"It's funny to say about a food that it 'arouses cravings,' but it's clear that if I increase serotonin and dopamine levels, for example, which actually activate the pleasure centers in the brain, they will also warm the atmosphere around it," says Dr. Sigal Frishman, director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Unit at Beilinson Hospital and chief dietitian of Clalit's Hospitals Division.
Is it really possible to arouse cravings through food?
"I always say that to arouse passion, you need much more than one single factor. It's not like if we eat a certain food and then walk around the street, everyone will suddenly jump on us. Still, in order to arouse passion, you also have to love the person who sits with you," she explains with a smile.
So what foods arouse cravings?
"I think it's worth dividing these foods into groups," Frishman says, adding: "You also need to understand what you should avoid. For example, people go out to a restaurant on Tu B'Av, eat steak, drink red wine, come home finished and sleep well. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that it is recommended not to eat too heavy."
According to Frishman, eating or drinking a lot of alcohol will also cause the opposite process. "It can cause a sense of heaviness, fatigue, disconnection from the world and that's not what we want. Everything has to be in measure," she clarifies.
Sigal Frishman, Photo: Beilinson Spokesperson's Office
Passionate foods
The Comforters
Chocolate, ice cream, sweets and carbohydrates
"Carbohydrates, such as good pasta, risotto or pastries that are not high in fat, for example, stuffed filo leaves, apple strudel or some kind of pie, even rice in its various forms - all these increase the level of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These are two neurotransmitters that actually bind to the pleasure center in the brain and therefore make us in a better mood, which is always beneficial for desire. Sugar, sweet foods, and carbohydrates are often compared to drugs because they also stimulate the same pleasure center in the brain. They're also reassuring – and let's know, most of us are pretty stressed most of the time because of what's going on around us. We tend to come back from a stressful day at work, and these materials contribute to calm."
What carbohydrates should you avoid?
"Importantly, these are carbohydrate-based foods that are not fat. Fat, because of its heavy digestion, usually makes us feel tired. When we eat fatty foods, all our energies are directed to digestion. When we're heavy, we crave less. Most of all, we prefer to go to sleep. Ice cream, for example, is also an excellent food in this context because it is cold and not heavy."
Frédéric Bau's chocolate sigh dessert,
The sharp
Chili, ginger and spicy foods
"These foods act on the nervous system and increase blood flow. In fact, when we eat them, our blood circulation becomes better and this can help in the whole issue of sexual activity. Good blood flow is necessary in the context of sexual intercourse and therefore somewhat acute, can do the trick."
Plate of spicy, photo: Etiel Zion
Red
Strawberries and berries
"First of all, it's important to note that these red-colored foods are very healthy because they contain antioxidants and potent inflammatory processes. That is, they have the ability to resist inflammatory processes such as cell death, aging, heart disease and cancer. So is the red wine, which we will talk about later. Red cows have an aphrodisiac appearance and beautiful food is indeed important.
"The color red is associated with sexiness and seductive food, just as the colors green or blue are associated with toxic food. In addition, these foods we usually eat in a looser and less tailored way. If we want to release inhibitions on this evening, then we can definitely say that red fruits and things we eat with our hands make us less cloudy and more relaxed."
Photo: Liron Almog // Strawberries in chocolate dip. The dishes graciously touch the food,
The Relaxers
Wine and alcohol
Alcohol relaxes us. It calms the nervous system, but also helps blood flow. That's why people usually blush with wine. Drinking wine releases inhibitions and makes us a little less aware. It actually helps us to have fun, not to be shackled, stressed or too aware of how we feel about ourselves and then everything is pleasant and good. But it is important to emphasize, you also need to know how to put the limit with alcohol. We don't want to find ourselves sleeping faint. We also don't want to find ourselves in a situation where we are completely disconnected from the situation. As already mentioned, everything should be in measure.
Everything is in measure, photo: GettyImages
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