Nuts as Aphrodisiacs - How Eating Nuts can Boost your Love Life

The belief that certain substances can either directly or indirectly work to enhance sexual desire among humans appears to cut across ages and cultures. Such substances are known as ‘aphrodisiacs’ after Aphrodite, the Goddess of beauty and sexual attractiveness, in classical Greek mythology. One class of foods that seems to consistently figure as aphrodisiacs since the Ancients is nuts and here is why.

In botanical terms, the nut is defined as a dry fruit with one or rarely two seeds where the ovary wall becomes hard on maturity and the seed is attached to the ovary wall. Examples of nuts according to this definition cover only a limited number of edible nuts like chestnuts and hazelnuts. The culinary definition of nuts on the other hand is much more liberal and includes any oily, edible kernel that is found within a hard shell like cashew nuts, pistachios, pine nuts, almonds and walnuts.

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Nuts as aphrodisiacs

The reputation of nuts as an aphrodisiac appears to lie in the fact that nuts are complete foods in themselves and hence their consumption even in small quantities over a period of time goes a long way in maintaining the overall health of a human body. And when all the physiological systems are working well and in harmony with each other, the individual is bound to be open to pleasurable sexual experience.

Nuts are one of the most important sources of protein containing all the essential amino acids outside animal sources. Proteins are crucial for the development and repair of muscles and this is important for men who want to build muscle mass to enhance their sexual appeal. For women the importance of protein in their love lives lies in the fact that it helps in the regeneration of muscles and tissues which is essential if they are to feel healthy and strong enough to enjoy sex. Equally importantly protein has been shown to naturally boost levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two chemicals in the brain that heighten sensitivity during sex. Again amino acids like arginine are necessary for sperm production and sperm mobility.

However the best part of using nuts as a source of protein is that unlike animal protein like beef, it is healthy for the heart. Nuts have in fact been proven to reduce cardiovascular disorders by lowering total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides as well as by supplying omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are believed to be essential for a healthy heart. Other than this, nuts are rich in essential fatty acids like linoleic and linolenic acids which are the building blocks for the production of sex hormones. They also help the body to store the vitamins that keep humans sexually active and full of desire. Moroever the fats in nuts for the most part are unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated fats which do not have the destructive effect of saturated fats on arteries and blood vessels. The heart is the main organ pumping oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body including the genitals and this makes a healthy heart crucial to enjoyable sex.

Almost all the nuts that humans consume like pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts and cashew nuts are packed with vitamins and minerals, nutrients essential for a healthy sex life. Nuts like almonds are particularly a rich source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E which are necessary for the optimum functioning of sex hormones in the body, in both men and women. Among the minerals found in significant amounts in nuts like chestnuts, pine nuts, cashew nuts and pistachios are potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus all of which are essential for healthy heart and bone function and without which a human being cannot be expected to enjoy sex to the full. Some like pine nuts also contain adequate amounts of zinc and selenium which are particularly beneficial for boosting the male libido and enhancing sexual performance in men. While zinc increases testosterone production and semen volume, selenium aids sperm mobility and motility. In women on the other hand zinc is essential to maintain lubrication of vagina. Again certain nuts like Gingko nuts contain powerful antioxidant properties which not only work to increase vitality but also have beneficial properties on skin and hair, two aspects essential to sexual beauty.

Other than their nutritional benefits, nuts also heighten sexual desire by appealing to the senses. Almonds for example have a sweet smell and its blossoms are beautiful to look at. The rich creamy taste of cashew nuts again may appeal to lovers who have a sweet tooth and are excited by such flavors. Cola nuts are considered an aphrodisiac in Madagascar, probably because of their high caffeine content which is responsible for stimulating the brain and the senses.

Despite their many nutritional properties, nuts like everything else work best when taken in moderate quantities. A daily dose of handful of assorted nuts like pistachios, almonds, pine nuts and walnuts are recommended by nutritionists. Also it is best to use nuts in an unsalted form since too much of seasoning can load up the system with salt and artificial sodium. Nuts are high in calories and fatty acids which is why consuming them in very high quantities may cancel out their nutritional benefits, whether for the heart or for one’s sex life.

The long association of nuts with aphrodisiac properties goes back to primitive times when food was scarce and nutrition was of prime concern. Nuts were found to contain most essential nutrients and consequently their consumption kept the physiological system working in fine order. The overall good health of the body naturally had a positive impact on an individual’s sex life and hence nuts or at least some of them came to be regarded as having aphrodisiac properties. And even though researchers today cannot confirm any direct effect of nuts on heightening sexual performance, modern science is waking up to the many nutritional benefits of nuts and their consequent impact on the overall health including sexual health of humans.