There’s a certain mystical irresistibility about chocolate - something sensual and romantic: the creamy, silky texture; the deep, dark, elegant colour; the exquisitely sweet, rich flavour; the tantalizing aroma. Having a piece of pure chocolate melt on the tip of your tongue is a truly pleasurable experience. Little wonder that chocolate is often seen as a decadent pleasure: some religious extremists have gone so far as to forbid its consumption!

There’s increasing evidence, however, that chocolate - in some forms at least - can provide some health benefits.

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Chocolate: Chock-full of good things
Recent research shows that chocolate contains potent little packages of health-conferring chemicals. It may prevent free-radical damage through its rich antioxidants, which can help prevent cancer and heart disease, enhance our immune system, and provoke a feeling of wellbeing. Cocoa also contains one of the highest natural sources of magnesium, which has proven beneficial for cardiovascular health and hypertension.

Like some other plant foods, chocolate contains a wide range of antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, including the procyanidins epicatechin and catechin. Fruit, vegetables, wine and tea have polyphenolic flavonoids as well but, amazingly, polyphenols are found in much higher abundance in chocolate and cocoa. The amount of polyphenols in milk chocolate is equivalent to that of five servings of fruit and vegetables.

The following is the measurement of the polyphenol content in 1.25 ounces of cocoa products:

Why chocolate makes you feel good
OK, so it contains some good nutrition, but why does chocolate make you feel good?

Sometimes we get these intense cravings for chocolate. We’re feeling moody and irritable, even depressed, but once we eat some good chocolate, we feel better.

It seems chocolate is a mood-enhancer. It contains phenethylamine (PEA), which stimulates the nervous system, triggering the release of endorphins, opiate-like compounds that dull pain and give a sense of well-being. (However, before you head for the nearest bar of Dairy Milk or Galaxy, be aware that the jury is still out on whether the high fat and sugar content - which definitely have their downsides - are factors for this response.)

There are also chemicals in chocolate that increase the activity of dopamine, a neurotransmitter directly associated with feelings of sexual arousal and pleasure. Additionally, chocolate can also boost brain levels of serotonin, the “happy” neurotransmitter. Women especially are more responsive to this, as research shows them to be more sensitive to chocolate than men.

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Chocolate’s Dark side
OK, so eating chocolate has a lot of benefits, but what about the fat and sugar in chocolate?

It is true that chocolate tends to be high in fat and sugar, but, depending on the kind of fat in the chocolate, it might not be too hard on your arteries. High-quality chocolates like the Belgian couverture chocolate used by Naughty… but nice! are made with 33-39% cocoa butter, a fat comprised of approximately one-third proportions of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat (as appears in olive oil), and saturated fats stearic acid and palmitic acid. Oleic acid has been shown to lower both total and LDL cholesterol. And interestingly, although stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid (SFA), unlike other SFA’s it does not seem to affect blood cholesterol. Palmitic acid, however, does raise blood cholesterol, so even quality chocolate should be eaten in moderation. (Remember, not all chocolate is made with cocoa butter, so be sure to read labels.)

Chocolate also contains stimulants, such as caffeine. One 1.5-ounce bar of dark chocolate contains about 30 milligrams of caffeine, milk chocolate contains 10 mg, and an 8-ounce serving of hot cocoa contains 5 milligrams. In comparison, an 8-ounce serving of brewed coffee contains 135 mg of caffeine, 12 ounces of cola contains about 35 milligrams.

When you do want to indulge, our recommendation is to choose the darkest, richest chocolate you can find. Chocolatiers make dark chocolates containing 70 percent or more cocoa. The average commercially produced chocolate bar contains about 40 percent. The higher the cocoa content the more healthy benefits consumed.

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Fun Chocolate Facts
On Christopher Columbus’ fourth visit to the Americas, he came across cocoa beans, which he presented to the Spanish court. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however, dismissed chocolate as a bizarre tribal concoction.

American Settlers discovering the wonders of Chocolate!

Giri Choco is a Japanese custom which means “duty chocolate.” It calls for employees to give chocolates to their managers as a token of loyalty.

A recent study indicates when men crave food, they tend to crave fat and salt. When women crave food, they tend to desire chocolate.
The botanical name of the chocolate plant is Theobramba cacao, which means “Food of the Gods.”

Chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac by the Aztec Indians, and as such, was forbidden to women. Today, some postulate that chocolate triggers a brain chemical that produces the same reaction brought on by a passionate love affair. Perhaps that is why, when a love affair turns sour, many a spurned lover goes on a chocolate binge.
The term “white chocolate” is a misnomer as it contains no chocolate liquor.

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The History of Chocolate
According to Aztec folklore, chocolate is a gift from the Gods – from one God in particular in fact: Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of air, light and life. Deploring the lack of variety in man’s food, Quetzalcoatl made his way to the land of the Sons of the Sun, where he stole the cacao tree for the Aztecs. It is from this tree that chocolate begins.

Illustration of Aztecs with cocoa plant

Quetzalcoatal - the Aztec god of air, light and life

To truly understand chocolate, you must know that during nine-tenths of its long history, chocolate was drunk, not eaten.

Christopher Columbus first brought chocolate to Europe, except he didn't know what it was. Cocoa beans were presented to him by an Aztec chieftain in 1502. Columbus discovered the beans were used to make a strong native beverage and as a medium of monetary exchange by the Aztecs. Since Columbus didn't know what to do with the beans, chocolate remained a Central American speciality until the time of Cortes.

In 1519, Cortes and his 600 soldiers undertook the conquest of Mexico. To his amazement he was welcomed by the Aztec emperor and his subjects, who believed Cortes to be the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. It didn't take long to show the Aztecs they had made a mistake. But not before the emperor had heaped riches upon the Spanish in the form of cacao-tree plantations.

During the time of Cortes the beans of the cacao tree were still used for currency by the Aztecs. One hundred beans could buy a slave and twelve a rabbit. Cortes exchanged his beans for gold, to which the natives were indifferent. And because there was not any Spanish wine available, Cortes' men learned to drink the local beverage made from cacao or cocoa.

That beverage, favoured by the Indians, was far removed from today’s chocolate. It was flavoured with pepper, pimento and other spices. The Spaniards reduced the proportion of the spices, added some flour and sweetened the drink with honey. As sugar cane began to be cultivated it was combined with cocoa to make the delicious beverage close to what we now know as chocolate. Further experimentation added aromatic spices: vanilla, musk or ambergris to the mix. Hot or cold, the use of chocolate continued to increase. Around 1527 the first few small shipments of chocolate found their way to Spain. And by the end of the 16th century regular cargoes were shipped.

In Spain chocolate became popular — so much so that the government taxed it heavily, keeping chocolate a beverage of the privileged classes. Over time, chocolate spread to France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and England - and on to the rest of the World, arriving in America at around 1755.

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