I observed her out of the corner of my eye, understanding the battle she was going through. She took hesitant steps to the salad section and forked green vegetables onto her plate. She glanced at the dessert section again, took a deeper breath and finally, her resolution crumbled, resolutely marched back to the dessert section and forked two slices of the chocolate temptation to another plate.
I sat on a table near where the woman was and watched her attack the chocolate cake as if it was her last day on earth. She lost the battle, but she was not alone. I lost it, too, but I justified that my 115 pounds was no match for her 160ish pounds or somewhere there.
Almost everyone cannot resist the temptation of chocolate, no matter what form, shape, color or texture they come in. Chocolates are ideal gifts for almost every occasion — Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, New Year, anniversaries, and no-occasion days when you just have to give in to the temptation of munching into a luscious bar of chocolate and glorying in its “delight in every bite.”
At the dessert sections in buffet meals at the hotels and restaurants, the chocolate cakes are always the first to go.
Chefs have a way of creating chocolate concoctions to perfection in very small servings that some diners could not help.
Chocolate factories package these temptations in irresistible wrappings that lead consumers to wherever they are placed in stores. Visit any of the stores in the island and you will see chocolates at arm’s reach, an unavoidable temptation while you are waiting in line at the counter.
Chocolate addiction
Have you experienced a craving for chocolates so intense that you won’t mind getting up in the middle of the night to go to a 24-hour store to buy a bar?
I have, and so had hundreds of others at one time or another. The craving for a bar of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts got the best of me that I braved driving out to the nearest store. It was not the middle of the night yet — still 11:45 p.m. but it was the same.
Research showed that chocolate is the most commonly- craved treat in the United States, with about 40 percent of women and 15 percent of men experiencing an intense need for chocolates. Chocolate eaters display an addictive behavior and you can say you are addicted if you secretly eat chocolate, if you binge and try to avoid it only to end up overeating.
Finally, the chemical properties in chocolate may add just the right touch to make your Valentine’s Day plans perfect.
Research studies show that chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a stimulant which is released during intimacy. The carbohydrates found in chocolates are also known to increase serotonin, a chemical believed to increase sexual appetite and interest.
With Valentines a few days away, businessmen are cashing in on the rising demand for chocolates.
Just remember, a bar or two now and then won’t hurt but anything taken in excess is harmful.
Chocolate Facts
Here are 15 interesting facts about chocolate:
1. Chocolate is believed to be an aphrodisiac. Scientists suggest that theobromine and other chemicals found in chocolates do act as mild sexual stimulants. It is also believed that chocolate consumption releases a chemical into your body very similar to what is produced when you are in love but the most practical explanation is chocolate always win hearts.
2. The word Chocolate originated from the Aztec word xocolatl, meaning, bitter water.
3. Chocolate is lower in caffeine than tea, coffee and coca cola. A one ounce bar of chocolate contains about 6mg of caffeine while a five-ounce cup of regular coffee contains over 40mg of caffeine.
4. Chocolate contains antioxidants which may help prevent cancer and heart disease.
5. 71 percent of American chocolate eaters prefer milk chocolate.
6. Chocolate is the “food of the gods.” Cacao beans come from a tree that is a species of the genus Theobroma, which translated is food of the gods.
7. The shelf life of a bar of chocolate is approximately one year.
8. Chocolate manufacturers use 20 percent of the world’s peanuts and 40 percent of the world’s almonds.
9. Chocolate is a great natural antidepressant. It contains tryptophan which helps you create serotonin, your body’s own antidepressant.
10. In 1842 Cadbury’s in England created the world’s first chocolate bar.
11. The Swiss eat the most chocolate. The average person eats 19lbs a year.
12. Contrary to popular belief, chocolate does not contribute to acne. However the milk in milk chocolate might, so enjoy the benefits of dark chocolate.
13. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and other domestic animals. The theobromine can be too much for small animals.
14. Chocolate is rich in magnesium and iron, which your body needs.
15. Chocolate’s melting point is just below your body temperature, so it melts in your mouth.
