Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Did someone say chocolate?

In light of the chocolate-gobbling Easter can sometimes bring about, I thought I'd share a few chocolate facts to make you feel better about any consumption that may have gone on.

1). The Mayans and Aztecs believed that the Cocoa Beans originated from Paradise and would bring wisdom and power to anyone consuming them.

2). Emperor Montezuma of Mexico partook a Chocolate drink before entering his harem. This gave rise to the notion of Chocolate having aphrodisiac properties. The Italian adventurer Giacomo Casanova was another fellow who subscribed to this notion. There is some truth to the idea though, since Chocolate contains hundreds of chemicals including the feel-good stimulants - Caffeine, Theobromine, and Phenyethylamine.

3). Even though Chocolate is high in fat, it does not appear to raise blood cholesterol.

4). Chocolate is a great economy booster. Annual world consumption of cocoa beans averages approximately 600,000 tons per year. Consumers worldwide spend more than $20 billion a year on Chocolate.

5). Chocolate was such as a prestigious luxury that the French Ruler, Louis XIV, also known as the “Sun King”, established a court position entitled Royal Chocolate Maker to the King.
6). In 1907, the iconic Milk Chocolate Hershey’s Kisses were introduced. They are one of the most successful chocolates and Hershey produces approximately 20-25 million per day in a variety of flavors.

7). Chocolate has long been heralded for its value as an energy source. Think of it this way: a single chocolate chip provides sufficient food energy for an adult to walk 150 feet; hence, it would take about 35 chocolate chips to go a mile, or 875,000 for an around-the-world hike.

8). The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

9). Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood while the flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

10). Placebo-controlled trials suggest chocolate consumption may subtly enhance cognitive performance. As reported by Dr Bryan Raudenbush (2006), scores for verbal and visual memory are raised by eating chocolate. Impulse-control and reaction-time are also improved.

When's the last time you ate chocolate?

15 comments:

  1. Last night. It's too early to eat any yet today, and I have a whole basketful to consume. The chocolate bunny is calling me.

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  2. Last night :) I have a small piece of chocolate once a day ;)

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  3. Last night here, too. SO tasty. *drool on keyboard* I love chocolate.

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  4. This must be why I'm so easy-going and SMART! LOL I promise I'm just kidding, but seriously, I eat chocolate every single day of my life. Except when I try to quit, which never works. I told my hubby the antioxidant thing but he didn't believe me.
    The theta waves thing is new. Never heard it before but I'll gladly believe it. LOL

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  5. I ate peanut butter choc. eggs for breakfast. Yum.

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  6. So yeah, bring on the chocolate!

    *runs off to kitchen*

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  7. May enhance cognitive performance? Interesting. I used to eat it while doing linear algebra and physical chemistry in college...

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  8. Still nursing a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake factory cheesecake at home... with the dark chocolate crust. mmmm

    AND-- today the limited-edition strawberry milkshake oreos came out!!!!!!!!

    Once a year... like Christmas. SO GOOD

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  9. Amanda Brice3:54 PM

    Oh, about 15 minutes ago, actually.

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  10. Chocolate is one of my daily food groups. No lie;)

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  11. Sigh - I just love chocolate. I'm having a double chocolate muffin with my cup of tea tonight.

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  12. I actually don't like chocolate. Not because I'm allergic, but because I just hate the taste of it.

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  13. I don't remember a day without chocolate. I need my fix every day.

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  14. I just ate some Whoppers. But no chocolate bunnies this year.

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