Neo-aphrodisiacs
While we have previously explored the rise of Gastronomy Fetish and food ASMR, overlooked ingredients such as fenugreek and barrenwort are now landing in the spotlight for their libido-enhancing properties or potential to stimulate mind and body.
Orgasm is a cacao butter spread by food company Pearl Butter that is marketed as ‘the ultimate sensual experience’. It is made with naturally mind-altering ingredients like maca, an ancient stimulant hailing from the high Andes in Peru, and horny goat weed, a potent aphrodisiac often used to help increase oestrogen in post-menopausal women. Not limited to the kitchen alone, the vegan spread aims to satisfy cravings while enhancing the sexual experience, showing how the definition of nutrition has broadened beyond physical wellbeing to include pleasure and indulgence.
In California, wellness company and platform Goop has created a supplement to help enhance women’s arousal. Playfully named DTF (Down to F**k), the vitamin uses natural aphrodisiacs such as saffron and fenugreek to increase women’s sexual arousal. While sexual health supplements and Viagra have become more accessible in recent years, the Goop vitamin represents a shift in demand for women’s sexual performance products.
The rise of erotic eating isn’t limited to food – it’s also making its mark in branding and packaging. Pleasure company Cake, which sells personal lubricants, condoms and sex toys, takes its name from the indulgent, sweet food, drawing a clear link between sexual exploration and eating.
Raw connections
Indeed, the crossover between food and sex is becoming more pronounced through events that combine nudity, cooking and community eating, bringing to the fore the enjoyment of food as a sensual experience. Such events promote the idea that eating is an inherently social act through which people can deepen their connection with each other and their own minds and bodies by focusing on what they put into their mouth.
