Caviar
Perhaps it could be said that due to its anti-ageing properties (quite aside from its delicious flavour and texture) and potential slimming qualities, caviar comes cheap at the price. Caviar is a high fat food; it’s 18 per cent fat and the Omega 3 fats it contains are powerful anti-inflammatories. It’s high in protein; a 25g serving can provide up to half of the body’s daily protein requirement and it’s low in carbs, too. Casanova apparently fuelled himself on caviar before each of his romantic trysts – inspiring. The Royal Caviar Diet, devised by Pari Moore of Princesse d’Isenbourg et Cie, is worth looking into for a delicious way to lose weight.
Chocolate
Dark, mysterious and rich in polyphenols (the plant antioxidants beloved by our friendly gut microbes), and it contains a fair amount of fibre too. It’s got to be at least 70 per cent cocoa solids – the darker it is, the more health-giving compounds it contains. Studies suggest it might help to lower the stress hormone, cortisol, and it’s especially good for the heart.
How about its reputation as an aphrodisiac? The Aztecs were convinced that chocolate fuelled sexual desire and the Emperor Montezuma swore by its aphrodisiac properties, as did Casanova and the Marquis de Sade. It contains two chemicals of interest: tryptophan, which makes serotonin, a feel-good chemical involved in sexual arousal, and phenylethylamine, a stimulant which is released in the brain when we fall in love.
White Truffle
Research into these strange fungi suggests that, aside from their extraordinary flavour, they also possess antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and liver protective properties. Much like other types of fungi, truffles are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals (including phosphorous, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc) that support our health.
Wagyu
Japanese Wagyu beef is traditionally, like most cattle, fed on grass and finished with grain. Cattle are finished with grain in order to get that prized marbling (fat) running through the meat. When the beef is cooking the fats melt and bring out the full flavour of the meat and make it tender and juicy. Wagyu beef has the highest percentage of marbling of any other beef.
But New Zealand farmers are successfully getting that famous marbling through grass feeding alone. And that results in meat that’s much higher in the anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats which are so good for us.
Oysters
Along with their zingy taste of the sea, oysters might be considered as aphrodisiac because they’re loaded with zinc. Zinc is vitally important for sexual health and especially for men; seminal fluid contains zinc and zinc is needed to make hormones including testosterone. They’re very low in calories and carbs, and high in protein – six medium oysters contain less than 50 calories, and about 12g of protein. Plus oysters are packed with other minerals, including copper, iron and selenium all of which provide powerful immune support.
Saffron
With its subtle and delicate flavour, saffron is extracted from crocus flowers, crocus sativus, and is the world’s most expensive spice. It has widespread health benefits and is also known as an aphrodisiac because of its ability to help with erectile dysfunction. It’s a powerful heart tonic, and a natural anti-depressant as well as being helpful for premenstrual tension.
Champagne
We’ve long known that even brut champagne sadly contains more sugar than dry white or red wine, but now there’s good news. There are now champagnes, Brut Nature or Zero Dosage and Ultra Brut (e.g. Laurent Perrier) which have no added sugar. And the bubbles and small capacity flute glasses may well mean that we drink less of it compared to wine. And like red wine it does contain some lovely polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant.
Lobster
Lobster, like truffles, packs a surprisingly powerful punch as far as nutrition goes. The chewy lobster is rich in iodine and selenium, for thyroid and immune health. And it’s an excellent source of protein, and with just one gram of fat per 140g serving, lobster ranks as one of the leanest sources of animal protein.
