The sex trend known as "sitophilia" is reportedly gaining traction as couples explore new ways to spice things up in the bedroom.

According to Metro, a recent survey conducted by online supermarket Ocado revealed that 34% of respondents were considering incorporating food into their intimate lives this year.

The sex trend known as 'sitophilia' is reportedly on the rise. Credit: Frank and Helena / Getty

What Is Sitophilia?

Sitophilia, also known as food play or sploshing, involves integrating food and drinks into sexual activities.

While there are many variations, the most common form of the trend sees couples using non-bodily fluids, such as sauces, creams, or syrups, to create a sensory experience. Psychologist and author Mark Griffiths also noted that food play could also be intense, such as throwing fruits or other items at specific body parts for sexual humiliation.

According to Ocado's survey, some of the most popular food items used in the bedroom are whipped cream (49%), chocolate (36%), and ice cubes (34%). Other items like strawberries (28%) and bananas (27%) also made the list.

Interestingly, the supermarket reported that sales data show a significant rise in the popularity of food items commonly linked to the fetish.

For example, ridge cucumbers, which have a unique texture, saw a 178% increase, while honey and whipped cream saw increases of 509% and 24%, respectively.

Couples are using cucumbers and whipped cream in the bedroom. Credit: Honeybee Photography/ Melissa Parada / Getty

Why Are People Into Sitophilia?

Food play is not a new phenomenon. Sexual therapist Courtney Boyer explained that the connection between food and eroticism dates back thousands of years, with ancient cultures such as the Greeks and Romans intertwining feasting, pleasure, and sexuality.

"Indulgence was sensory and communal. Look at the evidence in art: reclining bodies, grapes, wine, honey. While 'food play' was never a named historical kink, the pairing of taste, touch, and desire demonstrates that humans have long eroticized what nourishes us," she said.

"Taste, smell, texture, anticipation, gratification - it’s primal," she continued. "Feeding and being fed can feel intimate, nurturing, even power-infused depending on the dynamic."

Boyer added: "Throw in taboo (food 'not meant' for sex), messiness, and sensory overload, and it can heighten vulnerability and presence in the body," making it a more stimulating experience for some couples.

Health Risks to Consider

Despite its growing popularity, food play is not without its risks.

Sexual health expert Karin O’Sullivan warned that introducing food into the genital area can lead to potential health problems.

She stressed that anything inserted into the vagina must be able to be removed intact, as leaving food behind can lead to infections or require medical intervention.

"It’s a bad idea to put any food, especially sweets, inside your vagina. Your vagina has a natural healthy balance which can be upset by the introduction of foreign objects," she said. "When it comes to food, hygiene can be an issue, with the introduction of new bacteria into your vagina.

"Sugary foods and sweets can upset the PH balance of your vagina, and serve as a food source for bacteria and yeast which can cause infection such as thrush or bacterial vaginosis," she added.

O’Sullivan advised couples to keep food play focused on the vulva area or above the waist to reduce risks.

Featured image credit: Flashpop / Getty

"Snowballing" is a phrase you may or may not be familiar with, but let me tell you, it's pretty grim.

Weird trends and terms sweep the internet almost daily now and it's virtually impossible to keep up with them.

Most of them are completely harmless, but some of them really raise eyebrows.

... And this is one of those times.

I must warn you, if you are easily repulsed then I suggest reading on with caution.

As for the rest of you, consider yourself warned... although that's probably made you want to read more.

"Snowballing" is a term used to describe a specific intimate act in which s*men is passed from one partner to another from mouth to mouth.

I told you it was gross.

This act, often referred to in some circles as "c** swapping," involves the combination of s*men and saliva expanding with each exchange, similar to how a snowball grows as it rolls.

Though the terms "snowballing" and "c** swapping" are frequently used interchangeably, there is a subtle distinction between the two.

Snowballing refers specifically to the partner who received the ejaculate first, while the general sharing of fluids may be referred to as "c** swapping."

This nuance highlights differences in how each term is applied.

When it comes to safety and consent in snowballing, sexologist E. Michelle Thomas offers crucial advice. Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Thomas emphasized the importance of prioritizing health and consent.

"It’s critical to put safety and consent first while participating in snowballing," she said. She advised that all individuals involved should be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) before considering participation to ensure a safe experience.

Ultimately, snowballing, like many intimate activities, is a deeply personal choice. It requires open communication, mutual consent, and attention to well-being.

If you're horrified then fear not, because so are others.

"REALLY wish I hadn't looked up the meaning of 'snowballing' in urban dictionary," one person wrote on X.

Another person wrote online: "Gross. Not interested. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell my significant other would be keen either."

Interestingly, the Cosmopolitan article also explains that snowballing also occurs in the animal kingdom.

In Animals, Deviance, and Sex, Carmen Cusack discusses the reproductive behavior of male cichlid fish, noting that they blow sperm into a female’s mouth, where she holds her eggs, to facilitate fertilization.

However, Cusack clarifies that this differs from the human kink known as snowballing.

While the fish's act is driven by reproduction, snowballing is "considered deviant in spite of insemination and conception," emphasizing the contrast between biological necessity and human sexual behavior.

The article also delves into how to snowball successfully but honestly, it seems pretty self-explanatory.

If you'll excuse me, I need to go and sit quietly and not think about this for a while.

Featured image credit: PeopleImages/Getty

Sploshing, a term that might sound unusual to some, refers to a particular fetish involving the use of food and drink in intimate settings.

While erotic fantasies and kinks come in many forms, sploshing falls under the category of “wet and messy fetishism,” where couples incorporate this one odd thing into their activities for pleasure.

The practice is far from new, having gained recognition in the late 1980s through the now-defunct adults’ magazine Splosh!, which ran until 2001 and dedicated entire issues to exploring the fetish.

Though the publication is long gone, interest in sploshing continues, especially on platforms like Reddit and TikTok, where it’s often openly discussed.

The idea of combining sex with food may seem impractical, particularly when considering the aftermath of cleaning sticky or staining foods from bedding and furniture. Yet, for many who engage in it, the appeal outweighs the inconvenience.

Certified sexologist and kink specialist Tiffany K. Chan told PopSugar that there are psychological explanations for why sploshing resonates with so many people. One theory, known as “messy play theory,” suggests the kink may have roots in childhood joy from tactile, messy activities, with those pleasurable sensations later evolving into a sexual context.

Another explanation, Dr. Chan noted, involves an element of rebellion. In societies that prize cleanliness, order, and restraint, deliberately embracing disorder in an intimate setting can feel thrilling and transgressive. It’s not just about the mess, but about the liberation from rules and the permission to engage in something “naughty.” This sense of play and defiance can add an extra layer of excitement for participants.

Ayesha Hussain, co-creator of Pass The Porn and founder of The Violet, offered a complementary perspective, highlighting the natural sensuality of the mouth.

She pointed out that the mouth is a moist, opening vessel that changes during arousal, becoming more lubricated and responsive. In sploshing, food and drink can heighten this intimacy, combining taste, scent, and texture in a deeply sensual way.

For couples curious about trying sploshing, Hussain stressed its accessibility. There’s no strict rulebook; it could involve anything from spaghetti to chocolate, cucumbers, whipped cream, or even beverages.

The key, she said, is to focus on the sensory experience: watch every movement, savour every taste and smell, and build intimacy from there. The practice can be as playful or as erotic as participants wish, depending on their comfort levels.

While sploshing won’t appeal to everyone, for those who enjoy sensory play and breaking away from conventional norms, it offers a unique and immersive way to explore intimacy.

Just remember, after indulging in the experience, it’s probably wise to have the washing machine ready; passion may be fleeting, but stains can linger.

Featured image credit: FlashPop / Getty Images.

If you're looking for a way to spice up your relationship in the bedroom, have you ever considered sploshing?

It's not as gross as it sounds... I think.

Nobody is here to kink-shame anybody else, and what people get up to behind closed doors is completely up to them.

... As long as it's consensual and doesn't break the law.

So if you want to take things up a notch, and maybe stop your stomach from rumbling at the same time, then sploshing might be for you.

For those unfamiliar with the term, sploshing is exactly what it sounds like: a fetish involving sexual pleasure derived from getting covered in wet and messy substances, per Men's Health.

Credit: Jamie Grill/Getty Images.

But we're not talking a simple drizzle of whipped cream. Think much messier - baths of jelly, showers of syrup, and yes, even entire cakes.

This wet and messy fetish (also known as WAM - Wet and Messy) is rapidly gaining popularity.

Videos show women pouring spaghetti sauce over themselves, sitting in pools of cake, or showering in coffee, and the trend is causing quite a stir.

Sex psychotherapist Gigi Engle, who works with SexToys.co.uk, explains that sploshing is fundamentally about the experience of being covered in something gooey and tactile, per the Metro.

“Sploshing is a sexual kink or fetish that involves sitting in or spreading around jelly-like or viscous substances,” she says. “But it can encompass absolutely any substance that gets messy.”

Cake sitting, in particular, is one of the most popular forms of sploshing. In fact, it has become a mainstay on platforms like OnlyFans, where content creators make a spectacle of sitting in or smashing cakes for their audiences.

“It’s very messy and there’s destruction which can feed into the erotica of it,” says Engle. She notes that the sensory experience - feeling the squishiness of a cake or slime - is a huge part of its appeal.

You might be wondering what actually makes this fetish so alluring. After all, wouldn’t you prefer to eat that chocolate, rather than have it poured over you?

Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images.

Engle explains that part of the attraction comes from sensory stimulation.

“There’s a really big auditory element to it, the sound of the substance squishing,” she says.

“There’s a tactile element to it where you could like the feel of it on your fingers or body. The messiness and wetness can also be a big draw - it’s a very sensory experience.”

Dominatrix Countess Diamond, a practitioner deeply embedded in the world of BDSM, adds that sploshing’s connection to the fetish scene goes way back.

“When ‘sploshing’ first occurred in our history I don’t know for sure,” she said. “But the earliest records showing grapes being crushed under feet for wine was in 7000 BC, and I have a feeling someone would have been watching those women with a semi in their pants.”

Diamond suggests that the modern fascination with sploshing likely has roots in childhood TV shows from the 80s, particularly those involving “gunge” tanks, where kids or celebrities were doused in sticky slime.

“It was always women who received the shower of slime,“ she says, “and squealed as the cold load landed on their skin.”

If you want to splosh, then there's no shame - just maybe put down a few towels first.

Featured image credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images.