Updated

As Valentine’s Day nears, it’s time to try something other than the standard package with a bow or the usual bouquet. Sure, those gifts typically please, but how about trying something a bit more sensual? An all aphrodisiac dinner is bound to delight and may just turn a standard Valentine’s eve into a scorching hot love fest.

As the 1960s Pillsbury TV ad boldly claimed, “Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven.” The phrase may be amended to include the stove top and kitchen mixing bowls, but the sentiment carries weight.  People have forever tried various foods and potions to spark amorous interest and to ignite the flames of passion more fully – and perhaps even give sexual function a good, strong boost as well. With that in mind, here’s a proposed dinner menu that might do just that.

Appetizer course

Try fresh raw oysters with hot chili sauce. Probably the most widely known purported aphrodisiac of them all, oysters are rich in zinc, the so-called “sexy mineral.” Our reproductive systems require zinc for health and proper function, and many individuals who have upped their zinc intake have noticed a spike in amorous desire as well. Hot chili sauce on the oysters enhances microvascular circulation, which directly stimulates fine vessels. And hot chilies also promote the production of pleasure-enhancing endorphins in the brain.

Avocado salad

Slice or chop fresh avocados with thin slices of onion that have been marinated in lime juice and Balsamic vinegar, with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. The word avocado derives from the Aztec “ahuacatl,” which means bull’s testicles. Rich in fatty acids essential for proper healthy sexual function, avocado also offers a sensuous consistency. For pleasing mouth feel, avocado has plenty of appeal. Onions, which have been on the aphrodisiac list of several continents for centuries, are a rich source of the super-nutrient quercetin, which lowers blood fats and protects cells.

Fish with garlic sauce

Start with wild-caught salmon or one of the other fin fish, like swordfish or tuna, and make sure you have plenty of garlic on hand. This is not a one clove dish. Fish protein and fish fatty acids both help sexual health overall, and garlic’s history of love use dates centuries – perhaps due to its blood-thinning, circulation-enhancing effects and its pungent aroma. Chop at least six or more garlic cloves, and sauté the garlic in olive oil with a small bit of pure butter. The brain is the body’s greatest sex organ, and your brain is going to like this dish a lot, with its good-for-you compounds and captivating smell. Cook the fish any way you like, in the oven or in a pan, with the garlic.

Asparagus side dish

Asparagus is rich in the compound asparagine, a diuretic that stimulates sensation in the urinary tract. In other words, asparagus tickles your fancy quite well. Season this as you like best, perhaps with basil, oregano, and a bit of thyme.

A glass of wine enhances mood, by loosening you up and relaxing the body. Always on the aphrodisiac lists, wine induces a pleasant mood and sets you up nicely for more amorous activity later. Do not over-do. One glass, or two at most, is the right amount.

Dessert

Try making maca cookies with chocolate ice cream. This you could easily describe as the sexy coup de gras. Get hold of some pure maca powder, like the one from Navitas. Utilizing your favorite cookie recipe, substitute half of the flour in the recipe with maca. This Peruvian root is legendary for its sex-enhancing effects, and several human clinical studies confirm that maca is a first-rate libido booster.

Sweeten the cookies with honey, which is the root word of “honeymoon” for a good reason. Honey was traditionally given to European newlyweds in the form of mead to enhance their sexual experiences. And a scoop of the absolute richest chocolate ice cream you can get hold of will give you an extra boost. Chocolate is a source of PEA, a compound made in the brain when we fall in love. Who’s going to argue with chocolate? Plus it boosts serotonin, a primary feel-good compound in the brain.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at MedicineHunter.com.