Pumpkin pie smell turns men on

When women bake the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving Thursday they won't just be igniting their partner's appetite but increasing his sexual appetite as well, US researchers have found.



The smell of pumpkin pie - with a touch of lavender scent mixed in - increases sexual arousal in men more than any fancy perfume, according to Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.



In the study, men aged 18 to 64 were exposed to 24 different scents, including perfumes, and their penile blood flow was recorded.



Another six combinations of two of the most well-liked scents were also chosen.



Each of the 30 odors produced an increase in penile blood flow, but the most arousing scent was a combination of pumpkin pie and lavender, with 40 percent of the men becoming aroused by that smell.



The next most arousing was the combination of black licorice and doughnut, which increased arousal by 31.5 percent.



Other pleasing combinations included pumpkin pie and doughnut; lavender and doughnut; and orange.



Perfumes were way down the list on just three percent, but cranberries were the bottom of the list at just two percent.