I lived in Korea for a while, and every time I turned around, someone was whispering in my boyfriend's ear that a certain food was, "Good for stamina." Usually, it was a man who said it, loudly enough for me to hear, but with a wink and a nod to my boyfriend. Mentally, I started preparing a list of foods that were "Good for stamina" and while I never researched them per se, I remained curious about the reasons behind the claims.

• Boshingtang, or dog soup, is supposedly "good for stamina" in Korea. While I have never tried dog soup myself, I think it is important for westerners to understand that Koreans started eating dog meat only when there was no meat around and needed a source of protein for their malnourished bodies. The thinking behind dog meat as good for sexual "stamina" is believed to be based on the effects of a protein diet on sexual health.

• Garlic. I'm not really sure if this has a basis in health, or is more likely due to the fact that Garlic is a staple in Kimchi and many Korean dishes. Garlic is primarily known for its benefits to cardiovascular health.

• Ginseng- Korean ginseng is regarded as a high-quality ginseng by many in the field of natural health. Besides its health properties, Korean ginseng is believed to effect sexual health, perhaps through Saponin, which some believe affects sperm activity and erections.

• Oysters. Not only Koreans believe in oysters as a kind of "love drug" or aphrodisiac- many in the west purport to believe in its claims as well. The reason for oysters reputation in the sexual department is attributed to the fact that oysters are high in zinc, which in known in some circles as a "sex mineral".

Other foods used for similar purposes outside of Korea include:

• Bananas. Some say they increase libido because of their rather phallic shape,but others believe that their effectiveness in this area is mainly due to the potassium and B vitamins in bananas which work to promote testosterone production.

• Salmon. Salmon is also a good source of Vitamin B, and also contains Omega Fatty 3 Acids which are necessary to increase energy and emotional well-being in general.

• Damiana Shrub. This shrub grows in Mexico and central America and is purported to be good (much like Ginseng) for overall health, particularly emotional health.