Well that is mostly true, but thankfully, our beloved chocolate has been proven as being different! It seems that those little cocoa beans that are so highly desired the world over could be neat little natural pharmacies, containing a huge array of chemicals and beneficial substances that promote good physical and mental well-being. These beans don’t just make the most delicious confection but they can also contribute towards a healthy lifestyle.

Research carried out on dark chocolate found that certain elements that make up the delicious treat can actually be beneficial, especially to cardiovascular health. So it’s not just a pleasure to eat, it could be doing great things to your body too!

Italian researchers found that dark chocolate contains flavanol, an antioxidant that neutralizes oxygen free radicals, which can potentially damage cells. The scientists discovered that by eating 100g of dark chocolate a day for 15 days, this neutralizing process lowered blood pressure and improved the body’s ability to metabolize sugar, fantastic news for chocoholics everywhere! This antioxidant also boosted blood flow, which is very beneficial for a healthy heart.

Compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate contains more cacao, less sugar and no milk and is widely known for its health benefits, as a direct result of its higher cacao content. The higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the greater the benefits.

Dark chocolate has been attributed to lower blood pressure and improved sensitivity to insulin, meaning that glucose was more easily metabolized.

Good news for fans of milk chocolate too as heightened cognitive performance was noted as one of the health benefits of this ever-popular chocolate. High levels of potassium and magnesium are also present in milk chocolate, which is made by combining cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. Its softer, sweeter chocolate flavor is created by higher quantities of milk than chocolate liquor.

So enjoying a little bit of chocolate regularly doesn’t mean it’s that bad for you after all. Chocolate lovers can now rejoice in the knowledge that some of the chemicals that exist in chocolate can actually have a positive effect on overall health and that actually, enjoying chocolate on a regular basis may result in health benefits.

Chocolate is a mysterious substance that has so many different effects on the body. We know it makes us feel good but why and how does it do so more than most other foods? Is there any real scientific proof to chocolate’s infamous erotic powers?

Actually, it’s not just historical reference and mysterious ancient rituals that suggest the pleasure-enhancing qualities of chocolate. Cacao (cocoa in raw bean form) is made up of over 300 chemical compounds and is scientifically proven to be extremely erotic; it contains the euphoric substance, anandamide as well as natural aphrodisiac, arginine, making it more desirable than sex to some people. The arginine and flavanols in chocolate increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, which is also an effect caused by taking Viagra.

Chocolate also contains stimulants such as theobromine which excite senses, as well as methylxanthine which blocks adenosine and leads to arousal.

When we eat chocolate, our bodies also absorb phenylethylamine (PEA) which stimulates sensors in the brain that release endorphins, heightening our senses, stamina and libido. Phenylethylamine, a stimulant that is chemically related to amphetamines, is also released by the brain itself when people fall in love so it’s clear it’s a chemical that our bodies react to very well.

Some say that after eating chocolate, women produce four times as many endorphins than they do after a passionate kiss! This may be due to the way that chocolate stimulates the production of dopamine and helps towards a heightened sex drive.

Research suggests that sexual function and sexual desire were much greater in women that frequently ate chocolate whilst some chocolate advocates have suggested that chocolate contains chemicals that are linked to relaxation and pleasure.

It’s obvious, though, that the pleasure that chocolate lovers enjoy so much is not just down to chocolate’s chemical makeup. The very fact that chocolate melts in your mouth is stimulation enough and in a survey by the BBC, it was found that when chocolate melts on the tongue, brain activity and heart rate were increased to levels that were higher than those achieved through passionate kissing and that they lasted four times longer – it’s no wonder that chocolate is given to loved ones!

Each year on St Valentine’s Day, stores across the globe are flooded with different types of chocolate gifts, aimed at winning over loved ones and seducing that special someone. For many years chocolate has been given as a sign of love and affection, but when did it all start and why?

In early civilizations in Latin America, cocoa beans were roasted, ground to a paste and mixed with hot water to make an intoxicating, foamy drink, which was drank for pleasure and stimulation. This was very significant to the people of the Maya who used it as a central part of their marriage ceremonies. It was also integral to Aztec Emperor Moctezuma’s sexual experiences as he would consume it before entering his harem.

So for more than 2,000 years, the aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate have been acknowledged worldwide. It can’t be denied that when we eat chocolate, we enjoy it because of its taste, texture and because of how it makes us feel. Amongst other chemicals, it contains phenylethylamine which is also released by the brain when people fall in love so the affinity between chocolate and love is something that as humans, we can intrinsically recognize.

Chocolate is also an international symbol of sensuality and romance and it’s no wonder that we can’t get enough of it, especially during the run up to Valentine’s Day when over $1 billion of chocolate is sold.

Today, chocolate and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand – it’s hard to imagine the worldwide celebration of love without chocolate. When Richard Cadbury, second son of John Cadbury, the founder of the British chocolate giant, created his heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the 1860s, the commercialization of the Valentine’s Day was born. The romantic, Victorian style of Cadbury’s box of chocolates appealed greatly to the masses and the notion of giving chocolates as gifts really caught on.

By the second half of the 20^th century, exchanging chocolate gifts on February 14^th to show your love for someone continued to grow with lovers across the States and elsewhere, exchanging small, sweet chocolate gifts. Today, boxes of chocolates grace the shelves of thousands of stores everywhere. Sensual colors of red, gold and purple, probably derived from the lavender hue of cacao pods, adorn the confections and seduce lovers everywhere to do the honorable thing and give out those chocolates!