Chocolate is Good For Your Mental Well-Being

By: Teresa Steventon

I have just read an interesting and rather exciting online article concerning chocolate and its benefits. Or to be more precise, I have just discovered one of the main disadvantages of NOT having chocolate in your diet!

If you would like me to send you the link for the full article in question for your further information please get in touch with me. Right now I would just like to share with you one of the most valid points from it, as it has solved something of a mystery for me, personally. I also feel that I can add my own real-life example as appropriate, down the page....

According to the Medical Research Council (situated in London, UK) Scientists at the University of Cambridge suggests that the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as a chemical messenger between nerve cells, plays a critical role in regulating emotions such as aggression during social decision-making. So what does all this mean?

First things first. What is serotonin (ser-o-TOE-nin)? According to the definition on The National Pain Foundation, it is: "A brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that helps to regulate your mood. A lack of it may lead to depression."

Where Can you Find Serotonin? Well the best known source of the "feel good" hormone is probably dark chocolate. Certainly when folks feel fed up, they are likely to reach for a chocolate bar - and the reason being that chocolate is known to raise the serotonin level. We accept that serotonin is known as the "feel good" hormone, and we agree that high levels of serotonin can make us feel happy; equally lack of it can make us feel sad. The essential amino acid necessary for the body to create serotonin can only be obtained through diet. Therefore, our serotonin levels naturally decline when we don't eat. This is probably why many of us "comfort eat" when necessary. It is our brain's invitation to produce more serotonin through diet, even though we do not realise it as such at the time.

This new research has additionally found that, rather than just make us feel low if we are lacking in serotonin, more importantly - but presumably if you are susceptible to this kind of reaction only, I wonder? - in certain cases a lack of serotonin will actually make people more aggressive. That's the bit above about "a critical role in regulating emotions such as aggression during social decision-making". Now does that help to explain it a little?

Why this was such a revelation to me, personally, is that my family had "accused" me of becoming not just moody but bordering on aggressive when I once gave up chocolate (not for health reasons I hasten to add, but for personal reasons of my own at that time); it was only ever going to be a temporary abstinence if you must know, because I am indeed a chocoholic and would find it difficult to give up chocolate completely...but that's not the point.

The point is, both my husband and my son independently asked me to start eating chocolate again. For health reasons they said. Theirs, not mine! When I asked them what they meant, they said that I had become "snappy" at the smallest of things, and the awful truth is, I cannot remember that at all.

I started eating chocolate again because they said it was too stressful if I didn't; and they both said I was a "happier" person afterward. Well that's OK because I felt perfectly happy and calm, but for a long time I thought they were just telling me this other stuff as a joke. I decided that they had made a pact to pretend I had acted more aggressively due to my lack of chocolate - but now I guess they were telling the truth!

So the moral of the story here is that Chocolate can have a very beneficial effect, and lack of it can actually be detrimental. But only if you are eating the right sort of chocolate, of course. Too much highly processed, fat and sugar laden chocolate may give you a "temporary high" but it is followed by a low which needs a "fix". It also has other health and weight issues to consider. I am happier now that I have found the perfect dark chocolate: xocai (pronounced show-sigh) which has no added fat or sugar and is actually a Healthy Chocolate ie. it is positively GOOD for you (and it's not just because it tastes nice).

The Real Reasons Women Love Chocolate

By: Antony Gardner

For most women, when they want to eat something to make them feel better, they choose chocolate. Women all over the world think of chocolate as their comfort food. Why do so many women consider it their favorite flavour?

First of all, the chemical phenylethylamine, in chocolate has a good reaction with the human brain. One interaction with the brains chemicals produces a mild antidepressant effect. Nothing major, just a mild feel good reaction. Anadamide is another chemical in chocolate that gives us feelings of calmness, well being and a ìrightness with the world. Neither of these chemicals causes a big change, but both are strong enough to be felt. Xocai chocolate also helps your brain release serotonin which gives you a feeling of pleasure.

Chocolates melting point is just above body temperature. So it melts in your mouth perfectly. This feeling is associated with sensual pleasure. A study found that the melting in your mouth effect results in an increase in the brain activity and an increase in heart rate. These increases are stronger than what a passionate kiss gives you. And they last up to four times longer.

Phenylethylamine has also been shown to bring on the same feelings of happiness and joy as being in love. Chocolate is obviously delicious and now there is an added benefit, Xocai produce fine dark healthy chocolate that is

Shortly before a womans menstrual cycle, blood glucose and serotonin levels drop. Eating Xocai chocolate raises those levels and helps adjust the hormone imbalance. The serotonin that chocolate encourages the brain produce also acts like a sedative.

The author has been a health and wellness researcher for 7 years and has recently provided numerous articles about healthy chocolate. Although healthy chocolate may seem a contradiction in terms Xocai products are proving an exception to the rule and the beneficial information about Xocai healthy chocolate is spreading far and wide, a lot of this is due to the high quality of evidence that is being provided. Xocai is soon to open in the UK so to find out more about this healthy chocolate business visit http://www.Xocai.co.uk

Why Men Give Women Chocolate?

By: Antony Gardner

For generations men have been giving women chocolate to show their affection for them. Chocolate makers love to see Birthdays, Christmas and Valentines Day come around. They know that it's money in their pockets. It's as common a gift as flowers and diamonds when a man wants to apologize or make up for something. But what is it about chocolate that's made it the symbol of love? Is it more than just a modern marketing ploy?

One chemical in chocolate is phenethylamine. It acts like a antidepressant and makes us feel good. Another chemical in chocolate is anadamine. It also contributes to feelings of well being and euphoria. These chemicals encourage the brain to produce serotonin which encourages feelings of well being. These chemicals combine to give women many of the same feelings as being in love. So you can see why men are so keen to give it as a present!

Research shows that the chocolate melting in your mouth causes an increase in your brain activity and in your heart rate. The chocolate increases these even more than hot and heavy kissing does.

This phenethylamine has the same affects as a sexual stimulant. Women who eat chocolate have been found to have more interest in sex. They have higher levels of desire and arousal. They also reported greater satisfaction.

Chocolate makes women feel better, helps relieve stress, helps get them in a romantic mood and results in greater pleasure and satisfaction. Why would any man not want to give chocolate to the woman heís in a relationship with or cares about?

Gain Wealth, Not Weight, With Chocolate

By: Brianne Beaty

What could be better than discovering that there are healthy chocolate companies?

I'm not talking about your ordinary, store bought chocolate. Healthy chocolate is different. While there are hundreds upon hundreds of impressive testimonials, there is no need to rely on them...because science is on our side. Thousands of studies that have already been published as well as new studies coming out almost every week are out there on line and in the news to back healthy chocolate. And there is research being conducted right now that is showing a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol and weight with healthy chocolate.

While all dark chocolate has some benefits, researchers and physicians are careful to point out that many of those benefits are eliminated by the added fats, fillers, sugars, and waxes. Healthy chocolate has changed everything. The health benefits of raw cacao, Acai berry and blueberry combined into a single great tasting gourmet chocolate quickly becomes the healthiest food you can find. This is a product formulated without the added fat, wax, fillers, caffeine, preservatives and high-sugar content found in other chocolates. The result is real food nutrition instead of a candy.

Healthy chocolate that has a proprietary, patented "cold-press" process which provides a unique advantage in the marketplace. The cold process technique preserves the powerful nutritional elements of the raw cacao without sacrificing the taste, texture or sensory experience of gourmet chocolate. This proprietary process coupled with their proprietary formulation of Acai berry, blueberry and low-glycemic sweeteners, has created a health food in the form of real Belgium gourmet chocolate

People are amazingly receptive to hearing about "Healthy Chocolate". It's as if the combination of the two words has some magical hypnotic pull. It is a "show stopper"!
People become very open and anxious to learn more. And the more they learn, the more excited they become.

Almost everyone knows someone concerned about diabetes, heart health, losing weight, the effects of aging. Healthy chocolate can help!

Healthy chocolate is positioned ahead of the massive growth curve that is expected in the dark chocolate world. The Media is just beginning to discover dark chocolate. Each time a new positive scientific study about the health affects of chocolate is released, the media jump on the story. The attention has just begun and is likely to snowball over the next decade.

Media attention adds credibility to the healthy chocolate industry. Even when others read or hear about antioxidant stories - like the benefits of red wine - it prepares them for healthy chocolate and further validates the need for antioxidants in our diets.

Choosing Healthy Chocolate

By: Debra Lynn Dadd

Let's face it. We're all going to eat chocolate. But you don't have to feel

guilty! Chocolate is actually good for you...it's all the things added to it
that are the problem. Here's how you can choose delicious healthy
chocolates to enjoy anytime.

Health Benefits

The gift of chocolate to a beloved as a token of love is more than just
tradition. Naturally-occurring compounds in chocolate produce that mild
euphoria of being in love and contribute to enjoyable interpersonal
relations by elevating mood and enhancing sensory perception.

Beyond good feelings, chocolate benefits the body in many ways. In
moderation, chocolate can contribute to heart health, help you live
longer, suppress a chronic cough, and add needed magnesium to your
diet. Chocolate even contains a high level of chromium, which can help
control blood sugar.

Health Problems

While chocolate itself is fine to eat, there are some substances present
in chocolate products that you should watch out for.

Most chocolate products contain tremendous amounts of refined white
sugar, which is harmful to health in many ways.

Chocolate may also contain pesticides. The EPA allows various levels of
pesticide residue to be present in cocoa powder, and the FDA Total Diet
Study found them in many chocolate products.

Many chocolates also contain the toxic metals cadminum and lead.
"Significant levels" of these metals were found in 68% of the common
chocolate products tested. There is no safe level for lead, and it is
particularly harmful to children.

Healthy Chocolate Choices

Here are some guidelines for choosing the healthiest chocolates.

1. Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white sugar or
other sweetener. Dark "bittersweet" chocolates with a high percentage
of cocoa solids (usually the label will state the exact percentage) have
less sugar than semisweet or milk chocolate and also have the greatest
health benefits. Keep in mind that flavor additions, such as dried fruits
and candied ginger may also add sugar to the chocolate.

2. Choose chocolates sweetened with evaporated cane juice or barley
malt. If the evaporated cane juice used is the unprocessed whole juice
of the cane, it acts in the body like a whole food and doesn't give a
sugar rush. Barley malt is also a slow-release sweetener, noted on the
label as "grain-sweetened."

3. Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate ensures there
are no harmful pesticide residues.

4. Make your own chocolates. It's easy to make many chocolate delights
yourself, with the exact ingredients you want. Start with unsweetened
cocoa powder or baking chocolate and be creative!

5. Choose quality over quantity. If you are going to eat chocolate, eat
really good chocolate. Then, for maximum enjoyment, give the taste of
the chocolate your full attention, eat it at a time when you are not
famished or overly full, and allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth to
make the experience last.

So go ahead and enjoy chocolate, in moderation, as part of an
otherwise healthy diet.

Health Benefits of Chocolate

By: Jeffrey Taylor

There has been a lot of talk lately about the health benefits found in chocolate. New research is coming out talking about its positive effects regarding lowering blood pressure, regulating insulin levels in diabetics, helping pregnant women, dental health, cardiovascular, sleeplessness. The list goes on.

Before you go on a chocolate binge at your local grocery store, keep this in mind. All Chocolate is Not Created Equal!

Most candy bars and chocolate foods commonly found in grocery stores are not what you're looking for. These are typically high in refined (white) sugar, milk fats, and hydrogenated oils-ingredients that replace the truly healthful nutrients found in cocoa. It is basically Junk Food, and should be eaten in moderation.

Healthy Chocolate is totally different than store bought chocolate.

The true healthy chocolate products combine the antioxidant benefits of the finest, all-natural European cocoa powder and the Acai berry (Ah-Sigh-EE) from the Amazon Rain Forest. Healthy Chocolate is the perfect delivery system for the potent antioxidants in dark chocolate. The processed chocolate found in candy is laden with fat, wax, fillers, and sugar (not to mention that processing chocolate actually kills about 75% of its antioxidant capacity). Healthy chocolates contain completely natural, UNPROCESSED chocolate which retains 100% of its antioxidant and nutritional value!

With 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and over 7 times the antioxidants of blueberries, the Brazilian Acai berry (AH-sigh-EE) is considered to have the best nutritional value of any fruit on earth.

Healthy Chocolate vs. "Candy" Chocolate

The following list compares the Healthy chocolate to commercially produced "candy" chocolate products

The top healthy chocolate uses non alkalized, cold processed, premium grade cacao vs Candy Chocolate which generally uses low grade,alkalized and lecithinized cacao.

The top healthy chocolate contains no wax, fillers or added caffeine vs candy chocolate which contains various waxes, fillers and added caffeine.

The top healthy chocolate uses raw cane juice crystals, an unprocessed natural sweetener and crystalline fructose, a low glycemic (Gl 20), all natural sweetener, while still providing an exceptionally sweet taste. Contains natural cocoa butter vs candy chocolate which contains high amounts of refined sugar, the most detrimental ingredient in most chocolate candy. Substitutes milk solids and oils for cocoa butter.

The top healthy chocolate is exceptionally high in antioxidant content - in fact, possesses one of the highest ORAC scores of any product in the marketplace. vs candy chocolate where antioxidant content varies from product to product, but is typically low.

Below is a list of the Top Antioxidant Foods: ORAC Values of top antioxidant foods (per 100 grams) Unprocessed Cocoa powder 26,000, Acai Berry 18,500 Dark Chocolate 13,120, Prunes 5,770, Raisins 2,830, Blueberries 2,400, Blackberries 2,036, Strawberries 1,540, Spinach,Raw 1,260, Broccoli Florets 890, Red Grapes 739, Cherries 670. What is ORAC? ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. The USDA uses the ORAC scale to measure the antioxidant capacities of different foods.

What is the Acai Berry?

The Acai berry is relatively new to the North American USA market, but it has been consumed by millions in South America for hundreds of years, perhaps for thousands of years. The Acai berry tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. The Acai berry is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. The Acai berry is considered nature's number one "superfood". The top healthy chocolate uses unprocessed cacao (cocoa) powder and the Acai Berry in all its products. Because the fermentation, drying, and roasting processes are closely monitored, healthy chocolate delivers the optimum amount of the antioxidants naturally found in the cacao (cocoa).

Do your research and look before you buy. Not all chocolate is healthy, but picking the right chocolate can be good for your health.

To find out more information about the best healthy chocolate and the research behind healthy chocolate visit http://www.darkchocolateresearch.com

17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate

By: Bridget Mwape

1. "Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!" - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences

2. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eating one piece" - Judith Viorst

3. "Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women's pants." - Oleg Kiselev

4. "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

5. "Life is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump

6. "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson

7. "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

8. "If one swallows a cup of chocolate only three hours after a copious lunch, everything will be perfectly digested and there will still be room for dinner." - Brillat-Savarin

9. "It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

10. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de Sévigné

11. "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig

12. "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

13. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray

14. "Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" - Author Unknown

15. "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles." - Author Unknown

16. "My favorite thing in the world is a box of fine European chocolates which is, for sure, better than sex." - Alicia Silverstone

17. "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson in What Women Want.