Stumbling upon a slew of articles divulging the latest list of aphrodisiacal foods around Valentine’s Day is no big surprise. Lists range from foods containing ingredients that are thought to work within our bodies to induce a sexual reaction to foods that can simply arouse the five senses. All of the talk about aphrodisiacs that surfaces with a vengeance during this time of year illuminates a most obvious fact of life: human beings hunger to know more about anything and everything that might possibly feed their sexual fires. But what about those foods that do just the opposite? Although not scientifically proven, it won’t hurt to avoid at all costs the evil, sexual desire-killing twin of the aphrodisiac on Valentine’s Day: the anti-aphrodisiac.

(Media Credit/Julius Schorzman via Wikimedia Commons)

Caffeinated Beverages. According to Caring Medical & Rehabilitation Services, drinking too many caffeinated beverages, such as soda and coffee, can lower your sex drive by causing adrenal fatigue. If your adrenal gland does not produce enough hormones, you can suffer from both decreased desire for sex and inadequate energy to perform.

Cilantro. Asian monks eat cilantro in order to control their sex drives, claims Sam Greenspan of 11Points.com in “11 Foods That Just Might Kill Your Sex Drive.” But in the Middle Ages, people believed that cilantro held the power to boost the sex drive, and thus used it as a main ingredient in their love potions. So is cilantro an aphrodisiac or an anti-aphrodisiac? You decide.

Corn Flakes. John Harvey Kellogg, the creator of Corn Flakes, believed that sex and masturbation were at the root of most health problems, Greenspan says. Kellogg whipped up the originally sugarless cereal under the impression that a bland breakfast could curb sexual urges throughout the day.

Gin & Tonic. While tonic’s main ingredient, quinine, has been associated with lowering testosterone levels, according to Dr. Matthew Karlovsky in his EmpowHER.com post “Can Certain Foods Kill Your Sex Drive?”, it is well known that alcohol of any variety has been linked to hindered sexual performance if consumed in excess. Gordon Attard of PimpThatFood.com suggests that because alcohol “inhibits inhibition itself,” perhaps this one should be counted as neutral.

Graham Crackers. Greenspan says that like Corn Flakes, Graham Crackers were the creation of a man who despised the uncontrollable sex drives of his contemporaries. Reverend Sylvester Graham, a Presbyterian minister in 1820s New Jersey, believed that a meat-rich diet lead to sexual promiscuity. In creating this bland cracker, Graham had hoped to suppress the sex drives of those around him.

Granola. James Caleb Jackson created the first batch of this crunchy cereal in the 1860s and called it “granula,” says Greenspan. Soon after, Kellogg stole the recipe and began selling it as his own. After being sued, Kellogg started to market his product as “granola.” (I think we know who came out on top in this battle). Like Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Graham’s Graham Crackers, Jackson created this cereal in order to curb sex drives with the power of bland, tasteless food.

Energy Drinks. Like caffeinated beverages, energy drinks provide consumers with a forceful boost of energy followed by an even greater crash. David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of “Men’s Health” and co-author of national bestseller “Eat This, Not That!” says in his article “Best and Worst Foods for Your Libido” that high sugar diets (and energy drinks contain a lot of sugar) can lead to temporarily lowered testosterone, and consequently a temporarily lowered sex drive.

(Media Credit/Tammy Green via Flickr)

Soy. According to Dr. Karlovsky, the phytoestrogens found in soy can disrupt the ratio of testosterone and estrogen, and testosterone is the driving force behind the libido for both sexes.

Mints. Although most look to mint-flavored candies and gum as secret weapons for freshening breath, eating too many mints could actually be bad for your libido, according to a study conducted by Suleyman Demirel University Medical School in Turkey, which found decreased levels of testosterone in rats that had consumed peppermint tea.

Fast Food. Just as plaque build-up from unhealthy fats, such as saturated and hydrogenated fats, found in fast food and fried food can lead to cardiovascular problems, it can also build up in the vessels of the penis, decreasing blood circulation and making getting an erection difficult despite how much you might want to get it on, according to Caring Medical & Rehabilitation Services.

(Media Credit/Heavybluesman via Wikimedia Commons)

Tomatoes. While tomatoes do indeed have their nutritional perks, Zinczenko suggests that the lycopene and phytofluene in these fruits can also decrease testosterone levels, and thus hinder one’s sex drive.

White Chocolate. While white chocolate isn’t exactly an anti-aphrodisiac per se, it’s interesting to note the difference between the aphrodisiacal quality of dark chocolate and the total lack thereof when it comes to white. According to Zinczenko, the heightened skin sensitivity and increase in serotonin that can result from eating dark chocolate doesn’t occur at all from consuming white chocolate. This is because white chocolate doesn’t actually contain any cocoa, the main ingredient in dark chocolate that produces those feel-good sensations.

(Media credit/Phil Dragash)

American eaters are very serious about their hamburgers. In fact, it would be hard to imagine a more American food than the all American burger.

Now, after sampling those sought after sandwiches from dozens of chain restaurants, Consumer Reports has named the McDonald’s hamburger the worst-tasting burger.

The magazine surveyed 28-thousand people nationwide to come up with the rankings on a ten point scale. Of course, not every hamburger chain was covered in the survey. For example high end chain The Counter was left out of the survey. Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger topped the list. McDonald’s biggest rival Burger King came in tied for next to last place in burger taste tests.

So, why do McDonald’s burgers score so low? My discriminating burger palette tells me reason number one that the Golden Arches fail the taste test would be that their ground beef patties are frozen. When meat is frozen, the freezing process pulls the natural moisture out of the meat. So, when the meat is defrosted, much of that natural moisture "runs off" leaving a drier, less rich tasting product.

Second, because of the speed in which McDonald’s, or any other fast food burger restaurant has to serve their burgers, the patties are cooked ahead of time. Who knows how long that burger has been sitting there in the warming unit? Even though McDonald’s, Burger King and the rest of the chains have standards on how long they hold their burgers, it would be reasonable to assume that the burgers are not "cooked to order".

From a quality and taste comparison, it would be hard to compare a McDonald’s burger (especially their "Dollar Value Menu" hamburger, which has a much smaller pattie and distinctly inferior taste to their higher end burger offerings) to a Five Guys or an In-And-Out Burger as in both of the latter restaurants, the burgers are almost always cooked to order. Of course, you pay for this higher quality and better taste in higher prices and in longer cook times. At either Five Guys or In-And-Out Burger, you’re looking at up to 10 to 15 minute cook times. Can you imagine sitting in a McDonald’s drive thru for 15 minutes, without threatening to McFlurry the kid behind the window? So, certainly convenience, speed and price, rather than taste, have a lot to do with McDonald’s burgers selling billions of their burgers each year.

On the other hand, why do McDonald’s fries continue to do so well in taste tests? McDonald’s fries are frozen as compared to Five Guys whose fries are fresh cut. In the old days, though, McDonald’s fries were also fresh cut and fried in a blend of beef tallow (fat) and cotton seed oil that made the fries delicious. My spies deep within the Mickey D’s organization (OK, a high schooler I know who works there after school) tells me that McDonald’s fries are made with a "natural" seasoning that duplicates the taste profile of the original fries cooked in beef tallow. I’d also theorize that human beings’ tastes are determined in the first years of their lives. So, after generations of Americans have been raised on Happy Meals, we are programmed from toddlerhood forward to love McDonald’s fries.

What makes Five Guys and In-And-Out Burger score so well with those surveyed? Both serve fresh ground beef cooked to order and served on freshly baked buns, but, moreover, at both of these places, you can pick whatever combination of ingredients you desire to top off your burger. Hand leaf lettuce, fresh cut tomatoes, saut©ed mushrooms, saut©ed onions, raw onions and lots more.

Americans have strong opinions about what makes a great burger. And, it appears that Five Guys and In-And-Out have the right recipe for success; instead of quick and pre-fabricated, burger barons want their fast food chains to start off with great quality ingredients, and then let them "have it your way" when it comes to putting it all together. Hmm, haven’t we heard that jingle somewhere before?

Dear EarthTalk: I really want to eat healthy and organic but am constantly traveling and on the go. How can I eat fast food without having to always end up at McDonalds and Burger King? – Dylan Baker, Seattle, Washington  

The latest trend in fast food is healthy and organic, and luckily for conscious consumers, several chains offering just such fare are taking root in different parts of the U.S. One of the leaders of this small but scrappy pack of fast food upstarts is O’Naturals. The small chain currently runs two stores of its own in Maine (Falmouth and Portland) and one in Acton, Massachusetts, and franchises out additional locations in Kansas and Florida. O’Naturals’ menu contains lots of vegetarian-friendly items, including “build-your-own” flatbread sandwiches, salads, noodle stir-frys and soups. The meat the restaurant does serve is grass-fed and hormone-free, while the chickens are free-range and the Alaskan salmon is wild.  

Another healthy option is EVOS, which currently runs five “quick-casual” restaurants in Florida and is planning a major expansion into the western U.S. Vegetarians can rejoice in the chain’s wide selection of vegetarian and vegan items. While its hormone- and antibiotic-free burgers are still only about as healthy as red meat gets, their soy burger satisfies without the guilt or the cholesterol. Also, EVOS uses organic field greens in its wraps and salads, organic milk in its milkshakes, and fresh fruit in its smoothies. Additionally, the restaurant air-bakes its fries and other typically deep-fried items to keep the fat content as much as 70 percent lower than the same kinds of foods found elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, Seattle-based Organics-To-Go, with five locations in Washington and California, lays out a wide array of “grab-and-go” organic and natural foods so customers can make up their own meals out of a cornucopia of healthy choices. Other fast food alternatives offering lots of health (as well as vegetarian and vegan) options include Au Bon Pain, Bruegger’s Bagels, Noah’s Bagels, and World Wraps, while Subway and Quizno’s alike can be good options for those willing to study the menu carefully.  

Even though many alternatives exist, it is hard to beat the reach of the major fast food chains, several of which are making small steps toward healthier menus and will undoubtedly continue to do so if consumers bite. McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Wendy’s have reduced or eliminated trans-fats. Burger King now offers a veggie burger, and McDonald’s is testing one in California. Taco Bell offers many non-meat options, including a bean and cheese burrito, a veggie fajita wrap, and a 7-layer burrito, which can be had without the cheese and sour cream. Carl’s Jr. also has many tasty and healthy vegetarian options despite an otherwise standard fast-food menu. Vegetarians and vegans looking for more ideas about what to eat when time is of the essence should consult any number of websites with pages devoted to the topic, including Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, VegCooking, FitWise and Vegetarian Resource Group.  

And remember, nothing beats seeking out local restaurants when you’re on the road, to soak up some of the local culture. And with trends as they are it shouldn’t be too difficult to find many that do serve healthy menus-just not quite as fast as “fast food” but probably fast enough. 

CONTACTS: O’Naturals, www.onaturals.com; EVOS, www.evos.com; Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, www.vegetarian-restaurants.net; VegCooking, www.vegcooking.com; FitWise, www.fitwise.com; Vegetarian Resource Group, www.vrg.org.  

Dear EarthTalk: Are sunscreens safe? Which ones do you recommend that will protect my skin from the sun and not cause other issues?     – Bettina E., New York, NY 

Getting a little sunshine is important for helping our bodies generate Vitamin D, an important supplement for strong bones, and f or regulating our levels of serotonin and tryptamine, neurotransmitters that keep our moods and sleep/wake cycles in order. Like anything, though, too much sun can cause health issues, from sunburns to skin cancer. For those of us spend more time in the sun than doctors recommend-they say to stay indoors between 11 AM and 3 PM on sunny days to be safe-sunscreens can be lifesavers. 

Getting too much sun is bad because of ultraviolet radiation, 90 percent of which comes in the form of Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays that are not absorbed by the ozone layer and penetrate deep into our skin. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays make up the rest. These rays are partially absorbed by the ozone layer (which makes preserving the ozone layer crucial for our health), and because they don’t penetrate our skin as deeply, can cause those lobster-red sunburns. Both types of UV rays are thought to cause skin cancer. 

Yet while most sunscreens block out at least some UVB radiation, many don’t screen UVA rays at all, making their use risky. According to the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), by far most of the commercially available sunscreens do not provide adequate protection against the sun’s harmful UV radiation and may also contain chemicals with questionable safety records. 

In all, 84 percent of the 831 sunscreens EWG tested did not pass health and environmental muster. Many contained potentially harmful chemicals like Benzophenone, homosalate and octyl methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), which are known to mimic naturally occurring bodily hormones and can thus throw the body’s systems out of whack. Some also contained Padimate-0 and parsol 1789 (also known as avobenzone), which are suspected of causing DNA damage when exposed to sunlight. Furthermore, EWG found that more than half the sunscreens on the market make questionable product claims about longevity, water resistance and UV protection. 

As a result, EWG has called on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to establish standards for labeling so consumers have a better idea of what they may be buying. In the meantime, consumers looking to find out how their preferred brand stacks up can check out EWG’s online Skin Deep database, which compares thousands of health and beauty products against environmental and human health standards. 

The good news is that many companies are now introducing safer sunscreens crafted from plant- and mineral-based ingredients and without chemical additives. Some of the best, according to Skin Deep, are Alba Botanica Sun’s Fragrance-Free Mineral Sunscreen, Avalon Baby’s Sunscreen SPF 18, Badger’s SPF 30 Sunscreen, Burt’s Bees’ Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 15, California Baby’s SPF 30, Juice Beauty’s Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer, and Kabana’s Green Screen SPF 15. Natural foods markets stock many of these, or they can be found online at websites like Sun Protection Center and Drugstore.com. 

CONTACTS: Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org; Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, www.cosmeticsdatabase.com; Sun Protection Center, www.sunprotectioncenter.com, Drugstore.com, www.drugstore.com. 

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

From our PRrag blog:

From WFTV Florida: (video on their website)

“A 75-year-old woman was arrested at a Clearwater McDonald’s drive-thru because police said she wouldn’t pull her car forward.”

The grandmother of eight asked for fries without salt. The fries took extra time to cook special, and employees told her to wait there for a few minutes.

Well that didn’t sit right with the cop waiting in line behind her.

He ordered the grandmother to pull forward in the drive-thru. Waiting for her coffee and special salt-free fries, she told the officer the McDonald’s employees asked her to wait there.

The cop called for backup, arrested the woman, Jean Merola, handcuffed her, took her to jail and searched, photographed and fingerprinted her before releasing her 90 minutes later.