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Oysters May Be an Aphrodisiac After All

But in the age of Viagra, the scientific community considers these claims to be nothing more than wishful thinking. All these foods can be part of a fabulous meal, but the aftereffect is more likely to be weight gain and the need for a nap than a night of rapturous lovemaking.

However, a new study by American and Italian chemists claims that at far as oysters, clams and mussels are concerned, the ancient claim may be true. Their finding was presented March 16 at the American Chemical Society annual meeting in San Diego.

"The supposition for centuries was that oysters, clams and mussels have been thought to have aphrodisiac properties," said researcher George Fisher, a professor of chemistry from Barry University, in Miami Shores, Fla. "And they were eaten raw for that purpose."