5 Vegan’s Aphrodisiacs

The word Avocado comes from an Aztec word “ahuácatl” meaning testicle. Legend says that it could be due to the avocado’s shape or the fact that it was considered to possess aphrodisiac qualities by the Aztecs. When Montezuma II shared avocados with Hernán Cortés and his fellow conquistadors, the Aztecs explained that the fruit had a great ability to incite sexual passion. The Aztecs believed in the aphrodisiac power of the ahucatl so much that they would not allow virginal women to leave the house while they were being harvested. When Louis XIV found his aging libido in need of reviving, he turned to the exotic avocado for help, nicknaming the fruit la bonne poire (the good pear).

Besides being an excellent source of riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, flavonoids and alkaloids (such as theobromine, phenethylamine and caffeine), chocolate has also been shown to cause a spike in dopamine, which induces feelings of pleasure. From its taste to its aroma, chocolate is sensual and sexual, that’s why on Valentine’s Day chocolate reigns supreme.

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine, which has been identified as one of the compounds contributing to chocolate’s reputed role as an aphrodisiac. Theobromine and caffeine are similar in that they are related alkaloids.

The cacao tree is native to Mesoamerica and cocoa beans were an important commodity in pre-Columbian time. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No fewer than 60 portions each day reportedly may have been consumed by Moctezuma II in order to satisfy his many wives, and 2,000 more by the nobles of his court.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17^th century.

The notorious Italian womanizer and author Giacomo Casanova mentions chocolate in his memoirs, frequently discussing his habit of consuming cups of chocolate in order to sustain his lustful exploits.

One can hardly count the number of scientific studies on coffee. Recently more good things have been discovered about this drink loved by many. One of them is that coffee could put women in the mood for sex, actually, the scent was found to be a key-player. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant that ups the heart rate and makes the blood flow, while alkaloids can help to maintain sexual performance and increase stamina. A word of caution: coffee recently marketed to enhance your sex life may in fact be dangerous to your health.

Before going to the point we’d like to say a few words about how erection happens. When a man gets sexually stimulated, the nervous system releases nitric oxide that stimulates a chain reaction causing the arteries in the penis to get wider, allowing the blood to flow into the penis more easily. The erectile tissue itself fills with blood, and both of these processes result in an erection. VIAGRA works for men with erectile dysfunction by “injecting” nitric oxide thus, increasing blood flow to the penis so they can get and keep an erection hard enough for sex.

A newly found natural aphrodisiac, watermelon works by relaxing blood vessels, improving blood circulation in the genitals, just like Viagra but without many side effects associated with the drug. In its content, watermelon has two amino acids – lycopene and citrulline – that play key-roles in the process. Kidneys convert citrulline into arginine that will then convert into nitric oxide. This means supplementation with citrulline is a solid way to increase nitric oxide levels naturally. Watermelon’s diuretic properties can also help keep your urinary tract in healthy working order. Lycopene is an antioxidant that could possibly help ward off prostate cancer.

Try spritzing your watermelon rind with lemon juice and sprinkling some chili powder on it. Both additives also are good for your heart, and for the organ in question.

Eating chili peppers makes you sweat, speeds up your heart and gives you a filing of happiness. Maybe because of association with how you feel when you’re aroused and also because of that red colour and shape, people consider chili pepper as aphrodisiac and a symbol of love? Just kidding. In fact, chili peppers stimulate endorphins – natural opioids that released from the pituitary gland of the brain during periods of strenuous exercise, emotional stress, pain, and orgasm.