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Welcome To Chocolate Love
Chocolate
Chocolate is the most widely and frequently craved food and it is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. Chocolate is also one of the most versatile and beloved foods in the world and it is a favorite of kids and adults alike. Dark chocolate is also an excellent energy source because it releases slowly into the bloodstream and does not elevate insulin levels. Believe it or not, chocolate is a complex substance containing a number of valuable compounds including sterols, fiber, minerals and flavonoids.
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For The Love Of Chocolate
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In Europe, chocolate obtained the reputation as an aphrodisiac and the food of love, shortly after its arrival. Madame Du Berry in France served it to her various lovers to keep their strength up. Montezuma reputedly chugged a cup of chocolate before entering his harem, while Casanova called chocolate the "elixir of love" and drank it instead of champagne. Although chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love. In the modern world, aphrodisiac or not, there is no doubt that Chocolate is the preferred gift of love from a man to a woman.
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The love of chocolate goes beyond the call of sweetness. There are few foods that people feel as passionate about, a passion that goes beyond a love for the "sweetness" of most candies or desserts: after all, few people crave caramel, whipped cream, or bubble gum. Although the famous lover, Casanova is said to have consumed chocolate for its aphrodisiac qualities before frolicking with his conquests, recent research suggests that women are more susceptible to the effects of Phenylethylamine and Serotonin than men.
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Chocolate And Women
There is also a link between hormonal fluctuations in women and chocolate cravings. Women experience magnesium deficiency prior to menstruation and that is why women’s bodies scream for chocolate when premenstrual food cravings surface once a month. Something else that has to be kept in mind is, women crave chocolate when they are feeling low or before their periods because they have told themselves it is something they cannot have.
Most women seem to love to eat chocolate. There is no doubt however that chocolate has many beneficial properties. German researchers gave 24 women a half-cup of special extra-flavonoid-enriched cocoa every day. After three months, the women's skin was moister, smoother, and less scaly and red when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Chocolate As A Mood Enhancer.
A popular explanation for this is that chocolate contains mood-enhancing (psychoactive) ingredients that give it special appeal. Contrary to myth, chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, but does contain small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA) that is a mild mood elevator. Chocolate is frequently used to enhance moods. Chocoholics are pleased to note, however, that dark chocolate not only has the mood enhancing qualities all chocolates share, but it is also a healthy treat in moderation. More than 400 chemicals have been identified in chocolate, some of which could affect mood. There are people who believe chocolate is energizing, cheering and comforting because it is a drug, containing stimulants (caffeine, theobromine) and other mood altering substances that are addictive. I do not consider that to be true. People prone to addictions also get addicted to many different kinds of food, not only chocolate.
What is this chocolate then?
Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Chocolate is unique among vegetables in that its fat (cocoa butter) is solid at room temperature. Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. It is such a complex food source, that scientists are only now beginning to unlock its secrets. Chocolate is also high in magnesium which helps your body absorb and use calcium better. Chocolate is the product of a long, complicated refining process that begins with the bean pods of the Theobroma cacao tree. For many individuals, chocolate is associated with happy memories such as holidays, birthdays, and other treats. ”I'd say chocolate is probably at least 10 times better than any other known form of stimulation in existence. And the only thing better than a bar of chocolate is two bars of chocolate“ said Katharine Arnold, London, in ”Of course chocolate is better than kissing.“
© Copyright: Magriet Du Plessis
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