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FACT OR FANTASY? Ready? # 1. Chocolate and Marijuana share some brain chemistry. answer # 2. Chocolate causes tooth decay. answer # 3. Chocolate triggers migraine headaches. answer # 4. Chocolate contains a natural chemical substance that is identical to the one present in the brain that is said to be released when people fall in love. answer # 5. Women need MORE chocolate than men. THINK ABOUT THIS ONE! answer # 6. Chocolate ranks #1 in food cravings. answer # 7. Chocolate has high concentrations of PEA- a neurohormone (an amphetamine like substance in our bodies, which regulate our highs and lows), thus fights depression. answer # 8. Chocolate ITSELF is a salt-free and cholesterol-free food. answer # 9. Chocolate has been drank in homage to the goddess of love, therefore, increases sex drive? answer # 10. Chocolate is a "ADDICTIVE FOOD." The more you eat the more you need! answer # 1
# 2 Chocolate and tooth decay-FANASTY. Tooth decay is affected by how often you eat sweet and sticky foods. Experts claim if you eat cavity-causing foods less frequently during the day , rinse with water, or chew sugarless gum this chocolate won't stick to your teeth, thus the probability of tooth decay is more effected by one's habits (Chocolate Manufactures 2). The good news is that chocolate has an antibacterial agent that actually inhibits plaque formation (Waterhouse 37-38). Can we expect chocolate toothpaste in the future?
# 3 Chocolate triggers migraine headaches-FANASTY. Thank-God! Chocolate is only one of many foods that contain compounds called vasoactive amines. Cousins to neurotransmitters serotonin and noepinephrine, these chemicals have be blamed for headaches. Not so! Other vasoamindes include are: alcohol (which is cited #1 for migraines - by Waterhouse MPH, R.D. 38), cheese, peanuts, citrus foods and pork. Some people may lack the proper enzymes to break down these amines thus, may be more prone to any headaches. In a two week study comparing carob and chocolate researchers found that chocolate was NOT more likely to produce headaches over carob in any of the groups (Cephalalgia 1997).
# 4 Chocolate and the love bug-FACT. Don't you love it? Phenylethylamine is a natural chemical substance present in the brain and released when people fall in love. Chocolate is a good source of this phenylethylamine. This could explain why the broken-hearted may try to self-medicated themselves during hard times. Researchers in New York State Institue have noted lovesick patients craving chocolate emotionally, and observation has been controversial in that patients seemed soothed after ingestion (Fuller 213-214). I say the "Hershey High" is a lot safer than most drugs and has some nutritional value. And a hershey "kiss" may have loving psychological effect. Everyone loves kisses.
# 5 Women need MORE (LOT'S MORE) chocolate than men. FACT!!! There is even a book called, "Why Women Need Chocolate," by Debra Waterhouse. R. D. In this book a lot of wisdom can be found. Here's some constituencies of many surveyed women: 50% of all women surveyed say they would choose chocolate over sex, women are 22times more likely than men to choose chocolate as an enhancer, 3.4 million dollars are spent each year on chocolate the overwhelming gender-women. Another creditable thought would be that women need chocolate as survival food. Chocolate takes 50% of it's energy from sugar and about 50% from fat, two very powerful dietary brain food. Specifically, we are talking a rise in endorphins and serotonin levels needed to deal with the ever-changing hormonal levels, this wonderful chocolate levels most women off especially in PMS - renamed as Positive Mood Swings.
# 6 Chocolate #1 Food Craving. FACT! Survey after survey the chocolate food substance was the front runner. Second runner uppers were sweet food, chips, pizza. cereal-based foods, all are Carbohydrates. all the brain and the nervous system can use as immediate fuel.
# 7 Chocolate fights depression. FACT! This PEA factor monitors our emotional responses. High levels produce a "LOVE HIGH"- like no other!!! There are many causes of depression, one is low levels of PEA. One convincing study by Dr. Hector Sabelli at Rush University found that 60% of people with major depression and 100% percent of people with reactive depression had low levels of PEA. PEA levels begins with food. When we eat foods like chocolate, full of proteins that contain phenylanine, this amino acid is converted into PEA. This PEA is spread throughout the entire body and it's highest levels in the brain (Diamond 1).
# 8 Chocolate is by ITSELF a salt-free and cholesterol food. FACT! Although milk chocolate has a small amount of cholesterol because of milk.
# 9 Chocolate increases sex drive. FACT! Actually it's all in your head-the brain that is. Since chocolate triggers positive brain changes such as endorphins and serotonin
levels, this can have an enhancing effect on sexual pleasure. It's all in the neuro-transmitters! Some women surveyed describe chocolate this way: it's as good as sex, it makes me feel good all over, a warm fuzzy, pure ecstasy, heaven
# 10 Chocolate is an addictive food-FACT AND FANTASY- a little bit of both. Many people coin themselves as chocoholics because of their constant desire for more of this sweet stuff. There is some bio-chemical connection here. We have already discussed the natural amphetamine factor produced in the brain during pleasurable events along with caffeine, similar to marijuana, experienced after feasting on chocolate. This addictive if felt is only mild, and not life-threatening. Remember marijuana is not physically addicting but may be brain chemically addicting. And this "addiction" can be seasonally, during periods of stress, broken-heartness, PMS, mild depression, menopause, endorphin deficient, low levels of magnesium, etc. Women who feel they must have chocolate to survive could opt for 300 milligrams of magnesium twice a day (Weil 145).
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