Page 14 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

xii C H O C O L A T E F O R T H E S O U L

What’s All the Buzz About Chocolate?

e love chocolate, and chocolate zone known as “runner’s high.”
W seems to love us back. Recently researchers have discovered
It has that smooth and creamy texture that chocolate contains flavonoids.
once it melts in our mouths, and that rich Flavonoids are beneficial compounds
flavor in our favorite devil’s food cake, and also found in tea, red wine, fruits, and
that memorable aroma when baking . . . vegetables that act as antioxidants and
but are there hidden reasons why we’re reduce the risk of developing cancer
so crazy about it? and heart disease. In the
According to chemists bloodstream they mop up
and sensory researchers, substances called free
chocolate is a highly radicals, small reactive
concentrated, satisfying, molecules that can cause damage to
and mysterious food. It the body. You receive the most pronounced
contains stimulants: theobromine and effect from unsweetened cocoa, followed by
caffeine. Theobromine and caffeine dilate dark chocolate and then milk chocolate.
our blood vessels and stimulate our heart White chocolate contains no flavonoids,
muscles. And chocolate contains small however, and thus no antioxidant
amounts of anandamide, the same properties.
compound the brain normally produces If we love chocolate, is it possible that
to signal pleasure. chocolate helps us to love? According to
Chocolate also triggers our bodies to Canadian researcher Joseph Schwarcz,
produce serotonin and endorphin, neuro - chocolate does contain tiny amounts of
transmitters that act as anti depressants phenylethylamine, an amphetamine-like
and help us feel calm and relaxed. Sero - substance known as the “chemical of love.”
tonin production is triggered by eating People who are in love have high levels of
carbohydrates, and endorphin production phenylethylamine in their brains. But
by eating fat. Researchers say the lift-your- chocolate is the food of love, and the food
spirits feeling that endorphins provide is we love, most likely, he says, because we
somewhat similar to that pleasurable can’t resist it.