Cupid's cuisine

Come Valentine���s Day and restaurants lure rushed urban lovers with the amorous promise of an aphrodisiacal culinary high. But, besides chocolates, strawberries, wine and caviar ��� there���s not much space reserved for sexually potent food in the copulation calendar.
���Practical knowledge about aphrodisiacs is very limited. Besides the Egyptians and Greeks who wrote extensively on them, even the Kamasutra abounds in sexually gratifying food.Kesar and shilajit (liquid iron ore) were a potent combination,��� says sex expert Dr Prakash Kothari, adding, ���Substances that by nature represent seed or semen such as bulbs, eggs, snails were inherently considered to possess sexual prowess. Other types of foods were regarded stimulating by their physical resemblance to genitalia, such as carrots, cucumber, bananas, asparagus and oysters.��� Such qualities are often derived from mythology.
The goddess of love Aphrodite was said to consider sparrows sacred due to their amorous nature, which is why they were included in ancient Greek aphrodisiac brews. Modern-day sexual healing, however, prefers locating its lost libido in chemical intoxicants like Viagra. But, how about sampling some erotic foods while looking for your partner? Rita Gangwani, personality architect, recommends foods secreting ���feel good��� hormones heightening self-confidence and making one flirt passionately.
���Spicy chilli peppers that get the heart pumping and induce sweating, bananas rich in potassium and vitamin B needed for sex hormone production and phallus-shaped carrots high in vitamins and beta-carotene are flirting essentials,��� says Gangwani.
Food consultant Marut Sikka adds, ���Anything visually erotic automatically sets the brain in motion.��� In fact, scientific tests have also proven certain aromas cause a greater effect on the body than the actual ingestion of foods. Perfumes made of natural foodstuffs like almond, vanilla, Chinese herbs and spices acted as a pheromone to communicate emotions by smell.
Gangwani holds ���seductive aphrodisiacs��� to trigger the production of sex hormones like testosterone providing a quick vitality boost, increasing blood flow to the genitals and thus getting the body in the mood for love.
���Post dinner fantasies��� too abound in aphrodisiacal elements ��� like the popular chocolate referred to by the Aztecs as the ���nourishment of the Gods���. ���Chocolate contains chemicals thought to affect neurotransmitters in the brain and a related substance to caffeine called theobromine. They possess more antioxidant (cancer-preventing enzymes) than red wine,��� adds Sikka. Or opt for truffles, considered by the Greeks and Romans to be an aphrodisiac, its musky scent sensitising the skin to touch. Another strong contender ��� the scent and flavour of vanilla increases lust.
Dr Kothari further adds, ���A glass or two of wine enhances the romantic interlude relaxing the senses and diminishing performance anxiety. Enjoy the erotic experience of letting your eyes feast on the colour of the liquid.��� Banker Pia Jha, a believer in the aphrodisiacal odyssey, adds, ���Raspberries and strawberries are perfect for hand feeding your man. High in Vitamin C, they make for great post-sex stimulants. Both are described in erotic literature as fruit nipples. Caffeine too, in small amounts, stimulates the body and mind for an ���all-nighter���.���
Good sex is a holistic ritual where Dr Kothari concludes, ���the real pleasure lies not between the legs, but between the ears!���