Sunbathing & Other Natural Aphrodisiacs

By Melissa Noble posted Feb 4th 2010 1:27PM

Go lay in the sun and nosh on garlic—your sex drive will thank you.

All of us know one too many glasses of your alcohol of choice will excite even the most sexually adverse—but did you know a few hours in the sun does the same trick, minus the hangover?

A recent Australian study says sunlight is a natural aphrodisiac, raising testosterone levels in men and boosting libido by as much as 69 percent. Apparently hormones vital to sex drive get an added boost from Vitamin D. Thus, a few extra hours absorbing the rays (with some SPF slathered on, no doubt) could give a lackluster sex drive a surge.

How low-maintenance! And no prescription necessary! Are they going to start installing sun lamps in dingy bars?

This does make sense, though. There's nothing like a balmy day at the beach to make one feel better life in general. This got us to thinking: What are some other outside-the-box aphrodisiacs to get the blood pumping? Oysters and chocolate need not apply.

1.) Pumpkin Pie: After a day at the beach, pop one of these babies in the oven for a double punch of prurient activity. According to Alan Hirsch, a neurologist at Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, the aroma of pumpkin pie increases blood flow to the penis by 40 percent. The dessert also gives the body zinc, an essential chemical for blood flow and testosterone production.

2.) Frog juice: Perhaps not as appetizing as pumpkin pie, frog juice has long been touted as the Peruvian Viagra. A while back a recipe surfaced involving three ladles of hot, white bean broth, two generous spoonfuls of honey, raw aloe vera plant, several tablespoons of maca (an Andean root), and a skinned frog (there's the kicker). Peruvians say this concoction gives them "energy" and has proven to be a quadruple threat of sorts—curing asthma, bronchitis, sluggishness and a low sex drive.

3.) Garlic: Mmm. Frog juice and garlic! Better keep some Scope handy. But, seriously, raw garlic contains Allicin, which improves blood flow to the pelvic organs. Note: lest you think whole cloves will do the trick, it's the process of chopping garlic that creates the libido-boosting enzyme reaction.