The iconic Tootsie Pop commercial asked us to ponder at "How many licks" it would take to reach its chewy, sweet and satisfying center. The message was clear: getting to the desired ending was a worthy goal, but the act of getting there also was a pretty sweet ride.

There should be a not-so-subtle parallel here to the time-honored joys of oral sex. All too often, however, both the journey and the finale are ruined by “flavors” that are considerably less inviting than a Tootsie Pop.

If you are hoping for a partner to settle down and figure out exactly how many “licks it is going to take,” you had better do all you can to make it an enjoyable endeavor.

The old adage "you are what you eat" has some merit in this conversation. While chowing down on a bag of chili, cheese and chips is not going to morph you into a Frito Pie, what you consume does have a large impact on who you are, what you look like (internally and externally) and what you taste like.

The foods you eat and drink can determine whether you are the recipient of long satisfying oral exams or the unfortunate soul whose partner grimaces in disgust after just one lick.

It may not always be easy to plan in advance for sex, but if you have a general idea of when you are hoping for a piece of ass, then eating certain foods, and avoiding others is one way to stack the cards in your flavor, er favor.

Foods that you might want to avoid:

• Protein drinks/shakes
• Garlic
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Onions
• Spicy foods
• Cauliflower
• Alkaline-based foods such as red meat and some fish
• Nicotine
• Coffee

Foods that may encourage prolonged exploration:

• Yogurt
• Pineapple
  Fotolia
• Berries (but be careful ... too much fruit could give you loose stools – a side effect that is pretty much guaranteed NOT to enhance oral sex)
• Papaya
• Parsley
• Celery
• Lots of water
• Cranberry juice
• Peppermint
• Spearmint
• Wheat grass
• Lemon
• Mango