The Greek Goddess Aphrodite holds claim on where the word ''aphrodisiac" came from. An aphrodisiac is a smell, food, drink or drug which causes an increase in sexual appetite, or libido. In 1989, The FDA (food and drug administration) claimed officially that there is no such thing, and that the use of aphrodisiacs is based only in folklore and legend.

No one seems to give a hoot what the FDA says. Aphrodisiacs are sold over the counter and online by the hundreds, from oils and scents that bring out your own, natural human pheromones as an aphrodisiac, along with Chinese medicinal aphrodisiacs that include ginseng, ginger, and even (now outlawed and placed on the endangered species list) rhino tusks. From natural and herbal aphrodisiacs to chemically invented, aphrodisiacs are still on the market and still quite popular.

The most popular and widely used aphrodisiacs are still oysters. Served raw and on the half shell, this seafood, along with scallops, are equated with powerful sexual energy and stamina.

Next are the adrenaline glands of various animals sold in apothecary shops. The danger of these is that some are poisonous if you are allergic to them; use with caution. Anchovies and licorice are popular aphrodisiacs and date back to ancient Greece. How do specific foods and glands get on the aphrodisiac list? The answer is simple, most likely it started after simple observation.

For example, rabbit and goat glands are considered to provide heightened sexual energy because the animals that they are procured from reproduce rapidly. Other foods, such as chilies and curry, cause one to sweat and experience and increased heart rate.

Eating the heart of a live snake while its still beating is popular in Vietnam for "making you strong," or increasing your stamina. Snakes and sex go back as far as the bible.

Once glorified in what is now Mexico, chocolate is still considered one of the ultimate aphrodisiacs, but was also fairly hard to come by. As it became more common and available, its popularity as an aphrodisiac waned.

The husk, or outer casing of the blister beetle, which is a brilliant green, is used in the making of one of the most notorious aphrodisiacs, Spanish fly. While this "drug" was used throughout history as an aphrodisiac, it is only, alas, a myth with a horrifying urban legend attached to it. (No doubt you have heard the story of the date, having ingested Spanish fly after her boyfriend slipped it to her, impaled herself on the gearshift of the car while he went to get popcorn at the drive in movies.) In actuality, Spanish fly is a drink made with tequila.

Rumor has it that now; finally, there is a chemically made aphrodisiac in the form of a nasal spray. The food and drug administration is in phase three of testing this new OTC aphrodisiac, known only as PT-141 for now.