"How does chocolate affect your body? There's been some recent buzz that chocolate may have some of the same effects as marijuana. Can chocolate make you high? Probably not, but it does contain a substance called anandamide which binds the same receptors in the brain as THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Unfortunately it would take a 60 kg person 11 kg of chocolate eaten in one sitting to get high."
Also noted: (with my mind lolling around in the gutter.) "According to Murray Langham, a British psychotherapist, the shape of chocolate you choose has a lot to do with your personality." ~~~~~~~
Ah chocolate! The food of the gods
Gaia Remerowski University Wire
02-06-2001 http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1P1:41201806&refid=hbr_flinks1
(McGill Tribune) (U-WIRE) MONTREAL -- As Valentine's day approaches, many will be rushing out to buy the quintessential "I love you" gift -- chocolate. Whether you're buying it for your parents, your girlfriend/boyfriend or even for yourself (don't worry, I won't tell!) one thing's for sure, February 14 will be one of the biggest days of the year for the chocolate industry.
Chocolate comes from beans harvested from the cacao tree. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted and pressed to make a chocolate liquor (a 50/50 mix of cocoa powder and cocoa butter). With the right mix of cocoa and cocoa butter it's possible to create the delicious chocolate that makes up chocolate bars and other chocolate treats we love to eat.
First made famous by the Aztecs in the 15th and 16th centuries, chocolate has a history as rich and intricate as its flavor. During this time people throughout Mesoamerica enjoyed a bitter chocolate beverage made with cacao beans, pepper, chili, spices and vanilla -- not exactly today's cup of cocoa. The Mesoamericans believed chocolate was as good as gold -- literally. At the time, cacao beans were used as a form of currency. Even the famous Aztec emperor, Montezuma, hoarded the beans like gold.
Chocolate spread to Europe when Columbus came across a group of Aztecs carefully guarding their prized beans. The Europeans were not big fans of the bitter chocolate drink, but with a little modification Europe has since become a producer of some of the best chocolate in the world.
How does chocolate affect your body? There's been some recent buzz that chocolate may have some of the same effects as marijuana. Can chocolate make you high? Probably not, but it does contain a substance called anandamide which binds the same receptors in the brain as THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Unfortunately it would take a 60 kg person 11 kg of chocolate eaten in one sitting to get high.
Then how can chocolate alter your mood? First it has theobromine, a stimulant similar to caffeine. It also contains sugar, which boosts energy (but be careful, sugar "highs" don't last very long). And it has serotonin, which is used by the nervous system to make you feel more relaxed and calm.
So chocolate can change your mood, but how about putting you "in the mood?" Or at least making you fall in love? Chocolate contains compounds called phenylethylamines, which seem to be the chemicals that circulate in the brain when we feel like we're in love. Physically they act in the same way dopamine and adrenaline do -- by heightening the senses and making us feel good.
Not only can chocolate make the heart fond, it may help keep the heart in shape. It seems to improve blood and platelet (blood clotting cells) function, both of which are important for a healthy heart. Chocolate (especially pure dark chocolate) also contains flavonoids, which are naturally occurring plant antioxidants. These boost blood flow and help block those nasty free radicals that can lead to cancer and cause heart disease.
Now to dispell some common myths. Are chocolate "cravings" real? Chocolate was once thought to be addictive, kind of like cigarettes or heroin, but this has since been disproved. More likely, we crave chocolate because it just tastes really good. Also, contrary to popular belief, chocolate does not cause acne. Diet in general doesn't seem to have much affect on whether or not we get zits. Neither does chocolate raise cholesterol levels. Pure chocolate can't contain any cholesterol because it's isolated from a plant and plants don't make cholesterol. As well, the saturated fat in chocolate, called stearic acid, doesn't raise blood cholesterol like other saturated animal fats do.
So far chocolate doesn't seem as unhealthy as we once thought. But beware, because it can sure do a number on dogs. The theobromine in chocolate is known to stimulate the heart. If a dog eats enough chocolate at one sitting, it can suffer a heart attack. Studies show a four-ounce bar can kill a five-pound dog. Humans, on the other hand, aren't likely to eat enough chocolate at one time to cause any damage to themselves. Unfortunately dogs, when they find a good thing, just don't know when to quit.
Another warning: not all chocolate is created equal. Chocolate in the form we normally eat it -- chocolate bars, chocolate chips, other baking products -- has a lot of sugar and fat (since with no additives chocolate is very bitter). Unfortunately this fact can cancel out chocolate's other healthy effects, so try to stick with the more pure forms of dark chocolate.
According to Murray Langham, a British psychotherapist, the shape of chocolate you choose has a lot to do with your personality. If you like your chocolate round you're a friendly, social but possibly superficial person. What about square? You're organized and reliable but won't get along with those spiral-shaped chocolate lovers who are on the disorganized side and have messy love lives. Regardless of your chocolate personality, go ahead and indulge in that Valentine chocolate -- after all, now you can argue that you owe it to your body.
----- Original Message ----- From: joanna bujes To: lbo Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 5:34 PM Subject: [lbo-talk] Women who love chocolate...
See
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11385830%255E401,00.html
Joanna
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