Is Chocolate Really An Aphrodisiac?
What’s The Deal With Chocolate?
What does it even remotely have to do with love and passion? Why do we rush out to buy chocolate for Valentine’s Day, or for an important anniversary, or whenever we feel the need to atone for some crime against romance – like forgetting Valentine’s Day or an important anniversary? How did chocolate become so firmly entrenched as the gift that most often represents our deepest romantic feelings? And, finally, is it really an aphrodisiac? Well, we’ve done a little research and, for better or worse, we think we have a couple of answers.
Maybe It Was Just The Ta Ta’s
The consumption of chocolate, and the belief in its aphrodisiac qualities, apparently goes back as far as 1100 BC in Central and South America. By 400 AD, the Maya, and later the Aztecs, were brewing a bitter beverage from the cacao bean that, in addition to an everyday drink, found its way into ceremonial use. It was thought to have various desirable properties, including a treatment for diarrhea and fighting fatigue, and was widely believed to increase the libido. Personally, I think it may have had more to do with the fact that these people ran around half naked. I mean, you can’t completely disregard the basics.
The Spanish conquest of the Aztecs brought chocolate to Europe and, while there was little evidence to support the aphrodisiac theory, just the idea made chocolate a favorite drink of royalty and well-connected Europeans who could afford the luxury. It also became prized as a romantic gift. The industrial revolution brought modern production techniques, and the hard, sweet candy we all know and love today.
Never Dismiss A Potential Edge, However Absurd
When chocolate landed on U.S. shores, its reputation as an indulgence of the nobility preceded it. Women, apparently, were particularly fond of chocolate and men, always looking for an edge, knew a great ice-breaker when they saw one. When giving gifts on Valentine’s Day became commonplace in the late 1800s, chocolate had not only arrived, but had found its own holiday. Then some guy, in an obvious effort to one-up his competition, paired chocolate with flowers and raised the ante for the rest of us from that day forward.
Modern studies suggest that theobromine in dark chocolate may be more effective than codeine at preventing persistent coughing. Other research suggests that small but regular amounts of dark chocolate might lower your risk of heart attack, and research is ongoing to determine if flavonol, found in cocao, might be useful in the treatment of diabetes and dementia. But, what about … you know.
How’s That For Irony?
The long-reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate seem to be most associated with the sensual pleasure of its consumption. Chocolate may also stimulate the hypothalamus, increasing levels of serotonin in the brain. While serotonin has a pleasurable effect, ironically, high levels of serotonin can be converted to melatonin, which might actually reduce your sex drive. Whatever God you believe in, you gotta think he or she has a great sense of humor.
Need Some Time Alone With Your Chocolate Bunny?
Perhaps the best support for the aphrodisiac theory is a study reported by the BBC which indicated that melting chocolate in your mouth produces an increase in brain activity and heart rate that is more intense than that produced by passionate kissing, and lasts four times as long after the activity has ended. Okay, everything I just thought of is obscene, so I’m just gonna move on.
Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t tell you that, because of the aforementioned theobromine, chocolate is a mild stimulant to humans. In horses, however, it has a much more pronounced effect, and is therefore banned in horse racing. So, take that to heart, or not. But we would hate to see you disqualified from the Kentucky Derby because you accidentally let your horse have a Cadbury egg just before the race.
Now That We’ve Cleared That Up
So, there it is. We didn’t settle anything on this question, but here are a couple of common sense observations. If you think you’re gonna get “lucky” by insisting that your date eat the entire heart of chocolates you gave her for Valentine’s Day, you’re probably delusional. If that worked, we’d all be lined up at Costco buying Milky Way bars by the case. On the other hand, a tastefully packaged gift of quality chocolate never fails to demonstrate what a thoughtful person you are. Oh, and don’t forget to add the flowers. You have some doofus from long ago to thank for that one!
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