June 2021
Strawberries are among my favorite aphrodisiac ingredients. Although I prefer raspbaerries in flavor, they aren't nearly as portable as strawberries. And as far as aphrodisiac history goes, strawberries are much more interesting than blueberries or blackberries.
For starters, strawberries were a Roman symbol of the goddess Venus. (Wouldn't you like to be a symbol of a love goddess?)
Later legend had it that if you found double strawberry and broke it in half and shared it with a potential lover, the strawberry would seal the deal.
At some point, it was the tradition in the French countryside to serve newlyweds cold strawberry soup to promote the key activities of the honeymoon. (I can't help but wonder what sort of newlyweds actually needed this help. Arranged marriages, I suppose.)
I've also read that it was once a native American belief to have a pregnant woman carry strawberry leaves in her pocket to alleviate pains of pregnancy.
And not only were said leaves supposed to help with pregnancy but they would also help guide the carrier through child rearing. I'm thinking I need to add strawberry leaves to my pockets by the fistfuls.
There is much more lore associated with strawberries. I've retold some on Eat Something Sexy, so if you're interested in this sort of thing, be sure to check out all of my favorite strawberry folklore.
But it isn't just the stories that give strawberries an aphrodisiac reputation. The fruit is packed with nutrition associated with health, including health of the libido. In fact, we've named strawberries among the 10 Best Foods for Women.
The fruit is a very good source of vitamin C, and as such, is believed to promote estrogen production. The luscious strawberry is also a source of potassium as well as manganese, which is considered a vital nutrient for men's sexual health. And for those pregnant women carrying strawberry leaves stuffed into their pockets, the fruit is a source of folate.
Strawberries are also a good source of fiber. Over 26% of their carb content is fiber. Now, that may not sound remotely sexy, but I've discussed many times why fiber is vital to your sex life. Here's more information on how fiber factors into your sex life.
And then there are the anthocyanins. You may have heard the recommendation to eat blueberries for heart health? Well, that's (partly) because berries have a high concentration of antioxidants called anthocyanins. And these antioxidants are linked with heart health. According to one study, anthocyanins proved beneficial to improving good cholesterol and blood pressure in both men and women.
Another compound found in strawberries known for its antioxidant benefits, ellagic acid, is associated with skin health. That's because ellagic acid is believed to help protect the skin naturally from UV damage. Which means that not only can strawberries keep your heart pumping, they'll help you look good doing it.
So as you can see, strawberries have an awful lot to offer to everyone except an unfortunate few who have strawberry allergies.
And, unlike with some ingredients where you need to cook them or juice the ingredient to reap the aphrodisiac benefits, strawberries can be enjoyed any way you like them.
So enjoy a naked strawberry, give it a bath in cream or bake it in a pie, no matter how you slice it, strawberries are great for sexual health.
But just in case you need some culinary inspiration, I've included some of my favorite strawberry recipes below. And if you want more of my favorite recipes, come follow me on Pinterest. If you want to talk strawberries with me directly, the best place to find me is twitter, @forkmespoonme. | |
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