis; many are rooted in folklore or mythology. Whether you believe them or not, there's no harm in trying them. Simply put, aphrodisiac foods generally fall into two categories: those related to the food's own ingredients and nutritional value, and those that trigger physiological aphrodisiac associations through psychological factors, creating a sensual atmosphere through sight, touch, smell, and taste to increase sexual desire. Here are the top 10 aphrodisiac foods commonly rumored in daily life!
Oysters, a type of clam, also known as oyster yellow, oyster white, sea oyster, green oyster, raw oyster,牡蛤, or 蛎蛤. Oysters grow in temperate and tropical oceans, with those from the French coast being the most famous. Oyster meat is tender and delicate, with a prominent umami flavor, a slight briny scent, and a unique taste. They can be used in soups, braised dishes, stir-fried, soft-fried, made into canned goods, and processed into oyster jerky or dried oysters, and oyster sauce.
Oysters - Nutritional Analysis
1. Oyster extract has a significant inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation, can lower blood lipids and TXA2 levels in patients with hyperlipidemia, is beneficial to insulin secretion and utilization, and can enhance the sensitivity of malignant tumor cells to radiation and inhibit their growth.
2. The rich taurine in oysters has a significant liver-protecting and choleretic effect, making it a good remedy for preventing and treating intrahepatic cholestasis during pregnancy.
3. The rich trace elements and glycogen it contains are beneficial for promoting fetal growth and development, correcting anemia in pregnant women, and restoring their physical strength.
4. Oysters are also the best food for supplementing calcium. They are rich in phosphorus, and since the absorption of calcium in the body requires the help of phosphorus, this is beneficial to calcium absorption.
5. Oysters also contain vitamin B12, which is generally lacking in other foods. The cobalt element in vitamin B12 is an essential substance for preventing pernicious anemia, so oysters also have the effect of activating hematopoietic function.
6. The protein in oysters contains many excellent amino acids. These amino acids have detoxifying effects, can remove toxic substances from the body, and taurine can lower blood cholesterol levels, thus preventing arteriosclerosis.
Oysters - Consumption
Generally suitable for everyone
1. Suitable for children with weak constitutions, patients with hilar lymph node tuberculosis, cervical lymph node tuberculosis, scrofula, yin deficiency with vexation and insomnia, restlessness, cancer patients after radiotherapy and chemotherapy; it is a rare anti-cancer seafood, suitable as a beauty food; suitable for diabetic patients, Sjogren's syndrome, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia patients; suitable for women during menopause and pregnancy.
2. Patients with acute or chronic skin diseases should avoid consumption; those with weak spleen and stomach, seminal emission, chronic diarrhea, or loose stools should not eat too much.
Food Incompatibility
Oyster meat should not be eaten with sugar.
Medicinal Food Therapy
Oysters are sweet, salty, and neutral in nature; they affect the liver, heart, and kidney meridians.
They have the effects of nourishing yin, nourishing blood, tonifying the five organs, activating blood circulation, and nourishing muscles.
1. Benefits yin and suppresses yang. Used for vexation, insomnia, dizziness, headache, tinnitus, dizziness, tidal fever, and night sweats caused by yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity.
2. Astringent and consolidating. Treats deficient sweating, dysentery, and seminal emission.
3. Softens hard masses and dissipates nodules. Can treat swollen masses, lumps, and scrofula caused by phlegm-fire.
Caviar is a sauce made from fish roe. It is one of the "Three Great Delicacies of the West" (the other two are foie gras and truffles). The roe of almost any fish can be made into caviar, but the most authentic is from sturgeon. The finest caviar is made from the black eggs of BELUGA, ASETRA, and SEVRUGA sturgeon from the Caspian Sea. Caviar can be eaten in soups or with bread.
Caviar - Nutritional Value
Speaking of the origin of caviar, we must mention an emperor who lived by the sea in Iran many years ago. Due to his love for fine food, caviar became a fashionable food. At that time, many men who ate caviar were strong and healthy. Since then, Iranian men have been obsessed with this food that symbolizes strength. For the first time, caviar showed its nutritional value and gained worldwide attention.
It is rich in valuable nutrients such as protein (arginine protein, histidine protein, isoleucine protein, lysine protein, methionine protein), fats (cholesterol, phospholipids), vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin PP, vitamin B12), and also contains lymphatic acid and vitamin B3, which have very significant health effects. Caviar also contains trace elements, mineral salts, proteins, amino acids, and restructured essential fatty acids needed by the skin.
Red wine is generally the abbreviation for red wine. When making red wine, the grape skins and pulp are pressed together. The red pigment in red wine is released during the pressing of the grape skins. Because of this, all red wines are red. In contrast, white wine is made by pressing only the grape pulp and fermenting it.
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grape juice. It is the second-largest alcoholic beverage in the world after beer. It is a universally consumed international beverage and an indispensable drink in international exchanges and celebratory family banquets.
Garlic (scientific name: Allium sativum), also known as da suan. The bulb at the base is spicy and has a pungent odor, called "garlic head," and can be used as a seasoning or in medicine. The leaves are called green garlic or garlic sprouts, and the flower stalk is called garlic scape, both of which can be eaten as vegetables.
Modern medical research has confirmed that garlic contains more than 100 medicinal and health-promoting components, including 43 sulfur-containing volatile substances, 13 esters of sulfurous acids (such as allicin), 9 amino acids, 8 peptides, 12 glycosides, and 11 enzymes. In addition, alliin is a unique component of garlic. When it enters the bloodstream, it becomes allicin. This allicin can instantly kill typhoid bacilli, dysentery bacilli, influenza virus, etc., even when diluted 100,000 times. Allicin combined with vitamin B1 can produce allithiamine, which has the remarkable effect of eliminating fatigue and enhancing physical strength. The creatinine in garlic is an essential component for muscle activity and also plays a role in the production of semen, which can greatly increase sperm count. The so-called "eating garlic makes one energetic" refers to this. Garlic can also promote metabolism, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and has the effect of lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, so it has a certain therapeutic effect on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, etc. Externally, garlic can promote skin blood circulation, remove aging cuticles, soften the skin and enhance its elasticity, and can also prevent sunburn, prevent melanin deposition, and remove freckles to whiten the skin. In recent years, research at home and abroad has shown that garlic can block the synthesis of carcinogenic nitrosamines in the body. So far, its anti-cancer effect ranks at the top of the pyramid among more than 40 types of vegetables and fruits. Among the more than 100 components of garlic, dozens of components have individual anti-cancer effects.
Papaya (Carica papaya) is the mature fruit of the deciduous shrub Chaenomeles speciosa or Papain in the Rosaceae family. The former is commonly called "wrinkled skin papaya," and the latter is commonly called "smooth skin papaya."
The papaya genus of the Rosaceae family includes plants like papaya (Papain) and Chaenomeles speciosa (wrinkled skin papaya). Several of these are woody plants native to China's temperate zone. Their fruits can be eaten as food and medicine, and their beautiful flowers are also for ornamental purposes. These are the papayas mentioned in traditional culture and poetry, such as the famous line in the "Book of Songs": "Throw me a papaya, and I'll return you a beautiful jade."
Papaya - Effects and Functions
Papaya has the effect of strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion. The papain in papaya can break down fat into fatty acids. Papaya contains an enzyme that can digest protein, which is beneficial for the human body's digestion and absorption of food, thus strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion. After eating too much meat, fat tends to accumulate in the lower body. The enzyme in papaya can help break down meat, reduce the workload of the gastrointestinal tract, and slowly make fleshy legs more toned. Its unique carpaine has anti-tumor effects and can prevent the synthesis of carcinogenic nitrosamines in the human body. It has strong anti-cancer activity against lymphocytic leukemia cells. The oleanolic acid component in papaya is a compound that has liver-protecting, enzyme-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, blood lipid-lowering, and blood vessel-softening effects. Papain is very beneficial for breast development and has a galactagogic effect. Women with insufficient milk production can increase their milk intake by eating it. Green papaya has the best effect for breast enhancement. Because papaya is warm in nature, not cold or dry, its nutrients can be easily absorbed directly by the skin, especially in terms of moistening the lungs. When the lungs are properly moistened, it can promote qi and blood circulation, allowing the body to absorb more nutrients, making the skin smooth, tender, delicate, with reduced wrinkles and a rosy complexion.
Curry is a composite seasoning mainly made from turmeric, with the addition of various spices. It has a special aroma and is mainly used for cooking beef, mutton, chicken, duck, potatoes, cauliflower, and soups. In many Southeast Asian countries, curry is an essential and important condiment. It is also used in many Western dishes. Curry is pungent, stimulating, and bold; curry is also gentle, intoxicating, and intimate. A spoonful of curry in the mouth, the spicy flavor seeps between the teeth, followed by a wafting aroma, making one marvel at the immense pleasure that lies beneath such a rich and intense flavor, leaving one wanting more.
The word "curry" comes from the Tamil language, meaning "many spices boiled together." From ancient to modern times, from East to West, it not only satisfies the appetite but also represents power, divinity, money, and love.
During China's Shang Dynasty, curry ingredients were already present in the royal imperial cuisine. The Bible records that on the night of Jesus' birth, the gifts brought by the three kings also included curry spices. Western merchants traveled to East Asia for trade with gold, silver, and silk, and curry ingredients were important items for procurement. It is said that Cleopatra attracted the love of Alexander the Great because her body was smeared with the spices used to cook curry.
Curry can always whet our appetite, especially in the hot summer. When people's taste becomes "restless," light food cannot stimulate the appetite, so curry can be used to refresh the palate and increase appetite. In many Asian countries, the role of curry for vegetables, meat, and seafood is somewhat like the role of soy sauce for Cantonese cuisine—indispensable. In Guangzhou, red curry is very popular. Due to the addition of red curry paste, the color is red and the taste is spicier. Common dishes include Thai red curry shrimp, made with a curry base of galangal, bay leaves, and small chilies, with the sweet and fresh shrimp adding a more stimulating flavor; Thai red curry pork neck, pork neck cooked with red curry made from sugar and coconut milk, which is rich and juicy but not too spicy, with a hint of sweetness.
Curry is called "masala" in Hindi. To understand masala, one must first understand chili—called "mirch" in Hindi. The red one is "lal," the green is "hari," but only the red one is used to cook curry. However, the curry cooked is not only red but also yellow, green, orange, and brown, with varying degrees of spiciness. Everyone should enjoy it by choosing red and green points, eating from the least spicy to the most spicy, to experience its layers and depth...
There are many types of curry, divided by country of origin: India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. Divided by color, there are red, green, yellow, and white. There are more than ten types of curry distinguished by different ingredients and flavors. The gathering of these different spices can create the rich and unexpected aroma of various curries.
Curry is a crystallization of spices. It is said that the composition of curry from spices originated in India, where the main meat was mutton with a very strong gamey flavor. A single spice could not remove the gamey taste, so a thick sauce made from a combination of various spice powders was used for cooking. This is the origin of curry. Later, spices and curry were introduced to European countries where meat was a staple. For the convenience of storage and transportation, spices were exported in a dry form, and powdered spices are still popular today.
The earliest countries producing spices included India, Indonesia, China, etc., with India being the outstanding one. Out of difficult circumstances, a new path is often forged. Why was India so great in its achievements in spices? It is believed to be due to their year-round hot and humid weather. The hot weather not only reduces people's appetite but also makes food spoil easily and breed bacteria. Adding spices to food can not only enhance its color, aroma, and taste but also promote gastric juice secretion, greatly increasing the appetite. At the same time, it can make food last longer, which is suitable for India's climate. The composition of curry from spices originated in India, where the main meat was mutton with a very strong gamey flavor. A single spice could not remove the gamey taste, so a thick sauce made from a combination of various dry spice powders was used for cooking. Unexpectedly, the effect was surprisingly good. This is the origin of the Tamil "kari" (curry). "Kari" means "sauce made from different spices"—this is what we Chinese now translate as "curry."
Later, spices, curry, etc., were introduced to European countries where meat was a staple. The aristocracy regarded them as treasures. It is even said that to import more spices, many ships were built, promoting the development of shipping. Dry curry ingredients—various spices—became more popular during this period. Because shipping took time, to prevent spices from spoiling, they were exported in a dry form. To this day, powdered spices are still widely used. As times have progressed, cooking curry has become more and more convenient. In the past, it required drying, grinding, mixing, and seasoning. Now, solid curry blocks and even packaged curry that can be eaten after heating are everywhere. Curry has become a very convenient, economical, quick, and healthy food.
Curry contains crude fiber, protein, various vitamins, and multiple trace elements such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. It has functions such as warming the body, strengthening the spleen, warming the stomach, and stimulating the appetite. Research has found that it can promote the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, increase gastrointestinal motility, and increase appetite. Curry can promote blood circulation and achieve the purpose of inducing sweating. Therefore, in subtropical regions, people especially like to eat curry dishes. The latest research from the American Cancer Research Association in San Francisco points out that the curcumin in curry can activate liver cells and inhibit cancer cell function. The latest research from a British biotechnology company found that the extracted oil from turmeric in curry can help prevent and treat intestinal cancer. Curry can also assist in wound healing and even prevent Alzheimer's disease. However, oil-based curry contains more saturated fatty acids, and it is often cooked with meat, so eating too much can lead to an increase in blood lipids. Curry has a certain stimulating effect on the stomach, so people with gastritis and ulcers should eat less. It should not be eaten while taking medication. The recommended amount is generally no more than 2 spoonfuls (about 20 grams) at a time.
Chili, also known as番椒, sea pepper, hot pepper, Qin pepper, etc., is an annual herbaceous plant in the Solanaceae family. Divided by ripeness, there are green and red chilies. Fresh green and red chilies can be used as main dishes. Red chilies can be processed into dried chilies or chili sauce and are mainly used as a seasoning for dishes. The fruit is usually conical or oblong. It is green when unripe and turns bright red, yellow, or purple when ripe, with red being the most common. The fruit of the chili is spicy because the peel contains capsaicin. It can increase appetite. The vitamin C content of chili ranks first among vegetables.
When the spiciness of chili stimulates the nerve endings of the tongue and mouth, the brain immediately orders the whole body to be on alert: the heart rate accelerates, saliva or sweat secretion increases, the digestive system works overtime, and endorphins are released. If another bite is taken, the brain thinks pain is coming again and releases more endorphins. The continuous release of endorphins makes people feel relaxed and excited, producing the "pleasure" after eating spicy food. Another factor in the addiction to eating chili is the effect of capsaicin. When taste-sensing cells come into contact with capsaicin, they become more sensitive, thus making food taste more delicious.
When people eat chilies, as long as the mouth is not injured by the spiciness, the sense of taste反而 becomes more sensitive. In addition, when eating chilies, the secretion of saliva and gastric juice in the mouth increases, gastrointestinal motility accelerates, and when people have a