“Drinking chocolate was a complex somatic experience for pre- Columbian and colonial Indians. The emphasis put on flower spices, the frothy foam, the special drinking vessels, and the requisite reddish hue shows that chocolate was valued not only for its effects on the taste buds, but also for the stimulation of the olfactory, tactile, visual, and affective senses.” Marcy Norton, 675
Chocolate is a source of saturated fat (stearic acid and palmitic acid) that protects the body from the toxicity of unsaturated oils and contains a good source of “anabolic” proteins for which chocolate is great for recovery of the body and mind. Chocolate also facilitates and provides a great aid in muscular development.
Chocolate is also a powerful aphrodisiac and great to share with your partner. A great addition to enhance the sexual act and desire in any partnership. Chocolate helps increase blood flow and testosterone which is why the above statements on sex and muscle development are stated as some of the benefits of eating chocolate. Women can “crave” chocolate during PMS because of its magnesium content and also because of its saturated fats and antioxidants.
1. “In this context, Jeanne Calment’s life-long, daily consumption of chocolate comes to mind: As she approaches her 121st birthday, she is still eating chocolate, though she has stopped smoking and drinking wine. The saturated fats in chocolate have been found to block the toxicity of oils rich in linoleic acid, and its odd proteins seem to have an anabolic action.” Raymond Peat, PhD, The problem of Alzheimer’s disease as a clue to immortality – Part 2
2. “Drinking coffee seems to be very protective against developing diabetes. Its niacin and magnesium are clearly important, but it is also a rich source of antioxidants, and it helps to maintain normal thyroid and progesterone production. Chocolate is probably protective too, and it is a good source of magnesium and antioxidants.” Raymond Peat, PhD, Glucose and sucrose for diabetes
3. “The media and industry interests don’t seem to have a problem with real chocolate despite it being predominantly saturated fat (stearic acid & palmitic acid).” Rob Turner
4. “The grandmother of five and great-grandmother of seven said her secret to her longevity was “determination and dark chocolate.”
Her daughter Margaret Sherratt, 75, told the M.E.N. that she has always been a determined woman and that she believed dark chocolate was good for her.” Great grandmother celebrates 104th birthday and reveals secret to her long life is dark chocolate
5. “He absolutely doted on strawberry ice cream and would eat bowls of it from my earliest memory on,” Jonathan Seward said. “His diet was largely a matter of fat, salt, sugar, chocolate, ice cream and vegetables and carbohydrates cooked until they lost all resistance.” Rutgers’ oldest alumnus Walter Seward dies at 111
6. “The body is a system of systems, meaning, no one part of the body works in isolation of itself. Every function is coordinated through two main control systems, the nervous system and endocrine system. The body works 24/7 to maintain homeostasis, and the ability to maintain homeostasis depends largely on the ability to meet the body’s daily energy demands. What does this mean? It means, when we are not consuming the proper amount of nutrition to make up for the energy demands we have placed on the body each and every day, we force the body into a state of compensation, also known as inflammation.
Under states of chronic inflammation the cells become very excitatory. Cellular excitation causes an imbalance of intra-cellular minerals (potassium and magnesium) to extra-cellular minerals (sodium and calcium) which can result in edema (swelling), changes in skeletal bones and hormonal imbalance in the body. It also influences the immune system. In addition, magnesium deficiency increases the production of parathyroid hormone and reduces the production of vitaminD which functions as a hormone and is also needed for mineralization of the bones.
Parathyroid hormone signals the body to release calcium from the bone, which is then deposited in the soft tissues and joints. While this is a corrective feedback mechanism, when calcium is out of balance with magnesium, the high levels of calcium cannot mineralize the bone. This leads to a build up of calcium in the joints, reduced articulation of the joints and joint pain.
This can get pretty tricky but in keeping it simple, anything blocking metabolic function can cause a magnesium deficiency and a magnesium deficiency can block metabolic function. Eating foods containing high amounts of magnesium such as bone broth, fresh fruits, animal protein, shellfish, dark chocolate and in some cases coffee, while avoiding foods containing phytates, such as legumes, beans, grains, nuts and seeds along with proper stress management are all essential pieces to upregulating metabolic health and restoring.” EastWest Healing
7. “Dark chocolate contain not only a healthy level of antioxidants but it also contains stearic acid, a saturated fat that has been found to boost your metabolism.” Kate Deering, My TOP 12 Metabolic Supportive Foods
8. “Looking for a workout recovery drink? Look no further, chocolate milk has continued to be rated as one of the best recovery drinks for post endurance and weight training workouts. Chocolate milk has been shown to improve mineral balance, BMI, muscle recovery, muscle size and strength and performance. No need to waste your money on expensive recovery drinks.” Kate Deering
9. Chocolate milk: a post-exercise recovery beverage for endurance sports.
Pritchett K1, Pritchett R.
10. Chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery aid.
Karp JR1, Johnston JD, Tecklenburg S, Mickleborough TD, Fly AD, Stager JM.
11. Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sport drinks.
Thomas K1, Morris P, Stevenson E.
12. Chocolate milk for recovery from exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials.
Amiri, Ghiasvand, Kaviani, Forbes, Salehi-Abargouei
13. “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” Charles M. Schulz
14. “There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” Linda Grayson
15. “Without pain, how could we know joy?’ This is an old argument in the field of thinking about suffering and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not, in any way, affect the taste of chocolate.” John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
16. “Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn’t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good.” Lora Brody
17. “Can I come back and see you sometime?”
“Long as you bring me some chocolate,” Gramma said, and smiled. “I’m partial to chocolate.”
“Gramma, you’re diabetic.”
“I’m old, girl. Gonna die of something. Might as well be chocolate.” Rachel Caine, The Dead Girls’ Dance
18. “Chocolate says “I’m sorry” so much better than words.” Rachel Vincent, My Soul to Save
19. “He showed the words “chocolate cake” to a group of Americans and recorded their word associations. “Guilt” was the top response. If that strikes you as unexceptional, consider the response of French eaters to the same prompt: “celebration.” Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
20. “Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate.” Jo Brand
21. “Look, there’s no metaphysics on earth like chocolates.” Fernando Pessoa
22. “What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate.” Katharine Hepburn
23. “If there’s no chocolate in Heaven, I’m not going.” Jane Seabrook, Furry Logic Laugh at Life
24. “The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and Shakespeare…neither knew chocolate.” Sandra Boynton
25. “Every now and then, I’ll run into someone who claims not to like chocolate, and while we live in a country where everyone has the right to eat what they want, I want to say for the record that I don’t trust these people, that I think something is wrong with them, and that they’re probably – and this must be said – total duds in bed.” Steve Almond, Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America
26. “Coffee and chocolate—the inventor of mocha should be sainted.” Cherise Sinclair, Hour of the Lion
27. “Chocolate’s better than sex any day.” Cherise Sinclair, Lean on Me
28. “May your life be filled, as mine has been, with love and laughter; and remember, when things are rough all you need is … Chocolate.” Geraldine Solon, Chocolicious
29. “Chocolate symbolizes, as does no other food, luxury, comfort, sensuality, gratification, and love.” Karl Petzke
30. “When we don’t have the words chocolate can speak volumes.” Joan Bauer
31. “I’m pretty sure that eating chocolate keeps wrinkles away because I have never seen a 10 year old with a Hershey bar and crows feet.” Amy Neftzger
32. “If it’s not chocolate, it’s not breakfast.” Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke & Bone
33. “Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power…it is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits.” Justus von Liebig
34. “A little chocolate a day keeps the doctor at bay” Marcia Carrington
35. “Wanna be always Happy? Always carry some chocolate with you ;)” pablo
36. “Chocolate is meant to be eaten with a smile on your face, and love in your heart.” Anthony T. Hincks
37. “As long as there is chocolate, there will be happiness.” Wayne Gerard Trotman
38. “Chocolate should be savored, not rushed.” Rick Riordan, The Sword of Summer
39. “Chocolate. The food of the gods, as my grandma used to call it. And I totally agree. It’s the answer to prayers. Emotional relief. A form of currency. An aphrodisiac. Raw and dark. White and saccharine. Milky sweet. Mouthwatering. It’s all good; I don’t discriminate.” K.K. Allen
40. A Concise History of Chocolate
Image: A Mayan Lord being Offered a Chocolate Drink
