Lust and Love food for Valentine's Day

The world's best-known writers on the chemistry of love have prepared food tips for those seeking Valentine perfection this weekend. Husband-and-wife writing team Rolf and Gabriele Froböse, who wrote the big-selling Royal Society of Chemistry book "Lust and Love: is it more than Chemistry?" were asked by the RSC to provide menu advice for lovers preparing food and drink to pave the chemical way to Saturday evening closeness and excitement. The couple furnished their facts as part of the RSC 'Food 2009' year. During the year the RSC will be looking at all aspects of food from farm-to-fork, focusing on health, safety and security, agriculture, transportation, storage, retail and obesity. The Froböse tips are below, with comments from Frau Froböse.

Breakfast

"Lovers should start with coffee which has been perfumed with cardamom and honey. 

Hot chocolate would also be wise as it contains the happiness-inducing hormone phenyl-ethylamine

Eggs and tomatoes spiced with Tabasco would be perfect. Eggs contain much cholesterol. In moderate amounts this is good for the nerve cells in order to produce the various kinds of hormones and neurotransmitters. Tomatoes contain 13 vitamins and 17 mineral supplements. This is good for fitness.

Lunch

Lamb stew with safflower.

"In ancient Greece lovers enjoyed this to enhance their libido. Lamb stew with safflower: lamb contains much ferrum and zinc and thus improves the composition of the blood. Safflower contains carotenoids.

The later ones stimulate the production of sex hormones. In both the high amount of zinc acts as a stimulant. This mineral supplement enhances the production of spermatozoe, testosterone and feminine mucous."

Dinner

Oysters and Lobster Thermidor: "Oysters are symbols of eroticism. Lobsters together with champagne are the start for an unforgettable evening. Lovers should have a glass if champagne together with oysters or before enjoying the oysters. It could also be a Kir Royal (Kir Royal is a special recipe: champagne together with a slight amount of cassis, blackcurrant liquor). Together with the Lobster Thermidor they should also have either white wine or blush wine (which I would prefer) from a country of their preference."

Best chocolate for lust and love

"Bitter chocolate (dark) would be the best one as it contains a high amount of happiness-inducing hormones including serotonin."

Drinks

Champagne, beer or wine to your taste but not too much of it. 

"Liquors contain a huge amount of alcohol. Thus they will make lovers sleepy rather than anything else"

Things to avoid

Too much alcohol.

Nicotine - narrows the arteries

"Lettuce and all green salads are anti-aphrodisiacs. Lettuce and all green salads: They contain ingredients which are related to valerian. The latter one acts as a lust-reducer."

"Please, no cucumbers, no chicory."

How much to eat?

"They shouldn't eat too much. It makes you tired as the stomach is busy digesting the food. A French menu (small portions, this is always the case in France) or just one main course (perhaps a dessert afterwards). The French people tend to drink a very strong black coffee in a small cup or a digestive for a good digestion. The coffee perhaps, also, to stay awake."