Do you need a quick fix? Do you need something to make you feel all tingly and warm inside? Grab a bite of chocolate. Chocolate makes you feel good and beats anything else when it comes to giving you a natural high. Why does chocolate make you feel good? Aside from the distinct smell and addicting taste of chocolate, it produces serotonin that gives you that euphoric feeling. However, is chocolate good for you? Several studies have discovered that chocolate has more than 300 substances that may have many health benefits. Eating chocolates has been shown to even lower bad cholesterol and contribute to a longer life.
Food of the Gods
Chocolate makes you feel good not only due to the sugar rush it gives you but also because of the many helpful elements in this food of the gods. Chocolate is made from the tropical cacao tree seeds of Theobroma, a Greek word that means "food of the gods." It was also regarded as a light aphrodisiac and was linked to Xochiquetzal, the Aztec goddess of fertility. Chocolate gives you a feel good aside from the feelings of ecstasy thanks to the chemical tryptophan. Tryptophan is the same chemical that is found in turkey. In addition, it also has phenyllethylamine, which is considered to be the chocolate amphetamine because it gives you a giddy feeling if taken in large doses. Chocolate also stimulates endorphins that give you a warm inner glow like after a good run.
Better Than a Kiss
How does it work? Why does chocolate make you feel good? As mentioned, chocolates induce different chemical reactions in the brain that gives you a relaxing,"feel good" and giddy sensation all over. In addition, studies have shown that the melting sensation of chocolate in your mouth increases activities in the brain and heart rate. It's been said that this feeling is stronger than passionate kissing and the sensation lasts four times longer.
Lower Cholesterol, Natural Appetite Suppressant, & More
With all of these feel good sensations, is chocolate good for you? Yes, it is. Chocolate has health benefits that eating them has now been associated to long life. It was found that many supercentenarians (those that lived beyond 100 years old) were fond of eating a lot of chocolates during their lifetime. Oleic acid which is found in the cocoa butter in chocolate raises good cholesterol while the chemical called flavinoids also found in chocolate help blood from clotting.
These help in the overall promotion of good health especially for the heart. Other health benefits acquired from eating chocolates include increase in antioxidant levels in the blood. Drinking hot chocolate before eating a meal, for example, can decrease your appetite. Furthermore, it slows down the decline in brain function, soothes the throat, and as a result, prevents fits of coughing. New studies now show that chocolate might even prevent cancer.
Chocolates makes you feel good starting from its smell right down to the lasting sensation after it has melted in your mouth. The chemical build up of chocolates not only gives you a certain high but also a way to promote good health. So the next time you feel the need to indulge in a chocolate taste treat - give in! And enjoy the pleasure -
Colleen Maguire -
Writer, Traveler and Chocolate Lover
For More Delicious Chocolate Ideas and Tastes:
http://www.UltimateChocolateShoppe.com
