"The principal occupation of my life has been the cultivation of the pleasures of the senses," wrote Casanova. "I have also loved good cooking and all the things that excite my curiosity."

For thousands of years, humans have believed that certain foods can help put you and your partner in the mood. An "aphrodisiac," named after the Greek goddess Aphrodite, is any edible substance that sparks sexual desire, and, perhaps, performance. Do aphrodisiacs really exist? Here's a look at the research into a few of the classics.

Reputed Aphrodisiacs

Oysters
Juvenal, the Roman satirist, mentioned oysters as aphrodisiacs in the 2nd century A.D. Part of its hook is visual, a culinary allusion to female sexual organs. But oysters are extraordinarily rich in zinc, essential to male sexual performance. This may have been more important in the past, when zinc deficiency was more common. But even today, high blood zinc levels are linked with higher sperm counts.

 Chocolate
When one person is infatuated with another, an amphetamine-like compound called phenylethylamine (PEA), "the molecule of love," floods the brain. Cocoa has tiny amounts of PEA -- but they are almost certainly broken down before affecting the human brain. Cocoa also has the caffeine-like compound theobromine. Let's just say it's a physiologically exciting gustatory pleasure, a sweet for your sweet.

Wine and Champagne
As Shakespeare famously noted, wine "provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance." Alcohol lowers inhibition, so it makes sense that a glass or two can help set the mood. But overdoing it encourages risky behavior, and makes it more difficult for men and women alike to reach orgasm.

Raspberries and Strawberries
Yes, they're rich in health-protective antioxidants, but let's just say they are sweet, sensual fruits, with a sensory allusion to the breast, and they're easily carried into the bedroom, where they can be nibbled "a deux."


Chilies
These capsaicin-containing peppers raise the heart rate and can stimulate sweating -- similar to the physiological response in sex.


 Asparagus, Bananas, Cucumbers and Carrots
Credit the ancient "doctrine of signatures" for these phallic foods -- the belief that if something looks like something else, it carries similar powers. The reputation of oysters, strawberries, apricots and peaches may stem from similar mental connections.

Avocados
This sensual fruit is rich in vitamin E, which plays a role in the formation of sex hormones.



Do Vegetarians Love Longer?
Sexual health depends on good cardiovascular health. Perhaps it's no coincidence that many of the historic aphrodisiacs -- wine, garlic, onions, ginger, chili peppers, oysters -- boost circulation. Miavita Scientific Advisor Jim Duke, Ph.D., notes that "atherosclerosis of the penile artery is the primary cause of impotence in nearly half the men over 50," a condition that he says can be improved with a vegetarian-style diet.

Common sense also suggests that any meal before sex be not only enticing, but light. When digesting a heavy meal, particularly one high in fat, blood flow diverts to the stomach and digestive system. That's one reason you may feel groggy after a big meal, and grogginess isn't sexy.

Making Moods
A mood-setting meal may be more than the sum of its parts.

"Most guys think that foreplay begins after the clothes come off," says Dennis Sugrue, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School, and co-author of Sex Matters for Women. "But for great lovemaking, it should begin hours before. For a woman, taking time for a leisurely meal in a relaxed environment can help her slow down and make the emotional connection to her partner, which is an important part of her eroticism."

Enjoying the sensual pleasure of a good meal can be a turn-on for both sexes. "For each of us to enjoy and appreciate our sexuality we have to be tuned in to all of our body's experiences," says Sugrue.

Bon appétit!

Robert A. Barnett is senior editor at Parenting magazine. His latest book is Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories (HarperCollins

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