It’s easy to laugh off aphrodisiacs as hocus pocus. Can sucking down an oyster or ingesting some expensive powder really do that much for one’s sex drive? From the stance of herbology, the answer is a resounding yes. The use of certain foods and/or ingredients is the tried and true, centuries-old method to heal ailments. Yes, this format might not work as fast as pharmaceutical medications, but their effects are still real.
So why do we scoff at natural remedies, like aphrodisiacs? You can thank Pope Gregory IX for this. In the 13th century, the pope decreed that supposed sorcery was the newest crime against man. It was said that the maleficarum, or witches spells, could cause frigidtas, or impotence, causing an uproar of fearful men. The threat of witchcraft, as we know, continued for centuries.
In 17th-century France, it was believed that witches could deprive men of their sexual capacity through spell-work, potions, and curses. Witches could “repel lovers away from each other” as Allison M Downham Moore, humanities assistant professor at Western Sydney University, said in an expose for Psyche. Moore further explains that witches could “suspend a man’s desire for coitus, corrupt a man’s mind to make his wife appear repulsive, [and/or] make a man have sex with women other than his wife.” Witches could also prevent erections, seminal flow, or disturb the natural heat of the penis and make the seed “too cold” for conception.
Before the sudden correlation between men’s sexual functions and witches, the use of natural ingredients was revered. Aphrodisiacs in specific were “understood to be both valuable and appropriate broadly within the bounds of Muslim, Christian and Jewish piety,” Moore says. But they quickly became something to fear.
Since then, these natural healing powers went underground, still being used regularly though rarely talked about. During this time, sexual wellness became a profitable industry and was soon flooded with medicinal options to assist with sexual issues. Sexual wellness as a commodity has always been pointed towards men; pills to help with erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, ultra-thin condoms, or putting the birth control question solely in the hands of the woman. The focus has also been on the un-natural, how can we make sex (among many other things) bigger and better than ever?
In today’s sexual wellness market, consumers focus is shifting back to the natural recipes that predate all of us. Small brands that support earth-friendly values gain follows. Brands that find their way back to their roots, literally and metaphorically, see an increase in business. Because of this growth, the sexual wellness consumer industry has seen an influx of eco-friendly brands and products, all touting the healing powers of Mother Earth. The market is, to a certain extent, re-flooded.
Entering “sexual health supplements” into a Google search generates many pages of content. The majority are ads for these cute, Instagram-ready brands that meet the standards of the new generation. A good majority of them have overwhelmingly positive reviews, lending modern credence to the powerful effects of these powerhouse ingredients, but there is much to sift through and the jargon can overwhelm.
If you’re interested in adding a sexual supplement to your diet, there are some ingredients you’ll see on many labels:
Maca
Maca root has been linked to boosting “frisky feelings” as Brigitte Zeitlin, RD and owner of BZ Nutrition in NYC, explains. Maca has been shown to be a helpful fertility food. “One study...found that maca improved sex drive in people taking certain medications where the side effect was a decrease of sex drive; think anti-depressants, hair-loss meds, anti-anxiety meds.”
Bespoke nutritional powder brand, Apothékary, sells Seal the Deal, a “nutty” powder said to boost libido and energy using acai berries, maca root, shatavari, and ginger.
As with everything, consult your doctor to see if this is right for you and do your own research. One study from earlier this year has shown maca extract (Lepidium meyenii) can increase the expression of MMP-1 and stimulates the migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Shatavari
Shatavari means “one hundred roots” but is commonly referred to as “the woman who has a hundred husbands.” This name playfully suggests the renowned benefits for the female reproductive system. Shatavari is an anti-inflammatory.
Moon Juice, another Ayurveda-based nutritional brand, sells Sex Dust which uses shatavari among others (like maca!) to “target stress to support healthy hormonal balance.” Sex Dust ignites creativity in and out of the bedroom.
Ashwagandha
Another traditional Ayurvedic plant, ashwagandha is used to promote a youthful state of physical and mental well-being. In Ayurvedic Medicine: The Principles of Traditional Practice, Sebastian Pole defines ashwagandha as a strengthened for an exhausted nervous system or hyperactivity. It can also balance emotional instability, lessen agitation, assists when you feel stressed out. Ashwagandha is dual action: it energizes while it calms.
Men’s sexual well-being brand, Roman, sells a Testosterone Support Supplement that is made with ashwagandha (again, and maca!). Roman disclaims that this supplement is not for men diagnosed with low testosterone, but instead for someone who wants to support their body’s natural function. They define testosterone as a hormone that regulates sex drive, bone and muscle mass, and the production of red blood cells and sperm.
Not interested in a supplement? Try these straight-from-the-market mood setters:
Dark chocolate
More specifically, extra dark chocolate, around 70% cacao. According to research from the British Museum, “Chocolate was first regarded as an aphrodisiac by the Aztecs who thought it invigorated men and made women less inhibited. Their emperor Moctezuma reputedly drank it 50 times a day from a golden goblet and is quoted referring to chocolate as: ‘The divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.’”
Drinking chocolate was such an enhancer that monks were forbidden to drink it.
Fresh, fragrant flowers
Women’s interest website, BYRDIE, wrote about aphrodisiac perfumes. Naturally, many floral options made the list. Jasmine, at the top of their list, is assumed to boost libido in Hindu and Muslim traditions. Rose contains “indole,” a fragrance molecule found in decomposition and while that sounds horrendous, one study shows it adds a “grit” to the scent, making it an aphrodisiac. As for the others, peony is said to enhance male arousal while lavender can increase blood flow in males.
Vanilla pods
Again from the British Museum blog post, vanilla also makes the list of easy aphrodisiacs. The post mentions that Spanish Conquistadors noted the vanilla pod’s resemblance to the female genitalia, so they named the plant vanilla which is derived from Latin for “sheath.” Soon after, Europe greatly prized vanilla as an aphrodisiac, with “wild stories circulating that vanilla could transform the ordinary man into an astonishing lover.”
By Shelby Lueders