The Foods of Love
Valentine’s Day is a day of joy and romance. Each year on February 14th we look forward to such a wonderful day of the year. We exchange gifts, cards, flowers, cookies and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. This is a special time for celebrating a personal communication between people, all kinds of loving relationships, and of course, your significant other.
“The best and beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched. They must be felt with the heart.”
~ Helen Keller
We want to show our love and appreciation to people around us by giving generously of our time and attention. There are so many different and romantic ways of spending Valentine’s Day. It depends on what you are in the mood for this year.
If you are going to spend Valentine’s Eve in a comfort of your home, you better prepare for an evening of romance and beautifully looking foods. Choose your own aphrodisiac this week. Chocolate is sensual from its delicious taste and aroma. It has been used as an aphrodisiac since the Aztecs and Mayans. Some other foods have a reputation of aphrodisiac qualities such as: truffles, honey, nuts, figs, dried fruits, black tea, coffee, bananas, cherries, peaches, pears, pomegranates, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, whipped cream, avocado, seafood, oysters, olive oil, arugula, asparagus. Asparagus is rich in potassium, vitamin E, and calcium which are all good for hormone production. Bananas are packed with zinc and potassium – essential for male potency. Oysters have a high level of zinc. Zinc deficiency in men is associated with a lack of libido. Pomegranate is a gem of a fruit. It is a plentiful source of vitamin C and potassium. Add pomegranate seeds to your sweet fruit smoothies.
The spices of love (cinnamon, fresh ginger, and mint). Spices bring out the best in foods by enhancing flavor. They can tenderize foods, aid in digestion and warm or cool the body. Ginger: favored in Asian cuisine, highly medicinal, and spicy-sweet.
As for me, I like to mix honey, a bit of ground cinnamon into my fruit salad to indulge my taste buds. Try to combine chopped strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, walnuts and whipped cream and see how you like it.
Why don’t we get into a habit of having Valentine’s Day once a week or once a month? We don’t have to wait the whole year to make people we love special. Let’s start a new routine of giving and caring in 2017. This warm, pleasant and lots of red holiday reminds us that we are able to show great affection to one another.
Sincerely,
Leona Sokolova, NetCost Market Nutrition Specialist