Gourmet

Archive for July, 2009

Chocolate is meant to be enjoyed. When you eat chocolate, you think about its sweetness and all the good things in life. You think about the rich cocoa melting in your mouth, the way the milk tempers the flavor between sweet and not too sweet, how it is good for your heart and blood circulation.

Yes, chocolate is good for the heart and blood circulation. You didn’t misread that part. Fact is chocolate has several health benefits under its belt, including anticancer, cough preventor, brain stimulator and antidiarrhoeal effects. Chocolate is also an aphrodisiac. No wonder everybody loves chocolate.

But here is the thing. All this is true if chocolate is taken in moderation. Eat too little and you don’t take advantage of the health benefits. Eat too much and you might end up being labeled a “chocoholic”.

CHOCOHOLISM: IS IT A CHARACTER FLAW?
First let’s define “chocoholism”.

Chocoholism is a combination of the word “chocolate” and “alcoholism”, meaning extreme addiction to chocolate. In medical terms, while the concept of chocoholism is still vague, many people are claiming to have this condition and call themselves “chocoholics.”

Chocolate addiction, does it really exist?

It does. Chocolate addiction exists. And according to a study, it seems chocoholism is more common in women than men. In fact many women describe themselves as chocolate addicts—or chocoholics, to be precise—insisting the urge is habit-forming, that eating chocolate provides an instant feeling of well-being.

It doesn’t end there. Chocoholics also stress that not eating chocolate causes them to manifest withdrawal symptoms. That’s right folks, blame it on the chocolate.

WHO’S TO BLAME?
So someone decided to put chocolate under the microscope. Sure enough, the results revealed that chocolate contains several chemicals, some which are addictive. They are:

• Sugar – Chocolate contains large amounts of sugar. Period.
  Theobromine – Chocolate contains several varieties of theobromines. If you don’t know, theobromine is a food chemical similar to caffeine.
• Anandamide – Anandamide is an endogenous cannabinoid also produced in the human brain.
• Tryptophan – Tryptophan is an essential amino acid responsible for regulating moods.
• Phenylethylamine – Also called “love chemical”.

The list alone shows more than enough reason why a person would become addicted to chocolate. Eating chocolate not only makes you feel good because it tastes good, but it makes you feel good because it was created that way, complements of Tryptophan.

No wonder why chocolate and Friday night dates mix well.

CURB YOUR CHOCOHOLISM
Eating too much chocolate could lead to an overdose of sugar in your bloodstream. That and a bad case of tooth decay.

Here are some tips on how to curb your chocolate craving.
1. Find out if the craving is emotional. Too many women rely on comfort food to control their emotional state. Some relate this to depression or feelings of low self-esteem. If you think this is your problem, drop the chocolate bar and try to find a different approach to solve the problem.
2. Don’t abstain. Instead incorporate small amounts of chocolate into your daily diet. Moderation is key.
3. Do productive things.If you’re feeling bored and think the urge is beginning to start up again, do something useful like going for a walk outside or running errands. The craving should pass after a short while.
4. Exercise. Increase your metabolic state and burn off excess calories through regular physical activity. Exercise releases endorphins into the system, which counteracts depression, anxiety and stress.

There you go, chocoholism and the ways to get around it. You should watch how much chocolate you consume from now on, unless you like seeing your dentist.