Carrots, Mackerel and Figs 'New' Aphrodisiacs, Nutritionist Says

Carrots and mackerel do not really have the same sex appeal as chocolate, chilies and red wine, but according to one nutritionist, they are the Viagra of the food world.

Brian Clement, from the Hippocrates Health Institute of Florida, has said traditional aphrodisiacs are not all they are cracked up to be, as fatty foods and alcohol slow the flow of blood, decreasing sexual prowess, The Times reports.

"Throw out old aphrodisiacs, as we've been accustomed to calling them," he said. "These include an array of food like oysters, because they resembled reproductive organs, and chocolate, the fatty acids of which negatively affect organs like the liver and gall bladder.

"If the body is spending its time and energy cleaning itself constantly from these chemicals we put in it, it cannot begin to perform at its peak sexually."

Clement said that fatty foods, such as bacon and sausages, should not be eaten before sex because they clog the genital arteries.

Soya-based products can also be a mood killer as they contain too much oestrogen, which reduces sex drives.

As well as carrots, Clement says oily fish high in omega-3 fatty acids boost the sex drive as it improves circulation. Watermelon helps to open blood cells, so is good for sex, while green leafy vegetables, figs, nutmeg, raspberries and artichokes all have libido-boosting potential.

Speaking to the Belleville News-Democrat, the nutritionist said sex problems can affect a third of young married couples: "Instead of seeing men with performance problems at age 70, the way we did a few decades ago, we now see it at age 40. Fifty per cent of 40-year-old men cannot perform."

He said that, as a rule, foods that are good for your heart are also good for your sex life as the same foods that damage arteries are the same ones that will dampen your love life.