St. Valentines Day Chocolate

Grow old with me!  The best is yet to be.  ~Robert Browning

Chocolate Is Serious Business

Chocolate

Did you know? - Chocolate, ooh the queen of temptation. Chocolate tempts us with its rich, luscious flavor, its thick creamy texture and its power to soothe our minds. It is for some a “gift from Mother Earth”- her creation that has over 1,000 flavor components and 300 chemicals which affect brain chemistry and mood. Chocolate has been the “Diva” of Aphrodisiacs since its first use over 3,000 years ago in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Montezuma would drink 50 goblets of “chocolate water” a day to give him the potency to handle his harem of more than 600 women.

How does it work? Chocolate affects the central nervous system, thanks to Anandamine, (a neurotransmitter or brain chemical) this chemical heightens sensory perception, increases relaxation and produces a feeling of euphoria. In addition, other chemicals extend this high and also increase the levels of dopamine (lovely little chemical that elevates the mood and increases sexual arousal and response).

So many chocolates and such little time…As most things in life, the best are the most simple. The mind blowing chocolates are the one’s with a high cocoa content (these are rarely found at the local deli), the good stuff, has a deeper flavor, smoother texture and a lot less sugar!