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Enjoy These Romantic Foods and Recipes This Valentine's Day

If you're looking for ideas on what to eat and drink
this Valentine's Day but want to spice it up from
the comfort of your own home, then try out these
international foods that make for great aphrodisiacs
and the perfect addition to your romantic Valentine's Day meal.
This list of foods and recipes are sure to bring you
and your partner together this Valentine's Day.
If you're looking for ideas on what to eat and drink
this Valentine's Day but want to spice it up from
the comfort of your own home, then try out these
international foods that make for great aphrodisiacs
and the perfect addition to your romantic Valentine's Day meal.
This list of foods and recipes are sure to bring you
and your partner together this Valentine's Day.

What is an aphrodisiac?

Foods known as 'aphrodisiacs' are those that aim to enhance senses (sight, smell, touch and taste) and increase the passion between partners. Named after the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, it's no surprise that these foods have become popular on Valentine's Day. Whilst there are well known global aphrodisiacs such as oysters, chocolate and saffron, this year meal kit company HelloFresh are calling for couples to enjoy these lesser known foods from countries in South America, Europe and Africa.

5 Global Tried and Tested Aphrodisiacs

1. Ginger
2. Celery
3. Okra
4. Maca
5. Ginseng

<h3>1. Ginger</h3>

1. Ginger

Ginger is a lesser known aphrodisiac here in the UK but is popular in countries around the world. It's deemed an aphrodisiac because of it's scent and how it stimulates the circulatory system which can leave you longing for your other half. It is believed to increase sensitivity in the erogenous zones while also making our tongue and lips tingle.

It is a popular in European countries such as France, Italy, Croatia and Belgium with the number of searches for ginger appearing alongside aphrodisiac over 4000 monthly searches in the 14 countries where Valentine's Day is most popular. The spice is also popular amongst South American countries Ecuador and Colombia.

Ginger can be easily included into your Valentine's Day meal, such as this HelloFresh Ginger Beef Stir Fry. This dish creates a delicious flavour with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce. You can also enjoy ginger in drinks, whether that be adding fresh ginger to cocktails or having a glass of ginger beer.
<h3>2. Celery</h3>

2. Celery

Eating celery has been known to increase the pheromone androsterone, a natural aphrodisiac found in male sweat that can make women more sexually attracted to the opposite sex.

This Sicilian Caponata with Herbed Pork recipe includes lots of celery, perfect for enhancing those pheromones. Indulge in this take on a tasty Italian meal alongside your favourite wine for a romantic night in this Valentine's Day.
<h3>3. Okra</h3>

3. Okra

Okra, otherwise known in English-speaking countries as 'ladies fingers' is reputed as the 'vegetable of love' as it's rich in magnesium, a natural relaxant. Try adding okra to a tasty curry such as the HelloFresh creamy chicken curry.
<h3>4. Maca</h3>

4. Maca

Studies have shown that maca boosts attractiveness towards others, making it a great aphrodisiac for Valentine's Day. Maca is a sweet root vegetable that goes well with chocolate and coffee, it is widely available to buy and can be easily added to drinks or baking recipes. Maca can make for a great addition to your Valentine's Day desserts, this Indulgent Coconut Chocolate Pot can easily be enhanced with some maca powder.
<h3>5. Ginseng</h3>

5. Ginseng

Ginseng, a popular herb in Chinese medicine, is often to help stimulate passion and function amongst couples. Some say it's an aphrodisiac because of its resemblance to the human body and the word ginseng means 'man root'. Try including ginseng in cocktails on Valentine's day alongside your evening meal. Ginseng goes well in soups and broths, meaning it can be added to the HelloFresh Asian MushroomBbroth with Udom Noodles recipe!
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Make home cooking easy with HelloFresh

Not sure what to make for dinner? Receive the most delicious easy-to-cook meals at your door every week. Packed to stay fresh, our meal kits fit perfectly into your fridge and come with super easy recipes that turn out amazing every time.
Not sure what to make for dinner? Receive the most delicious easy-to-cook meals at your door every week. Packed to stay fresh, our meal kits fit perfectly into your fridge and come with super easy recipes that turn out amazing every time.