Indonesia’s Traditional Aphrodisiacs

The grinding of ingredients to make jamu, If it contains turmeric, chances are its an aphrodisiac. (Flickr/Exotissimo Travel)

It seems that anywhere you travel in the world, every country has its own aphrodisiac believed to increase a man’s vitality and sexual stamina. Indonesia too has it’s fair share of aphrodisiacs. Some of these aphrodisiacs have been scientifically proven to work, but some have been found to just be bogus claims. Despite that, many still believe the aphrodisiac properties of certain herbs and foods. Curious about what traditional Indonesian Aphrodisiacs do work? Here is a list of some of Indonesia’s popular aphrodisiacs.

Mutton/goat meat

If you have ever attended an Indonesian wedding, besides the extravagant ceremony, you will notice that the kambing guling (roasted mutton) booth is one of the most ventured by men at the reception. This is because Indonesians believe that mutton meat is an aphrodisiac. Study after study has shown that there is no correlation between mutton consumption and a man’s libido levels, but many still believe this old-wives tale. The only thing that does rise after eating too much kambing is your cholesterol level.

Pasak Bumi (Tongkat Ali/Long Jack)

A 1999 report in The Sunday Times acknowledged that the roots of the Eurycoma longifolia plant had sexual enhancing properties. Long used by indigenous tribesmen to increase sexual desire, libido, sexual performance and to treat erectile dysfunction, science has now proven it does affect testosterone levels in men. Increased testosterone levels help maintain stamina, mood, fertility and is now often used by bodybuilders to help build muscle mass naturally.

Purwaceng Root from Dieng (Indonesian ginseng)

Purwaceng was once a well-kept secret of the Royal Family in Central Java, but now has become a well-known aphrodisiac throughout Indonesia. The plant itself is quite rare and considered endangered, as it only grows in mountains, above 2,000 meters. A 2007 study conducted by IPB (Bogor Agricultural Institute) found that the roots of the plant was the best source of its aphrodisiac properties.   

Soft-boiled egg or duck egg

Late at night, many street-side hawker stalls in Indonesia offer half-boiled eggs and duck egg concoctions for the many men seeking one night romances. The yolk of the egg is believed to be good for a man’s stamina, but studies have shown that raw egg yolk has no effect whatsoever on a man’s libido levels or stamina. Better save it for breakfast.

Turmeric

This root herb is commonly used when cooking curries and many other yellow tainted dishes in Indonesia, but has many beneficial health properties. Turmeric is also used in some of Indonesia’s traditional herb medicines known as Jamu. A study suggested that the aphrodisiac property of turmeric was probably from curcumin, a chemical compound found in turmeric that has anti-inflammatory properties and improves blood flow.

Leunca

This traditional vegetable that resembles peas, but has a flavor that resembles eggplant is mainly found in Sundanese cooking. There is a special spicy Sundanese dish known as “ulukutek leunca” that uses leunca as its main ingredient, which is suggested for newlyweds so they can instantly conceive. Not many studies have been conducted on the aphrodisiac properties of this tiny vegetable, but some studies indicate that it is high in vitamin E, which is needed to improve fertility.

Wild horse milk

In the island of Sumbawa where small horses run free on its savannahs, somehow the people there believed that drinking the milk of its horses would improve their sexual capacity. This myth spread across the archipelago and now some Indonesian men pay a premium to consume this rare aphrodisiac. But studies have shown that horse milk from Sumbawa actually has less nutritional value than that of regular cows milk.

Author Rinaldi Herdianto