Chocolate

6. ED's Girl | January 23, 2007 11:14 AM

been surfing the net about the sweeties and writing selections for an English book on the stuff. check this out:

Chocolate, which the ancient Mayans referred to as the food of the gods, is well-known as divinely delicious, yet “forbidden food,” especially for dieters. Research studies suggest, though, that cocoa or dark chocolate may have certain health benefits and is not necessarily bad as some people think. It has also been that consuming approximately 100g of dark chocolate daily result to a modest lowering of blood pressure.
The high cocoa content of dark chocolate makes it a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are said to have medicinal properties and play a potential role in the prevention of cancers and cardiovascular disease. Cocoa processing with alkali destroys most of the flavonoids, though consuming milk chocolate, white chocolate, or drinking milk with dark chocolate, appear to negate cocoa health benefits. According to researches funded by Mars, Incorporated at Harvard, the University of California, and European universities, cocoa-based prescription drugs might even help treat diabetes, dementia, and other diseases. Some researches also have indicated that chocolate may be more effective than leading cough medicines at preventing stubborn cough. Chocolate’s active ingredient, theobromine, was found to be more effective than codeine in cough medicine. The chocolate appears to soothe and moisten the throat. Patients are advised to speak to their family doctors, though, before treating their cough with chocolate.

7. ED's Girl | January 23, 2007 11:24 AM

and, oh, re the addiction... It contains some substances which are addictive, like caffeine. But don’t worry, caffeine exists in very small amounts in chocolate. But it does contain large amounts of sugar, unlike cocoa in pure form. Some say it’s addictive because in a way, it makes you crave for more. It also has the addictive substances anandamide, tryptophan, and phenylethylamine. Anyway, about tryptophan. It’s an amino acid that converts to, and is the only source of, serotonin in the brain. Serotonin gives a person feelings of well-being, relaxation, confidence, and concentration. Low serotonin levels in the brain play a key role in feeling depressed. Phenylethylamine, on the other hand, is a bit intriguing; it’s often referred to as a 'love chemical'! So, in a way, if you're getting addicted to anything at all--heck, why not chocolate? I also read in an article that the cholesterol from it is not the bad cholesterol you should be avoiding. BUT THEN AGAIN, as in all things, indulge in moderation :)