Food, drink and herbs are the key to a man's heart, according to one Norfolk couple who have launched a new book full of natural remedies to set pulses racing.

Husband and wife writing duo Matthew Seal and Julie Bruton-Seal first had the idea for Make Your Own Aphrodisiacs ten years ago.

Now the couple, who live in Ashwellthorpe, near Wymondham, will launch the book next week in a bid to encourage people to look at natural ways of boosting their libido in the run-up to Valentine's.

The hardback book aims to remove some of the myths and taboos surrounding aphrodisiacs and contains healthy recipes.

The couple will also be staging a 'Make Your Own Aphrodisiacs' workshop at their home next month to teach people how to make some of the creations in their book.

Mrs Bruton-Seal, 54, who has been a medical herbalist for the last 12 years, said there was a growing interest in natural remedies and foraging.

She said: 'People know that roses and chocolates are aphrodisiacs, but there are a lot lesser known ones. There are many medicinal herbs that are used across the world, but have died out in Europe. You do not have to go for medication and it is much better to have some delicious food or drink rather than a pill.'

'It is funny that we have had a sexual revolution and aphrodisiacs are fairly taboo and they should not be. They make you feel great and they carry no side effects. We would like people to experiment a bit more,' she said.

Mrs Bruton-Seal said they had spent years researching different aphrodisiacs and getting people to test them out. She added that their recipes were peppered with ingredients such as vanilla, ginger and chillies and herbs such as ginseng from China, ashwaghanda from India, and cnidium seed.

'I think aphrodisiacs have had a bad name in the past, but when people get older low libido is a problem and the sex drive is the first to go. There is a need for aphrodisiacs to give a bit of help and a lot of herbs are tonics to restore hormone balance,' she said.

Mrs Bruton-Seal and her husband, who is an editor and writer, have brought out two other books, Hedgerow Medicine and Kitchen Medicine, and are working on another about garden medicine.

The new book, which retails at �7.99, and will be launched on January 12, is being published by Merlin Unwin Books and will be on sale across Great Britain and America.

They will also be staging a workshop on the book on 11 February in Ashwellthorpe and one in London on February 3. For more information, call 01508 489256.