Aphrodisiac Foods

An aphrodisiac is any form of stimulation thought to arouse sexual excitement. Aphrodisiacs may be classified in two principal groups: (1) psychophysiological (visual, tactile, olfactory, aural) and (2) internal (stemming from food, alcoholic drinks, drugs, love potions, and medical preparations).

According to the Cambridge World History of Food, aphrodisiacs were first sought out as a remedy for sexual anxieties including fears of inadequate performance as well as a need to increase fertility. Procreation was an important moral and religious issue, and people looked to aphrodisiacs to ensure both male and female potency.