Last year, researchers at Durham University published a paper revealing that “Daddy’s girls” choose husbands that look like their fathers, whilst those who had difficult relationships with their fathers tended to go for men with very different looks.
Now, according to a new study from the University of Iowa, it seems that if a man’s mother is highly educated, the chances are that the woman he marries will also have equivalent qualifications.
Researchers found that nearly 80% of high-achieving men, whose mothers held a bachelor’s degree, married women with a similar education. And 62% of men, whose mothers had a master’s degree or doctorate, tied the knot with an equivalent degree holder.
Sociologist, Dr Christine Whelan and her colleague, Christie Boxer studied data from 3,700 people who took part in a survey about men and the educational level of the women close to them. All the men surveyed were considered to be high achievers, in their 20s and 30s, who earned salaries in the top 10 percent for their age group.
The researchers discovered that more than 70% of the men had mothers who worked while they were growing up, and that the same group was twice as likely to marry a woman who made $50,000 or more per year.
Of course, the results might be explained by social class, but the U.S. based researchers believe they help explain the old adage that ‘men tend to marry their mothers’.
Dr Whelan (who obtained her degree from Oxford University) said:
These young men look up to their mothers as role models. They grew up in a family where their mothers were educated women
When they make their own choices about someone who they think will be a good wife in the future, or a good mother, they go back to their role models.
They are increasing excited about the idea that they won’t have to be the only bread winner in the family, so these men are attracted to women who have a job and express a continuing interest to work
Although the research focused on high-earners, the phenomenon is expected to apply more generally, with men of all incomes being influenced by their mother’s attitude towards work and education.
Possibly, modelling their choice of wife on a parents’ successful marriage may help a child increase their own chances of a happy partnership.
Posted by Jonathan as Anthropology, Sociology at 6:49 PM EDT
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Numerous animal preparations with little or no nutritious value have been used as aphrodisiacs, throughout the years.
According to a medieval recipe, black ants would be dried, and mixed with olive oil immediately before consumption. Lizards were also highly regarded by both Arabs and Southern Europeans - they would dry the lizard, pulverise it and consume the powder with a sweet white wine. Alternatively, the lizard could also be the main constituent of a more elaborate dish.
In “The Perfumed Garden”, it is suggested that rubbing the penis and the vulva with the bile of a jackal will make those parts more willing for sex. The Perfumed Garden goes on to note that a man can melt down fat from the hump of a camel and rub his penis with it, just before sex. It will then perform wonders, and the woman will praise it for its work; the book asserts (or, at least it will act as a lubricant).
Leeches were used to increase the size of the penis - They are put in a bottle, which is kept enclosed in the warmth of a dunghill until the leeches have turned into a homogenous mass - Then this substance is used as a liniment for anointing the penis.
According to Pliny, the gall of a boar would stimulate an erection. And, in some Asian countries, even gallstones are believed to be an aphrodisiac, and therefore can have a market value of many tens of thousands of dollars per kilo.
The flesh of the Nilgiri Languor and the lion-tailed macaque is reputed for its aphrodisiacal properties, according to Ramachandran et al. (1987).
In Hong Kong, certain shark species can fetch hundreds of dollars apiece, because of the demand for shark fins as an aphrodisiac. The fins are removed, dried for two days and then cooked into shark fin soup.
Asses’ milk had a reputation as an aphrodisiac amongst the Romans and Arabs, but mainly when used topically. Rubbing the genitals twice a day with the milk allegedly had beneficial effects; and according to “The Perfumed Garden”, the virile member would become “uncommonly strong and vigorous”. It is also supposed to have effects on women - Poppea, the wife of the Roman emperor Nero, is said to have bathed in it.
Ambergris: is a product derived from certain whales, and can occasionally be found on ocean beaches. It is extremely expensive and used for perfume production. According to Arabic folklore it is also an aphrodisiac. Dr. SA Taha and colleagues reported that in rats, ambrein, a constituent of ambergris, produced “recurrent episodes of penile erection, a dose-dependent, vigorous and repetitive increase in intromissions and an increased anogenital investigatory behaviour“.
Antlers: Most likely because of their similarity to an erect penis, horns and antlers have long been used as aphrodisiacs, especially in Eastern Asia. Reindeer shed their antlers annually, and these abandoned reindeer antlers are often imported to Japan as aphrodisiacs. The Tibetan Red Deer (Cervus elaphus wallichi) has long been listed as extinct by the World Conservation Union, but a herd of 200 animals was discovered fairly recently about 100 miles east of Lhasa, Tibet, on an alpine meadow, at an altitude of about 4,000 meters. The reason for their earlier supposed extinction (and their current threat), is that they are coveted for their velvety antlers, which are highly prized as aphrodisiacs.
Chan Su: is a traditional Chinese medication used, amongst other things, as a topical anaesthetic. It is prepared from the skin of the toad Bufo bufo gargarizans and contains bufadienolides and bufotenine. Several fatalities have been reported over the years, as a result of ingestion of this drug (the deaths were caused by cardiac dysrhythmia). Even when used topically, Chan Su is not in any way an amorous adjuvant, when ingested, its contents of cardio-active steroids such as resibufogenin, bufalin and cinobufagin, is certain to have detrimental effects.
Oysters: During the time of the Roman Empire oysters enjoyed an aphrodisiac reputation, which has only increased over the ages. Oysters are low in fat and high in minerals, and so are therefore quite healthy foods. Phosphorus, Iodine and Zinc are beneficial, especially Zinc, which is said to increase sperm and testosterone production, as well as the secretion of vaginal lubricant.
On the other hand, according to Norman Lewis in his book “Aphrodisiacs I Have Known“, a group of male pearl-divers on the island of Kamaran (off the Arabian coast) get most of their nourishment from oysters - and have very low sex drives.
One reason for the popularity of seafood, and oysters in particular, could be that such food generally is light, so you do not end up over-stuffed (and then underperforming) after half a dozen oysters. Casanova is said to have been a firm believer in oysters, eating fifty of them raw every morning in his bath, together with the lady he fancied at that moment.
Rhino Horn: Powdered rhinoceros horns are regarded as something of a panacea in Eastern Asia, believed effective against anything from nosebleeds and headaches to diphtheria and food poisoning. In addition, they are widely believed to increase male sexual endurance, including the ability to achieve an erection. However, it should be noted that the original rhino aphrodisiac was the dried penis, and not the horn. Further, widespread poaching of rhinos has led to all five rhino species being included on the list of endangered animals.
A rhino’s horn is not attached to its skull, and so is therefore not a true horn, but a growth of densely compressed dermal fibres, made up of keratin; which is the same material that is found in hair and nails. Consequently, consumption of powdered nail clippings could be expected to provide more or less the same results as a rhino’s horn.
Inagaki and Oida investigated the low molecular weight constituents of rhino horn, and found Sugar, Phosphorous and Ethanolamine are present along with several free amino acids, such as Aspartic acid, Threonine, Ornithine, Lysine, Histidine and Arginine (which, people have speculated, may increase the intensity of sensation during sex).
The use of rhino horns (and tiger bones) for medical purposes was declared illegal by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, in 1993.
Snake Blood: In parts of Eastern Asia snake blood is used to boost the flagging male libido. The exact snake species doesn’t really matter as long as it’s truly poisonous, although cobras seem to be favoured. It is claimed that the best effects are obtained from fresh blood, and in Malaysia, special parlours exist where live snakes are served. The snake tail is pierced and the customer sucks blood from it for a few minutes to increase his capacity for love-making. No information is available on how often the same snake can be reused.
Tiger preparations: Tiger whiskers are used as an aphrodisiac in Indonesia, but in Malaysia the same preparation is regarded as a strong poison. In Eastern Asia, many tiger parts are considered to be powerful aphrodisiacs, including bones, fat, liver and penis. No doubt after consumption, just like the tiger, you will be able to make love for a full 15 seconds!
Animal genitalia aphrodisiacs
Organotherapy was popular with the Romans, for treating sexual problems. This therapy is based on the belief that the consumption of a healthy animal organ might cure illnesses in the corresponding human organ. Thus, the Romans ate all kinds of animal genitalia, including penises, wombs and testes, from animals ranging from monkeys to cocks. Apicus, in his “De re coquinaria” includes several recipes for stuffed womb of pig and cow, mainly as dishes to increase fertility.
The use of deer genitals as an aphrodisiac dates back to antiquity. Hippocrates recommends the penis, an organ that according to Dioscoride, can also be used as an antidote against snake bites.
Preparations of deer penis were included in several pharmacopoeias as late as the 18th century, for example, in Sweden, Pharmacopoeia Wirtenbergensis, published in 1750, recommends “Cervi Priapus” against poisoning, bladder stones and blood in the urine, and also claims that this is an excellent aphrodisiac.
Deer testicles, “Testiculi cervi”, were less popular, but nevertheless included in the famous “Pharmacologia” by Dale, published in 1696, as an aphrodisiac.
Finally, an indirect use of animal genitalia is suggested in “The Perfumed Garden”: Boil an ass’s penis together with onions and a large quantity of corn. Feed this dish to fowl, which you eat afterwards. This will apparently increase the size and capacity of a man’s penis.
Posted by Jonathan as Biology, History at 4:00 PM EDT
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One of the biggest controversies still raging in the area of the first kiss is whether or not one should ask permission first.
The pro-permissioners’ point is easy to grasp: According to them, asking a girl for permission is to treat her as a civilized human being, to give her an opportunity to say what she actually thinks. There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’, or attempts to decipher vague and misleading phrases of body language; the man gets an absolutely bell-clear answer. In addition, the permissioners argue, coming boldly out with the question, without a trace of a quiver in your voice, helps the girl feel confident about you. You appear calm, self-assured, in control, and this all helps her relax and succumb.
The doers, however, say that this is a technique for wusses: These born-again Hemingways believe in action, not words. They handle passes, and sex in general, the way that Hemingway handled words, keeping it all short and to the point. They act on gut feeling; they look the girl in the eyes, then try and plant one on her lips! Asking permission, they say, is to hold up a placard saying. “I’m too nervous to do it, please say it’s okay”; and they equate nerves with bad breath and dandruff, as pollutants to sexual chemistry.
However, a middle way does exist: The doers do have a point, wimpishness and nerves can be great destroyers of sexual advance (unless the girl is a mothering type). However, well-controlled nerves and the right sort of questions can be very effective.
Asking over-politely, or over-confidently on the other hand, either appears wimpish or plain rude. A confident question makes it sound like you’re expecting a ‘Yes’, and have been all along! or even worse, that you believe that she says ‘Yes’ all the time! - It deprives her of her mystery (and girls like mystery) - But, a Polite question makes it sound like the right to taste her lips is no more special than the right to ask for the salt at the dinner table.
The kiss itself seems to be the acid test of whether she wants you or not. But it’s wrong to think of “the first kiss” in the singular - it never hurts to be too cautious - remember how much it hurts to be rejected. What some seducers will do is try and break up the first kiss so that by the time lip-to-lip contact is about to be made, smaller-scale kisses in more neutral spots have already been delivered and accepted. In other words, they nuzzle a bit before a major pass, but this isn’t wet nuzzling in the sense of soppy and wimpish - it’s cool calculated, sophisticated nuzzling.
This is really quite easy once your arms are linked, or your arm is across her shoulders. As you walk you’ve been occasionally pulling her a little closer, testing the degree of her inertia, and then letting her out again. If it’s all going well on the next pull-in you can try whispering something in her ear. Don’t make it too romantic or passionate; just keep it mildly humorous, but pleasant. Then do the same again but keeping your face closer to hers, this time resting your cheek on hers, slightly grazing your lips across her cheek as you pull away. Then just keep this up, giving her occasional little grazes. If she isn’t impressed she’ll put a stop to this immediately, and if she doesn’t mind the chances are that she’ll definitely go for the main pass. It’s also worth noting that brushing kisses around the ears and neck can be very provocative to lots of girls, actually getting them as interested in more heavy breathing activity as fast as the lip-to-lip series.
Now, suddenly, you realise it’s time to begin the main kiss. You can see it in her eyes that she’s waiting for you to make a move, and you can also see that she isn’t giving you any more clues - You have to commit yourself - With girls you always have to take some sort of leap into the darkness, no matter how encouraging they are, or how observant you’ve been. The key with kissing is to keep it simple, especially on the first one.
Don’t try and do it too slowly to start off with, licking lips, sucking teeth, concentrating on advanced open-mouth flourishes - Keep these for later. Just make the first kiss a basic, gentle French kiss; Lips touch, tongue enters, slowly waggles around for a bit, then draws away and pauses for a moment. You can then catch your breath and prepare to plunge in seriously.
The symbolic offer and acceptance is over, and the worst mistake you could make there is to blast away at the first kiss too passionately, since this can be far too intimidating. Remember you’re putting your tongue into a complete stranger’s mouth; you need to do it slowly and politely. If she jumps on you when you do it, then of course it’s okay to respond, but as long as you’re leading, start slowly.
Then, however, another issue comes up. Should you kiss with eyes open or closed? On films, of course, all lovers have their eyes shut the moment the lips touch, the girls often for longer. Now for girls this isn’t a problem, they are essentially having all this done to them, and being in the passenger seat they don’t need to see what’s going on. For the male, keeping a good bearing is vital, especially as the kissing generally starts late at night, when he’s tired, and in a dark place.
Basically, it’s more stylish to kiss with eyes closed, but many men feel it’s too much of a waste to work that much for something, and then when it finally comes, not to watch it. And of course, that’s not a problem anyway, so long as the girl is keeping her eyes closed. The problem comes if she suddenly opens them in mid-kiss, then, immediately you feel rather silly, as if you’ve been caught out looking. In this instance don’t shut your eyes quickly, this is a complete giveaway and actually makes you look guilty! Instead, sort of melt your expression, as if overcome by emotion, and cuddle her tighter. Often the girl will then shut her eyes again.
Shutting eyes does have certain very distinct advantages, one in particular pointed out by many girls, is that you can pretend it’s someone else much more easily.
Your kiss should suggest what’s going to come later - it should be soft and moist, with elements of hard and precise mixed in. You’ve got to show that you can be gentle, and that you can dominate too. The girl doesn’t want to show you how she does it, she wants to lay back and let you do it. She wants to see what your like, and then decide:
- If you’re any good at it.
- What role to play herself (innocent virgin, experienced older woman, etc.)
A lot of girls will wait until that first kiss to decide whether they’re going to sleep with a man or not. This isn’t because they can’t make up their mind from the way he looks, talks and acts, it’s the same procedure with men that they really like. Somehow, the way a man does the first kiss can either be so good or so off-putting. And, if the kissing is really that bad, then no matter what you look like, she’ll just be completely turned off.
The kiss is therefore to relax the girl, to soothe her doubts, and to set the scene. It mustn’t be jerky, it must flow, and the man mustn’t give the girl time to think. If he does the same thing repeatedly, she will get bored, her mind will wander, and she’ll suddenly seize up. Finally, as if all that wasn’t complicated enough, it’s important that he uses his hands at the same time.
If you’re not sure whether you can touch her boobs this early, then use your hands on the back of the girl’s neck, her hair and her face. This will actually give the girl lots of confidence, since if you leave your arms dangling by your side because your not sure what you’ll be allowed to do yet, she’ll start wondering what you’re up to, where your hands actually are, and whether they’re suddenly going to appear between her legs at any moment. Use your hands on her shoulders and back, but be careful not to do it too hard on her back, otherwise you’ll pull her blouse or top up from her skirt or trousers, and she’ll think you’re trying to undress her.
Posted by Jonathan as Psychology, Sociology at 12:26 AM EDT
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Like pretty much every aspect of seduction, the craft of kissing is one which is only perfected with practise. Budding beginners need good role models to copy, in order to get their tongue movement, body positions and passionate glances all up to scratch. And, fortunately, Hollywood is still providing exceptional examples of all three; although sexual health scare stories have made some very good technical kissers less open mouthed on the screen.
However, digging around in the archives, and including the quite unabashed Richard Gere, does produce five perfect models.
Here they are:
- Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in The Big Sleep
- Richard Gere and Debra Winger in An Officer and a Gentleman
- Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity
- Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind
- Christopher Jones and Sarah Miles in Ryan’s Daughter
An addendum needs to be included for Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: First Blood Part II, when he kisses the Vietnamese girl who’s just helped him escape from the POW camp.
It’s not that this is a particularly good kiss, but it’s outstanding just because it’s surrounded by so much blood and guts - the sole moment of saliva in a $30 million bloodbath.
Predictably, she gets killed in his arms.
Posted by Jonathan as Art & Literature, Sociology at 8:35 PM EDT
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Woman’s voices becomes more alluring when they are most fertile, according to a study of vocal changes during ovulation, conducted by researchers from the State University of New York at Albany.
Nathan Pipitone and Gordon Gallup recorded women counting from one to ten at four different points in their menstrual cycle, which they had graded from low to high risk of conception. They then played the voices back at random to a mixed sex panel of students, and found that the female voice altered according to the time of the month, whilst there was no effect if the woman was taking oral contraception. So, the study suggests sex hormones can alter the workings of the voice box.
The Scientists wrote:
The results showed a significant increase in voice attractiveness ratings as the risk of conception increased across the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling women. There was no effect for women using hormonal contraceptives. More work is needed to identify the biological mechanisms that underlie these perceptual differences, but growing evidence points to the impact of hormones on the larynx as being the source of these changes
Both men and women judged the voices to be sexiest when they were recorded at periods of peak fertility, and less attractive during non-fertile periods, although the changes might be too subtle to pick up in many situations. However, if the findings can be replicated, they will add further weight to the theory that women unconsciously give off cues about their fertility, similar to animals when they are “in heat”.
Dr Gallup also noted that it was not just men who have learnt to spot barely perceptible changes in women’s voices; women can also notice the effect, perhaps to monitor the competition.
Dr David Feinberg of McMaster University in Canada told The BBC:
The missing link here is finding out how this works in plain conversation - in a bar, for example
While it’s possible, the other issue is that women do have mood changes across their menstrual cycle, and people might just be attracted to a happy-sounding woman, rather than a fertile one.
Previous research came to similar conclusions about fertility cues, after a team based at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, found that lap dancers earned more in tips on their fertile days.
Geoffrey Miller, who led that research commented:
The voice changes might explain some of the shift in lap dancer tip earnings, dancers certainly chat with their customers.
However, he went on to explain, visual attractiveness also appeared to change during the menstrual cycle, so voice quality is unlikely to be the whole story.
The full research paper is to be published in the Journal of Evolution and Human Behaviour.
Posted by Jonathan as Sociobiology at 12:28 PM EDT
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The basic rule for selecting aphrodisiacal foodstuffs is simple: the more expensive the substance, the higher the probability that people will believe in it. Although, if somebody is prepared to spoon-feed you caviar, it might suggest that the person is seriously interested in you, which in turn, could stimulate your interest in that person.
Asafoetida: is a preparation made from the plant Ferula foetida (Umbelliferae), also known as devil’s dung. It occurs both as a light brown resin and as a powder. Besides being an aphrodisiac it is also used as a laxative and a colic cure, although the main use is as a spice in cooking. The taste is peculiar - either you love it or you hate it.
Cloves: are the dried flower buds of Jambosa caryophyllus, also called Eugenia caryophyllata and Caryophyllus aromaticus. They have been considered an aphrodisiac in Asia and China since the 3rd century B.C. and even in Europe, they acquired fame. The Danish medieval herbalist H. Harpenstreng noted the value of cloves, stating that they “makes the man desire the woman”, and that they promote digestion.
The Swedish herbalist Anders Månsson Rydaholm wrote in 1642, in “En myckit nyttigh Örta-Book” that “if a man loses his ability, he should stay sober and drink milk spiced with 5 grams of cloves. This will fortify him and make him desire his wife.”
The main constituent of cloves and oil of cloves is eugenol, but small quantities of furfural, vanillin and methyl-amyl-ketone are also present. Eugenol is a high-boiling liquid with a spicy, pungent odour and taste.
Fennel: Foeniculum vulgare (Umbelliferae), was cultivated in ancient Egypt. The “Besbes seeds” mentioned in The Ebers Papyrus (dating from 1550 BC) are believed to be fennel seeds.
The Greeks regarded fennel as a potent sexual stimulant. During the Dionysus festivities, crowns of fennel leaves were worn, and leaves and seeds were used as aphrodisiacs (A. Tschirch: Handbuch der Pharmacognosie, Leipzig 1909-17). A medieval Danish manuscript (H. Harpestreng: Danske Laegebog) states that old vipers eat fennel for rejuvenation; so, it was therefore claimed equally useful for old men. Wedeck, in A Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, quotes a Hindu prescription for sexual vigour containing fennel juice, milk, honey, ghee, liquorice and sugar. Further, he states that fennel soup is reputed in some Mediterranean regions to stimulate desire.
The chief low molecular weight constituent of fennel seeds is anethole, also known as anise camphor or Monasirup, but the seeds (and the rest of the plant) also contain the terpenes fenchone, pinene and limonene.
Fenugreek: The pods of Fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum (Leguminoseae), which grows in Southwest Asia and around the Eastern part of the Mediterranean resemble goat’s antlers. Consequently, according to the Doctrine of Signatures, they are regarded as a remedy for impotence, and were included in the earliest list of Chinese medical plants. The roasted pods are eaten in many parts of the world, but can also be used as a starting point for the preparation of various dishes.
Gow Kee: The leaves of Lycium chinense (Solanaceae), also known as Chu Chi, Matrimony vine and Box thorn, are well-known in Chinese herbal medicine for their ability to stimulate libido and increase male endurance. The bright green leaves are ovate to lanceolate, up to 8 cm long and edible, but rather tasteless. For use, 25 grams of Gow Kee and 25 grams of finely chopped ginger are boiled with 500 ml of water until the volume of the liquid has been reduced to one-third. Strain the infusion and drink it as a tea.
Hemp seeds: Cannabis sativa, is a plant that is very popular. As an aphrodisiac, and according to popular belief, the most powerful preparation is the roasted and salted hemp seeds. In Ukrainian tradition, it was customary to feed the bridegroom roasted hemp seeds during the wedding dinner; although seeds could also be served as a part of a special wedding bread or as an ingredient in a wedding night drink.
Herb Paris: also known as True love, Paris quadrifolia has long been used as an aphrodisiac, but should be handled with extreme care since the seeds and berries are narcotic, and in large doses can produce nausea, vomiting and even delirium; neither of which will contribute to successful love-making. In Russia, the leaves of the plant have also been prescribed for madness.
Nutmeg: also known as myristica or Nux moschata is the ripe seed of Myristica fragrans (Myristicaceae), a tree native to Southern Asia and the Spice islands. The seed coat is removed before drying, and becomes the spice ‘Mace’.
Nutmeg is supposed to be a “Legal hallucinogenic”, and has been used for this purpose in prisons. However, the side effects of the high doses required can be severe and completely overshadow the desired effects. It is alleged to have a subtle aphrodisiac effect in far smaller doses (less than half a nut should suffice), and has been used for such purposes by Hindus, Arabs, Greeks and Romans. In the Orient it was especially highly prized amongst women, and according to the Indian herbalist H. K. Bakhru, nutmeg mixed with honey and a half-boiled egg will prolong the duration of the sexual act, if taken an hour before intercourse.
The compound allegedly responsible for the hallucinogenic and possibly also for the alleged aphrodisiacal effects of nutmeg is myristicin, 4-methoxy-6-(2-propenyl)-1,3-benzodixole. It has some structural similarity with mescaline (the hallucinogen from peyote cactus). Myristicin also occurs in parsley and carrot, although mainly in the seeds, and at far lower concentrations.
Pepper: The aphrodisiacal qualities of pepper are not quite clear. The name pepper was long used as a collective name for all spices imported to Europe (in contrast to the herbal spices cultivated in Europe). Thus, older references to pepper as an aphrodisiac could actually concern a different spice.
Nowadays, Pepper is a collective name for various forms of the fruit of Piper nigrum (Piperaceae). Black pepper is the dried, unripe fruits, and white pepper the dried, ripe fruits, green pepper is from the ripe fruit and rose pepper is from the unripe fruit. Additionally, if the fruits are preserved in brine, milder forms are obtained.
The reputation of pepper being an aphrodisiac goes back to Antiquity, when it was used by Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. The Arabs not only added pepper to food, but used it other ways. According to “The Perfumed Garden”, you should: Chew a little pepper or cardamom-grains of the large species; put a certain quantity of it upon the head of your member before intercourse, and this will produce for you, as well as for the woman, a matchless enjoyment.
A way to increase the size of the penis is, according to the same source, to prepare a powder out of pepper, lavender, galangal and musk, mix it with honey and preserved ginger, and then rub the penis vigorously with it. [The penis] will then grow large and brawny, and afford the woman a marvellous feeling of voluptuousness.
Indian sources recommend the daily consumption of a glass of milk with six crushed black peppercorns and four crushed almonds. This allegedly will act as both a nerve tonic and an aphrodisiac.
The pungent principles of pepper are first and foremost the stereo-isomeric pair of chemicals piperine (E,E form) and chavicine (Z,Z form). It is believed that the loss of pungency of ground pepper during storage is due to the isomerization of chavicine into piperine. Other pungent substances, present in pepper, are piperettine and the somewhat volatile piperidine (which can also be formed by alkaline treatment of piperine).
Saffron: is the stigmas of Crocus sativus (Iridaceae), and one of the worlds most expensive spices, it can reputedly make erogenous zones even more sensitive as well as having a hormone-like effect. It is not known which of the constituents are responsible for saffron’s reputation as an aphrodisiac; however, the orange colour is due to crocin, a di-gentiobiose ester of crocetin, a carotenoid compound. Both crocin and crocetin have been shown to play an important role in the sex processes of algae of the Chlamydomonas group.
Sarsaparilla: is a collective name for preparations of various Smilax species. Mexican sarsaparilla is prepared from Smilax aristolochiaefolia, whereas Jamaican or Honduran sarsaparilla originates from S. regelii and Ecuadorian sarsaparilla from S. febrifuga. The plants are large perennial climbing or trailing vines, growing from short, thick underground stems. It is these stems that are collected and dried in the sun before use.
The root has been used not only as an aphrodisiac, but as a syphilis antidote, competing with mercury derivatives. Today, its main use is to flavour soft drinks such as Root beer.
Valerian: Extracts or teas prepared from valerian Valeriana officinalis, are mainly used in herbal medicine as sedatives. However, a German herbal book from the 14th century suggests another possibility: “Take valerian in the mouth and kiss anybody you want; in that way you will win love”.
Vanilla: is the cured, full-grown, unripe fruit of an orchid, Vanilla planifolia. Its name derives from the Spanish word vainila, a diminutive of vaina meaning vagina (or pod). Vanilla was used by the Aztecs to flavour chocolate, which they extracted from the seeds of Theobroma cacao (Sterculiaceae), a tree native to the area around the Gulf of Mexico and northern South America.
It is a well-known powerful aphrodisiac; N.J. Berlin stated in a commentary to the Swedish pharmacopoeia (1849) that it acted through its odour as much as through its taste. It is important to use the natural product, since Synthetic vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde) is far cheaper, but less effective, especially nowadays when it is synthesised from the waste (lignin) of the wood pulp industry. Vanilla essence (extracted from real vanilla pods) can be added to a bath to produce a mild love-arousing effect, especially when you and your partner take the bath together.
Wild vanilla: Preparations of North American wild vanilla, Trilisa odoratissima, are said to have aphrodisiacal properties, and also to induce erotic dreams. The plant has been used (without success) to treat Malaria; possibly the pleasant side-effects were discovered during these trials.
Posted by Jonathan as Biology, History at 2:52 AM EDT
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