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Humans have been experimenting with potions, serums and foods as aphrodisiacs since ancient times. While popular American sex boosters include chocolate, oysters and spicy peppers, other cultures have a more eclectic mix of mojo enhancers. From snake blood to dried tiger penis, we've found the most bizarre love drugs from across the globe. Check them out and be very thankful that your father doesn't stop by every weekend to bond over a big bowl of bull ball soup.
1. Cobra Blood (China, Southeast Asia, The Philippines)
Catching, killing and then drinking the blood of a cobra to boost sex drive is a Cantonese tradition that dates way back to around 205 B.C. While some restaurants serve this aphrodisiac either straight up or with alcohol, a person supposedly gains more benefits from the blood if they catch and kill the lethal creature themselves. -
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2. Cow Cod Soup (Jamaica)
A rural delicacy and aphrodisiac in Jamaica, cow cod soup consists of a rum-based broth filled with bananas, chili peppers and bull genitalia (both twig and berries, or more appropriately, log and melons). Only eaten by men, the concoction is said to increase virility and re-establish a flagging libido. -
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3. The Spanish Fly (Europe)
When the secretions of a specific European blister beetle come in contact with human skin they cause irritation and swelling. Due to the latter, European men have been using the beetle serum to incite erections since the days of Caesar. The only problem with this particular aphrodisiac is that it often results in a never-ending boner that requires medical attention. -
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4. Fetal Duck Egg (The Philippines, Southeast Asia)
A snack often sold on the sidewalk for as little as $1 each, this libido enhancer called "balut" is considered most effective when the fetus is approximately 17 days into gestation. After drinking the egg's liquid, the shell is peeled back to reveal the yolk and young chick inside, both of which are then consumed. You can learn even more in the video below: -
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5. Stewed Crocodile (Thailand)
Many cultures believe that when you eat a specific animal you take on their characteristics. In Thailand, people chow down on crocodile to obtain the reptile's appetite and aggression, which come in handy between the sheets. Canned croc stew has become a regular on grocery shelves, allowing Thais to have their aphrodisiac and keep their hand too. -
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6. Skink (Lizard) Flesh (North Africa)
Ancient Roman scholar and author Pliny the Elder may be responsible for the skink's role as an arousing creature: in Natural History he stated that certain parts of the lizard should be steeped in wine with rocket seed and drunk to enhance sexual appetite. While skinks are now more often kept as pets than eaten, native tribes in North Africa still devour the lizards for libido. -
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7. Leaf-Cutter Ants (South America)
Given to couples as a marriage gift since Pre-Columbian times, these two centimeter long insects are soaked in water and roasted, creating a crunchy treat that is said to taste like bacon. Popularized and harvested by the Guane Indians, this literal love bug is still available in several Columbian towns today. -
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8. Deep Fried Tarantula (Cambodia)
First eaten out of necessity and later valued for their mojo-magnifying venom, this gourmet delicacy has more recently become a popular item at markets frequented by tourists. The spiders-often as big as the palm of a man's hand-are typically mixed with MSG, sugar, salt and garlic then fried until crunchy on the outside but gooey on the inside. -
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9. Ambergris (Europe, Middle East, China)
A solid, waxy substance regurgitated or defecated by sperm whales, ambergris is mainly used as a fixative in perfumes. However, from the 15th to 19th Centuries the waste product was also a popular aphrodisiac. Tinctures, salves and balms containing the ingredient were rubbed on the skin to encourage arousal. Some Far Eastern cultures still use ambergris for this purpose. -
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10. Dried Tiger Penis (China, Taiwan, South Korea)
Much like the Thais eat crocodile to emulate the reptile's aggression, Chinese, Taiwanese and South Korean men ingest dried tiger penis (in soup, wine or rice) to gain the big cat's masculine prowess. Killing tigers for aphrodisiacal purposes has helped land them on the endangered species list. Luckily, the spread of Viagra is helping to get them off.