Chocolate, Chocolate Everywhere..!

Do you dream of swimming in a pool filled with chocolate, too?

From sweet alchemies to chocolate addiction.

Many people on this planet take vows in the name of chocolate and claim that if they could, they would built for themselves a palace made of chocolate. Most of us adore chocolate. It is not random, after all, that the Maya considered chocolate a divine food.

The way I see it is that chocolate is not just a festive food we either consume or give as a gift at Easter or on Valentine's day. It is a very important ingredient of modern gastronomy and, of course, a huge part in our lives. Chocolate is everywhere. From choco bars, to cookies, to literally very sweet decorations and crafts (chocolate houses, bunnies, etc), even to chocolate underwear! But, why all this chocomania? There are so many kinds of addictions in life, but the sweetest of them all is chocolate addiction.

I am sure you have some friends that declare themselves as choco-addicts. So, is it true that chocolate can be addictive? There have been several surveys trying to shed some light on the reasons why chocolate can be considered a sweet drug. Experts say that because chocolate contains sugar and fat, it stimulates the brain, it gives us energy and this makes us feel more active and alive. It also causes a rewarding feeling because of its ingredients (fat and sugar mainly) which gives us pleasure, satisfaction and happiness. This is also true about sugar and fat-based food in general. Have you ever seen a child eating sweets and being unhappy at the same time? No. Therefore, it is natural for people to crave chocolate and its beneficial effects. However, to make the long story short, there is nothing yet that officially points directly at chocolate as an addictive food.

But chocaholics beware! We always ask for more of the things that we derive pleasure from such as food, let alone food that has positive effects in our psychology. Yet, losing control over our balanced diet can lead to health problems, obesity and increasing craving. That last leads also to a kind of addiction. So, I will repeat the big cliché that measure is important in our lives.

PS1: You can find more scientific explanations about choco-addiction here.

PS2: If I have just built up your appetite about chocolate, there are some mouthwatering recipes for you right here and here. Let me know if you eventually cook something delicious!

Lilian W.