Food, love, and sex have been linked since the beginning of time. Nearly every culture believes aphrodisiacs (substances that arouse or increase sexual desire) can heat things up outside the kitchen. Reports regarding food’s seductive powers date back to the Ancient Greeks in first century A.D. Couples who had difficulty conceiving were urged to eat foods such as onions or eggs - foods believed to contain sexual energy due to their similarity in shape to seeds or sperm.

According to Tamar Nordenberg, a lawyer for the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the reputed sexual effects of so-called aphrodisiacs are based entirely in folklore, not fact. In the 1980s the FDA declared that there is no scientific proof that any over-the-counter aphrodisiacs work to treat sexual dysfunction.

Today, in the privacy of their homes experimental lovers ignore the FDA’s finding and explore the juicy relationship between food and sex, as there are many sensual pleasures to be gained from combining the two. Couples are discovering that eating together doubles as a test of sexual compatibility. We are defined not only by what we eat, but how we eat.

There are no guarantees that these reputed aphrodisiacs will make sparks fly between you and your lover, but couples can do their own research in this department.

Avocados - The Aztecs called the avocado tree “Ahuacuatl” which translated means “testicle tree,” according to Harold McGee, food scientist and author of On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Aztecs thought the fruit hanging in pairs on the tree resembled a man’s testicles. Virgin girls were forbidden from going outside during the harvest season.

Chocolate - Chocolate contains more than three hundred chemicals with mood-altering effects, according to Jacqui Malouf, author of Booty Food: A Date By Date, Nibble by Nibble, Course by Course Guide to Cultivating Love and Passion Through Food. Among these substances are theobromine, which is similar to caffeine, but thought to also have aphrodisiac qualities, and the stimulant phenyl ethylamine, which gives us a sense of excitement and wellbeing conducive to lovemaking. Sweet treats like chocolate also can feel indulgent, which is the perfect state for seduction.

Honey - Many medicines in ancient Egypt were based on honey including cures for impotence and sterility. Medieval seducers got their partners drunk on a fermented drink made of honey known as mead, according to McGee. Lovers on their “honeymoon” drank mead as it was believed to sweeten their marriage.

Asparagus - Instantly recognized by its suggestive shape, it is regarded by some cultures as an erotic stimulant because of its phallic resemblance. It is high in vitamin E, considered to be a sex hormone stimulant. Asparagus is incredibly powerful, particularly for men, according to Malouf.

Chilies – Chilies and other spicy foods are viewed as aphrodisiacs because their physiological effects - sweating and a raised heart rate - are similar to the physical reactions experienced during sex. Chilies may heat up your sex life too, due to capsaicin — the substance that gives chilies their kick. Capsaicin stimulates nerve endings to release chemicals, raising the heart rate and triggering the release of endorphins giving you the pleasurable feeling of a natural high, writes McGee.

Ginseng - Many people used to believe in the “law of similarity,” or reasoning that an object resembling the genitals possesses sexual powers. Ginseng and oysters are typical examples. The word ginseng means “man root,” and its reputation as an aphrodisiac comes from its visible similarity to the penis. For centuries it has been seen as invigorating and rejuvenating in China, Tibet, Korea and India. Ginseng increases endurance in men, according to Malouf. It also has a mild stimulant action like the caffeine in coffee.

Oysters - The aphrodisiac qualities of oysters could be related to its resemblance to the vagina in both appearance and flavor. Believe of that what you will, but raw oysters are a sensuous food, slipping their way down the throat in an appealingly messy way. Oysters also gained their reputation at a time when their contribution of zinc to nutritionally lacking diets of the day could improve overall health and therefore lead to an increased sex drive, as zinc is a mineral used in the production of testosterone. Oysters are even speculated to raise a man’s sperm count, says Malouf.

While there is no proof that these indulgences will spice up your sex life, a little experimentation never hurt anyone and even if avocados and ginseng fail to enhance your libido, you will never think of an avocado tree or a ginseng root the same way again.