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Add these to your repertoire!
By denise ngo — Last updated on Dec 11, 2022
Sorry, chocolate lovers. After extensive review, researchers have just declared that there are two other sexy aphrodisiacs that are more potent (and natural to boot).
Drum roll, please!
According to The Telegraph, saffron and ginseng are on top of the aphrodisiac food chain, so to speak.
A team of scientists from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada found that these two natural substances improve sexual function and libido more than chocolate.
Also, if you love a nice glass of wine every now and then, we hate to break it to you but it isn't doing you any favors in the sex department. The University of Guelph stated that even though wine has been proven to arouse lust, it actually impedes performance. Worst. news. EVER.
But here's something that will cheer you up. Saffron is a spice cultivated from the flower saffron crocus; it is commonly used in Spanish, Italian, and Indian cuisine. Apparently, its reputation as a sexual drug spans thousands of years. For starters, it's referenced in the Hebrew Bible's famously erotic "Song of Songs", and Cleopatra reportedly added it to her baths to enhance lovemaking.
In even better news, Ginseng (which is a root native to northern China, Korea, and Siberia) actually functions as a natural form of Viagra. Say what?!
There are also many health perks to eating ginseng. In addition to being used in energy drinks and as a treatment for type II diabetes, it's traditionally considered a treatment for sexual dysfunction in men.
In 2002, studies conducted at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine confirmed ginseng's sexual effects by demonstrating that it boosted the libido and performance of lab rats.
While studying the science behind aphrodisiacs, researchers found dozens of other consumable substances that enhance libido. Among them were yohimbine, a chemical found in Yohimbe trees in West Africa; maca root, a mustard plant from the Andes; and Muira Pauma, a flower from Brazil.
Although chocolate stimulates chemicals that affect the brain's levels of serotonin and endorphins, scientists couldn't find a direct link between chocolate and sexual satisfaction. Fellow chocoholics, we feel your pain.
But even though saffron and ginseng are considered effective natural aphrodisiacs, does that mean that they're better than alternative methods (such as pharmaceutical drugs)? According to The University of Guelph's Department of Food and Science, the answer is yes! In fact, Professor Massimo Marcone champions the use of natural aphrodisiacs over synthetic drugs.
For one thing, ginseng and saffron don't cause side effects like headaches or muscle pain. Plus, Viagra only prolongs performance; it doesn't boost libido like an old-fashioned dish of saffron and rice.
Want to spice up your sex life? Try adding these sexy aphrodisiacs to your next meal.
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Denise Ngo is a YourTango contributor, the Managing Editor of Lovelyish, and writes for PopSci.