Aniseed as an Aphrodisiac

Anise or Aniseed, less commonly anís (stressed on the first syllable) (Pimpinella anisum) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southwest Asia. It is a herbaceous annual plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves at the base of the plant are simple, 2-5 cm long and shallowly lobed, while leaves higher on the stems are feathery pinnate, divided into numerous leaflets. The flowers are white, 3 mm diameter, produced in dense umbels. The fruit is an oblong dry schizocarp, 3-5 mm long.

Its other names are Anise, Aniseed, Sweet Cumin, star anise, Chinese anise, and illicium. Its seed, leaves, oil, and anethole are what it is commonly valued for.

Anise leaves are used to treat digestive problems, to relieve toothache, and its essential oil is used to treat lice and scabies. In India, aniseed (Saunf in Hindi ) is also used as mouth freshener. It is also used for flavoring some foods.

Historically, this herb had been used for many centuries. The ancient Greeks, including Hippocrates, prescribed it for coughs. Ancient Romans used Anise in a special cake that concluded their enormous feasts. Historically, the herb was used because of its flavor (licorice flavor), as an aid for digestion, as an aphrodisiac, for colic and to combat nausea.

Ancient Chinese physicians used the herb as a digestive aid, flatulence remedy, and breath freshener. Early English herbalists recommended the herb for hiccups, for promoting milk production for nursing mothers, for treatment of water retention, headache, asthma, bronchitis, insomnia, nausea, lice, infant colic, cholera, and even cancer.

This wonder herb, which belongs in the same botanical family as parsley and carrots, have a number of functional properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, stimulant, carminative and expectorant. But what about its aphrodisiac properties?

Because of its aromatic and countless medical properties, it was traditionally considered as an aphrodisiac. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that you could increase desire by sucking on anise seeds. Also, its sweet, licorice taste is believed in many cultures to stimulate the libido and increase desire. It also contains estrogenic compounds (female hormones) which have been reported to induce similar effects to testosterone hence an increase in male potency and libido.

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Mustard is an aphrodisiac

Mustards are several plant species in the genera Brassica and Sinapis whose small mustard seeds are used as a spice and condiment also known as “mustard.” The seeds are also pressed to make mustard oil, and the edible leaves can be eaten as mustard greens.

The mustard condiment is a thick yellow or yellow-brown paste with a sharp taste that is prepared from the ground seeds of mustard plants (white or yellow mustard or Sinapis hirta, brown or Indian mustard or Brassica juncea, and black mustard or Brassica nigra), by mixing them with water, vinegar or other liquids, and adding ingredients such as flour. A strong mustard can cause the eyes to water, burn the palate and inflame the nasal passages. For this reason, mustard can be an acquired taste for some.

Mustard is the oldest condiment known to the human race, although no one knows for sure who first used it to flavor food. It is believed to have originated in ancient Egypt where seeds have been found in the tombs of the ancient pharaohs. Prepared mustard dates back to the Romans, who ground the seeds and mixed them with wine to create their own pasty blend of crude sauces. The spice was then spread throughout Europe via their conquering legions.

It was at first considered to be a medicinal plant rather than a culinary one. In the sixth century BC, Greek scientist, Pythagoras, used mustard as a remedy for scorpion stings. Later, Hippocrates utilized it in a variety of medicines and poultices. Mustard increases blood circulation, hence its use as a mustard plaster, which is a dressing used to bring increased blood flow to inflamed areas of the body. In the ancient world they were applied to "cure" toothaches and a number of other ailments.

The Romans most likely developed the prepared mustards we know today. They mixed unfermented grape juice, known as "must," with ground seeds (called sinapis) to form “mustum ardens,” or "burning must" (also “burning wine”). This is a reference to the spicy heat of the crushed mustard seeds mixed with grape juice.

Mustard, aside from being considered as medicinal, has also once been associated with superstition. The mustard seed is a prominent reference for those of the Christian faith, exemplifying something small and insignificant, which when planted, grows in strength and power. German folklore advises a bride to sew mustard seeds into the hem of her wedding dress to insure her dominance of the household. In Denmark and India, it is believed that spreading mustard seeds around the exterior of the home will keep out evil spirits. (If you add crushed garlic to the mixture, any vampire hiding out in your house will immediately fall down and die.)

Mustard is believed to stimulate the sexual glands and increase desire. In European history, mustard has long been considered a potent aphrodisiac. Throughout much of recorded time, monks were not permitted to ingest mustard for it was believed to lead the men of God down the path to temptation. The ancient Chinese also considered mustard an aphrodisiac due to its spicy hot taste.

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Onions and the Heat of the Night

You get tears when you peel it. And yes, the ancients believe that it’s an aphrodisiac. Since prehistoric times the onion has been considered an aphrodisiac. In the days of the Egyptian pharaohs, celibate priests were forbidden to eat onions because of its potential effects to raise their libidinous desires out of control. They are mentioned in many classic Hindu texts on the art of making love and were commonly used as an aphrodisiac in ancient Greece. Ancient Greeks believed that certain bitter edible bulbs (that includes garlic, and onion) stimulated passion. They were cooked in various ways, and eaten with “aphrodisiac salads” containing honey and sesame seeds. Also in France, newlyweds were served onion soup on the morning after their wedding night to restore their libido.

What is it that onions have to make them believe that it’s an aphrodisiac? For one thing, onions are rich in sulfur compounds, the one that turns us into tears when chopping it. These sulfur compounds have been shown to produce good anti-inflammatory effects. Because of this, some experts suggest that it might be good for treating cough and asthma.

Onions have the ability to reduce the stickiness of platelets and to decrease the thickness of the blood, which is good for blood circulation and can possibly reduce atherosclerosis. Because of this, some studies have proven that a healthy intake of onion will lead to a decreased risk of stroke and heart attack.

Other studies of onion consumption have also suggested that onions are good for lowering hypertension and high blood pressure. It also increases the body’s ability to produce amounts of insulin to lower blood sugar which is good for people with diabetes. Onion oil and its constituents are also known to kill various microbes which suggest that it might also be useful as an anti-microbial agent. Evidences in several clinical studies have also favored onion as an effective cancer prevention food.

Most human studies that have shown an effect from onions used at least 25 grams per day and often two to four times that amount. Though some studies have found cooked onions acceptable, several studies suggest that onion constituents are degraded by cooking and that fresh or raw onions are probably most active. So for better effect, try eating onions raw, if you can bear its taste.

And yes, since it’s really unbearable for some to eat it raw, here’s an onion recipe which you might find more appetizing:

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients
6 tablespoons of olive oil
5 tablespoons of butter
2 ½ kilograms of finely chopped onions
4 laurel leaves
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
½ cup of white wine

Preparation

Mix the olive oil and the butter in a deep thick pot. Place it over the heat. Then add in the onions, half of the sugar, half of the salt and 2 laurel leaves. Cover the preparation with the rest of the onion, sugar, salt and laurel.

Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Cook until the onions are a golden color.

Add in the wine and stir the bottom of the pot to take advantage of the bits that stick, until the wine diminishes.

Serve hot with bovine meat, pork or roasted chicken.

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Garlic, an Aphrodisiac

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant in the family Alliaceae and genus Allium, closely related to the onion, shallot, and leek. It grows in the wild in areas where it has become naturalised, but is thought to have originally arisen in cultivation, probably descended from the species Allium longicuspis, which grows wild in south-western Asia. Garlic has been used throughout all of recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

Regarding its medicinal use, garlic proves to be one outstanding bulb. It prevents and fights common cold; diminishes platelet aggregation; lowers LDL-C (“low density lipoprotein” --- carries cholesterol); treats hyperlipidaemia; significantly inhibits atherosclerosis via its aged extract “kyolic”; protects and keeps the elastic properties of elderly people’s aortas; prevents complications by diabetes mellitus; has cancer-fighting properties; treats intestinal worms and other internal parasites; and remedies chest problems, digestive disorders, and fungal infections. Pretty numerous, eh? Thus, Galen eulogizes it as the "rustic's theriac" (cure-all).

Sexual stimulant

In the times of Homer, Greeks ate garlic daily - with bread, as a condiment, or added to salads. It was the main ingredient in a garlic paste (a forerunner of today’s skordalia?) containing cheese, garlic, eggs, honey, and oil. Then, between the forth and first centuries B.C.E. many medical doctors, including Galen, the one stated earlier, and Hippocrates agreed that ingesting garlic would contribute to sexual potency. Fifteen centuries later Maimonides added his voice to this bit of folk wisdom. Although this theory is laughed at by most contemporary medical researchers, garlic remains the most popular aphrodisiac of modern day Greeks, especially those who inhabit the Ionian Islands. On Corfu, for example, widowers who marry are feted before the wedding with an assortment of dishes, all of which are heavily seasoned with garlic. There is even a priest living in the village of Kourkabedes who promises barren couples that chewing six raw heads of garlic each day will produce a child for them.

One research has also proven that garlic supplementation in rats along with a high protein diet has been shown to boost testosterone levels (of the rats, that is).

Basically, since it improves blood circulation and shows antibiotic properties, it has been generally accepted to be a potent aphrodisiac; but now it appears that an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is primarily responsible for the mechanism of erection. Studies have recently shown that garlic in certain forms can stimulate the production of NOS particularly in individuals who have low levels of this enzyme.

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Clove Aphrodisiac

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice.

The use of the clove is very old. It is known that in the year 266 BC the Chinese army officers used this spice to combat halitosis or bad odor, especially prior to the interviews with the emperor. Probably the clove had already been used some 2500 years ago in the Han dynasty.

The Egyptians must have known it quite well since there have been found necklaces made with cloves in some sarcophagi.

It is known that the Greeks and Romans did not use it too much, and yet this spice was mentioned in the descriptions of Aegineta Paulus, a Greek physician of the seventh century, as food and medicine.

Clove contains significant amounts of an active component called eugenol, which has made it the subject of numerous health studies, including studies on the prevention of toxicity from environmental pollutants like carbon tetrachloride, digestive tract cancers, respiratory problems, and joint inflammation.

In the United States, eugenol extracts from clove have often been used in dentistry in conjunction with root canal therapy, temporary fillings, and general gum pain, since eugenol and other components of clove (including beta-caryophyllene) combine to make clove a mild anaesthetic as well as an anti-bacterial agent. For these beneficial effects, you'll also find clove oil in some over-the-counter sore throat sprays and mouth washes.

As an aphrodisiac, Clove is a widely used remedy to stimulate the libido in Oriental countries, especially in women who have lost sexual desire due to nervous reasons or eating disorders. It can be used in men when problems of erection or premature ejaculation appear.

Cloves are also aromatic in nature; its wealth in aroma makes it a very suitable ingredient in the perfume industry. This aromatic fragrance is also thought to enhance sexual feelings.

Cloves aphrodisiac qualities are also attributed to its form. Its flower bud and parts of its root, are vaguely phallic in form. Because of the level of joyful expectation—or immoderate optimism, depending on one’s vantage point—even a vague resemblance is, it seems, resemblance enough.

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Cinnamon Aphrodisiac

As far back as the first page of recorded history, cinnamon has been held in esteem for its powerful medicinal qualities. A spice used in Asia to guard against colds, the bark of the cinnamon tree is also used around the world as flavoring for both sweet and savory dishes as well as an aromatherapy agent for relaxation.

In the Old Testament's Proverbs and Psalms romantic verses extolled the sensory excitement offered by cinnamon: "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come let us take our fill of love till morning." (Proverbs 7, 17-18). Indeed, in Rome the word cinnamon was equivalent to the current use of "sweetheart" or "darling".

Among the spices considered useful for producing “heat” within the body, cinnamon has been measured to increase appetite, both physical and sexual. Eating cinnamon heats up your body and, in turn, your sex drive. Cinnamon also has anti-inflammatory properties, and can help normalize blood sugar. To some extent, it also possesses anti-oxidant and antibacterial properties.

A drop of cinnamon oil rubbed onto the genitals is famed for producing powerful sexual stimulation. It arouses both men and women, but the smell seems to really get men going. Besides its direct effect on desire, Cinnamon also strengthens the heart.

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Vanilla as an aphrodisiac

Vanilla is an orchid. There are about 60 species scattered around the globe, but most are not suitable for the production of Vanilla beans, that culinary delight which is found in delicatessens. Yes, Vanilla is one expensive spice, second to Saffron. If you’re wondering why you have a cheap one in your kitchen, they are most probably the “cheap imitation vanillas” whose mixture is made from synthetic substances which imitate the vanilla smell and flavor. The one commercially used as a spice is Vanilla planifolia (formerly known as Vanilla fragrans). It is mostly from Mexico. It is a robust, climbing vine producing a single leathery leaf about 12cm long at each node together with its roots which cling tenaciously to its host tree or, in cultivation, trellis. The vine itself can be 20mm in diameter. Vanilla planifolia comes in two varieties - the plain and the variegated form. The plant usually does not flower until at least 3 metres tall and it can reach a size of 20 metres and more.

The scent and flavor of Vanilla, which is believed to arouse sexual desires, comes from its black beans. The seed pod develops over a period of 8 to 9 months, and to about 200mm in length. The pod is green, plump and still immature. It does not have any aroma at this stage. A good vine can produce 100 pods per year. There are several methods of treating the pods to turn them into the black beans you know. They are dipped in hot water for two to three minutes, then sweated and dried, or the pods are spread on trays in the sun to heat for two to three hours, and then folded in blankets to sweat until the following morning. This process continues until the beans become pliable and are deep brown (this may take several months). The pods are then dried in well ventilated shade or drying rooms for a further two to four weeks.

Historically, the Aztecs used vanilla mixed with chocolate as an aphrodisiac which can be proven by the adventures of a Spanish conquistador named Herman Cortez during his conquests of the new world in 1518.

According to history, Herman Cortez met with Emperor Montezuma while seeking treasures of the New World. He observed that the Emperor enjoyed a royal beverage of vanilla scented chocolate, Chocolatl (sometimes referred to as "tlilxochitl" or "xoco-latl"). Cortez was so impressed by this regal drink that when he returned to Europe, he took bags of cocoa and vanilla along with the gold, silver and jewels of Montezuma’s fallen empire. In the written accounts of Bernal Diaz, Cortez’s right hand, the Aztec Emperor Montezuma ate frugally at the great events, but drank as many as 50 cups of Chocolatl, which was said to be the reason for his success with women.

The Aztecs used vanilla beans as tribute to their Emperor who was believed and revered as a god. They place great value to this spice the same way they value cocoa. Aztecs generally frowned on the use of alcoholic beverages; Chocolatl was their drug of choice and was enjoyed by royalty, nobility, and warriors. It was served after banquets along with smoking tubes of tobacco.

Ironically, Chocolatl did not begin with the Aztecs, but with the Maya. The Maya called the magic beans “cacao” from which we created the words "chocolate" and "cocoa." The generous Maya shared with other Mesoamericans their fabulous beverage which, in addition to chocolate, included vanilla, corn, allspice, chile, and other flavorings. We can assume the Mesoamericans knew of chocolate and vanilla’s alleged power since both cocoa beans and vanilla pods were valuable enough to be used as money. When money grows on trees and vines it’s bound to be a source of interest with the locals. The Aztecs claimed the drink as their own after conquering the people of the lowland tropics. They then taxed the Maya, Totonaca, and others, and demanded payment in cacao and vanilla beans. This insured that the king always had a supply of sexy ingredients in the royal pantry.

The belief of vanilla as an aphrodisiac was perhaps from the old Totonac lore about Xanat, the young daughter of the Mexican fertility goddess, who loved a Totonac youth. Unable to marry him due to her divine nature, she transformed herself into a plant that would provide pleasure and happiness. She became the vanilla orchid so that she could forever belong to her human love and his people.

In any case, The Spaniards were, sufficiently enough, impressed that they returned to Spain with news that chocolate and vanilla were an erotic duo. Chocolate and vanilla were made into an all-purpose drink that quenched one’s thirst, warmed the body, served as a medicine, and acted as an aphrodisiac. In the curious medical beliefs of the time, chocolate was considered "cold." It therefore was good for the body. Vanilla, on the other hand, was considered "hot." Denis Diderot, a French intellectual in the 1700s, and a prolific writer on many topics, believed that while chocolate was good, many of the additional flavorings added to it were bad, unless you were in an amorous mood. Like many of his contemporaries, he warns: "The pleasant scent and heightened taste it (vanilla) gives to chocolate has made it very popular, but long experience having taught us that it is extremely heating, its use has become less frequent, and people who prefer to care for their health rather than please their senses abstain completely." It makes one wonder how many people then – and now – cared more for their health than their chocolate.

By the 1600s, vanilla was considered a flavor worthy of being served on its own merits. As vanilla was "hot," the doctors of the time believed that those who used it got "hot" as well. In the 1700s vanilla was recommended by physicians and alchemists to be drunk as a tincture or infusion in order to ensure male potency. Bezaar Zimmermann, a German physician, in his article, "On Experiences" (1762) claimed that, "No fewer than 342 impotent men, by drinking vanilla decoctions, had changed into astonishing lovers of at least as many women."

Thomas Jefferson is credited with vanilla’s arrival in the United States. When he returned from his ambassadorship in France in 1789, he was dismayed to discover that no one in the States knew about vanilla, so he wrote his French attaché requesting that he send him 50 vanilla pods. Clearly Jefferson’s personal passion was well received since soon it was used as a flavoring and a medicine, and – you’re right – an aphrodisiac. In the 1800s Dr. John King, advised in the American Dispensatory, that one should use vanilla to, "stimulate the sexual propensities." He went on to give a very carefully detailed recipe for a decoction promising amorous evenings. If the good doctor was right, a hefty swig of vanilla extract before bedtime could work like a charm.

While some drank vanilla in their pursuit of love, many others found that its delicate persuasive aroma was just as powerful. The Totonaca wore vanilla beans in their hats and used it to perfume their homes, a practice they continue today. They used the oil from the drying vanilla beans to rub on their skin until their bodies glistened. The Europeans – especially the French – created perfumes from vanilla pods, not only to wear but also to fragrance their tobacco and snuff. When vanilla extracts came onto the market at the end of the 19th century, more than a few savvy women dabbed a little behind their ears and onto their wrists, thereby creating the ultimate in perfumes – a sensual aroma that also conjured up the homey pleasures of food fresh from the kitchen. Smart modern women have found that fragrances with strong vanilla notes draw an attentive audience with minimal effort.

There’s something about the scent of vanilla that’s at once sexy and erotic, sweet and innocent. It’s an ingredient in sultry, exotic, and mysterious Oriental fragrances, romantic floral bouquets, sophisticated and confident modern perfumes and even in sensual, relaxing, and calming scents. Judging by its popularity as a fragrance in everything from bodycare to candles and air fresheners, vanilla has that secret something that draws us in. This brings us to some tests done by neurologist Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

In controlled tests designed to better understand the connection between smell and sexual arousal, Dr. Hirsch had volunteers wear masks scented with an array of odors. Several fragrance combinations were found to be very effective in increasing penile blood flow. These included lavender and pumpkin pie, doughnut and black licorice and pumpkin pie and doughnut. However, mature men were most aroused by just one simple smell, vanilla. Modern science has proven what native people figured out centuries ago, and many of us discovered on our own -- whether you prefer to eat, drink, or smell it, vanilla is definitely a potent character in the arena of love.

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Nutmeg as aphrodisiac

Nutmeg has been well-known for centuries because of its medicinal properties. Nutmeg has been widely used since AD 540 when it was brought from India to Constantinople. It was used as a cosmetic to remove freckles. Medicinally, it was first mentioned by Avicenna in the 11th century, who called it "the nut of Banda." It was given for stomach upsets, headaches, and to ease gas. It has also been taken as a hallucinogen. The essential oil is good for rheumatic pain.

Among the Arabs it has been used to treat digestive problems and also been valued as an aphrodisiac; the Indians used it to combat asthma and heart complaints and still use it as a sedative. The Hindus embraced the spice for its more sensual properties as a stimulant in raising body heat and sweetening breath.

St. Hildegard, the sibyl of the Rhine, wrote down her medical discoveries in 1147, including the pharmaceutical properties of nutmeg. In this period, popular belief held that getting a nutmeg at New Year and keeping it in your pocket throughout the year would prevent you from breaking even the smallest bone.

During the Renaissance, nutmeg was still considered a preventive medicine by western medical authorities but its properties were usually used to treat memory loss, dizziness and blood in the urine.

Nicholas Culpeper (1616-54), the famous English herbalist, attributes to nutmeg the capacity to induce sleep delirium. William Salmon, on the other hand, said that the oil of mace or nutmegs, if rubbed on the genitals, excited sexual passion (thereby echoing the Arabs' use of its aphrodisiac qualities).

Nutmeg also was seen as having magical properties and is one of the ingredients of a magical perfume described in the most famous of all the grimoires, or black books of the sorcerers, The Key of Solomon the King. The use of nutmeg as a magical medicine continued far into the twentieth century in England. The belief that carrying nutmeg in the pocket could cure various complaints has been recorded from various parts of the country. In Yorkshire it was considered as the best way to relieve rheumatic pain, in Lincolnshire it was said to cure backache and in Devon it was eaten to clear up boils. Elsewhere it was used by gardeners as a prophylactic measure against the occupational hazard of backache. As late as 1966 a Hampshire coalman who suffered from lumbago was told to carry nutmeg, and when he did so he swore he never suffered from it again.

Nutmeg was also believed to be lucky in gambling. A newspaper article from the mid-1960s reported that an individual sprinkled nutmeg powder on their football pools coupon and, on the advice of a gypsy, left it for twenty-four hours before posting it.

This baking spice with a bite is well known in the medical community to be a narcotic. In large doses it can be hallucinogenic. In even larger doses, it is strongly stimulant, hallucinogenic, and toxic. The consumption of just 2 whole nutmegs has been known to cause death. Myristicin is the constituent most responsible for this toxicity, and it is also hallucinogenic.

Because of its psychoactive properties it has been known as a substitute for narcotic substances that for one reason or another were unavailable or unaffordable. Thus prisoners, soldiers, seamen and struggling musicians were among its users. A jazz musician who played regularly with the legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker (known as 'Bird') recalled that: 'Bird introduced this nutmeg to the guys. It was a cheap and legal high. You can take it in milk or Coca-Cola. The grocer across the street came over to the club owner and said, "I know you do all this baking because I sell from eight to ten nutmegs a day." And the owner came back and looked at the bandstand and there was a whole pile of nutmeg boxes.'' In 1946, before his conversion to Islam, Malcolm X used nutmeg whilst in jail when his supplies of marijuana ran out. In his autobiography he wrote: 'I first got high in Charlestown [prison] on nutmeg. My cellmate was among at least a hundred nutmeg men who, for money or cigarettes, bought from kitchen worker inmates’ penny matchboxes full of stolen nutmeg. I grabbed a box as though it were a pound of heavy drugs. Stirred into a glass of cold water, a penny matchbox full of nutmeg had the kick of three or four reefers.' When the authorities became aware of such uses of nutmeg it was removed from many prison kitchens.

Researches dealing with the potency of nutmeg as an aphrodisiac substance found out that at low dosage it is capable of increasing the sexual activity, increasing both libido and potency which might be attributed to its nervous stimulating property, of most males without any conspicuous adverse effects; thus providing a scientific rationale for the traditional use of nutmeg in the management of male sexual disorders.

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Ginger, an aphrodisiac

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Cayenne Pepper, an Aphrodisiac

Cayenne pepper  aka Chili pepper is a hot red pepper used to flavor dishes; its name comes from the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. Its powdered form comes from the fruit of several cultivated varieties of the Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum frutescens very closely related to bell peppers, jalapeños, paprika, and others. All are related species of the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Cayenne pepper is a hot red pepper used to flavor dishes; its name comes from the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. Its powdered form comes from the fruit of several cultivated varieties of the Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum frutescens very closely related to bell peppers, jalapeños, paprika, and others. All are related species of the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Cayenne is used in cooking spicy hot dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Szechuan cuisine). It is generally rated at 40,000 to 90,000 Scoville Units.

There are numerous studies going on for the medicinal applications of Cayenne pepper since there are a lot of therapeutic actions associated with it such as: aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, expectorant, neural stimulant, rubefacient, synergist vasomotor stimulant, topical vasodilator, etc.

Due to this, the hot fruit of cayenne has been used as medicine for centuries. It was considered helpful for various conditions:

• Gastrointestinal tract: including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas.
• Diseases of the Circulatory System. It is still traditionally used in herbal medicine as a circulatory tonic (a substance believed to improve circulation).
• Rheumatic and arthritic pains: Rubbed on the skin it causes, what is termed as, a counterirritant effect. A counterirritant is something which causes irritation to the area that it is applied. This makes it distract the nerves from the original irritation (such as joint pain in the case of arthritis).

Because of its spiciness, eating it sets your mouth on fire, makes your face look flushed, and causes your heart to race—all the sensations you feel after a passionate kiss or maybe even a quickie. It contains a high amount of vitamin C, plus it is an exciting agent that stimulates the circulation. Hence, it serves as a stimulant that heats the sexual drive.

Personally, I believe it’s possible to an increase in your sexual drive after, perhaps, ingesting a few dosage of it since it heats up your bodily system, especially your mouth and face, which greatly improves your blood circulation causing your erogenous zones to be more sensitive to any form of stimulation. Of course, too much of it will cause problems depending on your tolerance level for hot and spicy foods. If you can’t handle the fiery sensation it creates in your mouth after an utterly stupid decision to eat more than what is necessary, you’ll be craving for more liquid to quench that fire in your tongue more than you having a nice hanky-panky with your partner.

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