Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, it has been said that certain foods, drinks, herbs, activities, or medicines are aphrodisiacs — or able to turn people on sexually. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, more than a few people will be wondering if strawberries and champagne really amp up sexual response. Here’s the truth.

The concept of aphrodisiacs has been around for years. People have been consuming everything from oysters to licorice in pursuit of increased sexual desire or arousal. But in 1989, the Food and Drug Administration declared that those beliefs were false, and that there is no scientific proof that any over-the-counter aphrodisiac works to increase libido or treat sexual dysfunction.

But even though no food has any physiological aphrodisiac qualities, that doesn’t mean some foods can’t have psychological affects. Even though scientists insist they don’t work, people continue to believe that certain foods can actually increase their chances of getting someone into bed.

Oysters are the cliché of aphrodisiac food. These unsightly filter-feeders are believed to increase sexual desire due to their concentration of zinc. Low zinc levels cause impotency and a low sperm count in males, so, in theory, oysters do help in that respect. They work best when eaten raw, because cooked foods do not usually have the potency of raw foods. It is said that Giacomo Casanova, a famous Venetian womanizer whose name has become synonymous with seduction, used to eat fifty raw oysters every morning while taking a bath.

“I’ve always heard that oysters do the trick, but I think they are disgusting,” Andrea Stocks, a freshman in Chemistry, said. “They don’t do anything for me.”

Chocolate, another well known fire-starter, got its claim to aphrodisiac fame when the Aztecs drew a link between the sweet treat and sexual desire. Nowadays, according to the New York Times, scientists ascribe the aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate to two chemicals it contains. One, tryptophan, is a building block of serotonin, a brain chemical involved in sexual arousal. The other, phenylethylamine, a stimulant related to amphetamine, is released in the brain when people fall in love.

“I now know why guys buy girls chocolate for Valentine’s Day,” said Andrew Wandler, a freshman in political science.

Chocolate isn’t the only food with sexually arousing chemicals in it. Turkey is another famous carrier of tryptophan, but stories of wild and crazy post-Thanksgiving sexual escapades don’t seem to come up too often. Tomatoes, cheese, apples and almonds are full of phenylethylamine just like chocolate — did chili and trail mix just get a bit sexier?

Everyone is familiar with the M&M characters; the little red and yellow guys who star in commercials for the little bite-size chocolate candies. But what is it about the green one?

Not only is she a girl, but she’s a sexy girl. She was introduced in 1997 after the MARS Company decided to cash in on the myth created by college students that the green M&Ms served as aphrodisiacs. In 2008, MARS began to sell bags of the little green stimulants for Valentine’s Day, as well as the bags of pink and white candies they usually sell for the occasion.

“Chocolate is sexy, because it is so versatile,” Phillips said.

And this is true. Chocolate is not just for eating anymore. Body chocolate has become a popular Valentine’s Day commodity.

According to askmen.com, many things are known as aphrodisiacs just because of their shape or texture. Foods like bananas, carrots, and cucumbers are often considered “sexy” just because their shape is similar to that of certain reproductive organs.

“The shape of some foods definitely makes you think of sex. Bananas are a big one. And cherries,” Stocks said.

Some think that cooking is the way to go. And if the dish is exotic or different, that makes it even better.

“I think that anything Italian can be considered romantic and gets people in the mood, especially if its home cooked or made together,” Phillips said.

And of course you can’t forget the sexiest berry out there.

“I mean what girl doesn’t want chocolate covered strawberries after an nice candle lit home cooked Italian dinner right before going into the bedroom?,” Phillips said.

“Strawberries are sexy,” Stuart Sanderson, a freshman in communication, said. “They are plump and sweet.”

Some people find it works best to combine different foods when it comes to means of increasing libido.

“Fruit, mainly strawberries and bananas, chocolate, oysters, and some Starbucks coffee all get me going,” Jake McCaslin, a freshman in business, said. “If you could have a chocolate-strawberry-coffee drink with a banana on the side, you’d be in business.”

Though certain foods do seem to work in departments of desire and arousal for some, not everyone counts on them.

“I don’t think a food could get you turned on,” Katie Peters, a freshman in elementary education, said “I think a person does.”

Perhaps some people rely on themselves like Zac Tart, a junior in political science.

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as aphrodisiacs,” Tart said. “I just normally turn women on with my good looks and charm.”