If you're looking for ways to spice up your love life, you can start in the kitchen. Or more specifically, the spice rack. Adding more spices to your meals is a widely used practice to bring more passion into the bedroom.

Historians say spices are responsible for the spread of civilization across the continents (though not because they are aphrodisiacs.) The desire for more spices is what made people in Asia, North Africa and Europe venture out beyond their familiar borders over 5000 year ago. They crossed desserts, mountains, and oceans to get to the peppercorns, cinnamon and nutmeg on the other side.

As a result, the spice trade is credited with having caused one of the biggest population explosions of all time!

Can Spices Help Your Love Life?

If you understand the placebo effect, then spices will definitely improve your libido and increase fertility. If you need cold, hard, facts before spicing up your menus, then your coupling may be a bit bland.

Spices have long been used for medicinal purposes, including improving sex drive. Many of those traditional remedies have now been proven effective. Others have not, but belief in them remains strong, and that is often rewarded with good results.

Sexy Spices From Folklore and Science

    Basil: The sweet scent is believed to make men lust after a woman wearing it. Ancient Greeks gave it to horses before breeding them.
    Cloves: Used in aromatherapy to increase sexual desire. It improves blood flow and body temperature when eaten.
    Coriander: In the tale, The Arabian Nights, a merchant who was childless for 40 years is cured by a concoction that includes coriander. Hippocrates made a wedding drink containing it to stimulate libido of the newlyweds.
    Fennel: Contains estirol, an estrogen-like substance. Ancient Egyptians used it to boost libido in women.
    Fenugreek: The seeds contain saponins, which play a role in increasing testosterone production. A 2011 study showed it raised libido in men.
    Ginger: Improves circulation and is believed to increase blood flow to sexual organs.
    Ginseng: Used by traditional healers to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) related to stress. Early evidence suggests it may be effective, but more research is needed.
    Nutmeg: Valued it as an aphrodisiac by Chinese women, referred to as the "Viagra for Women" in Africa. Can produce hallucinations when used in quantity.
    Saffron: An extensive review of food aphrodisiacs done in 2011 found just a few threads can improve ED, but was not as effective as Viagra.

When cooking, the amount of each spice used and when to add it is an important part of the recipe. Unfortunately, there are no similar instructions for properly seasoning your sex life. But don't let that stop you. McCormick has plenty of ideas to help get your started.