For as long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with chocolate. It’s true. I can’t help myself. My motto on dessert has always been, “if it’s not chocolate, why bother?”
So imagine my surprise when, a few years ago, I heard someone say they “don’t particularly care for it”. This statement boggled my mind. They might as well have been saying they didn’t like puppies, or hugs, or warm sunny days. I could accept the fact that maybe they liked something better, but to not like it at all? Honestly, the possibility never occurred to me. I guess I just assumed that chocolate was universally adored. That everyone was born with a love for it.
Let’s really think about chocolate for a minute. It’s not just the heavenly taste that draws us in, though that is the number one reason in my book. But it’s much more than that. In fact, it’s a feast for all the senses: the rich colors, the sweet smell, even the sound of the word as it rolls off your tongue. Go ahead and say it slowly. CHOCOLATE. Sounds exotic, right?
And then there is how chocolate makes us feel. It’s not just a coincidence that so many people reach for chocolate when they want a pick-me-up. Chocolate has long been heralded for its value as an energy source. A single chocolate chip provides sufficient food energy for an adult to walk 150 feet. Chocolate also contains caffeine and phenylethylamine, a natural substance that stimulates the part of our brain that controls our ability to pay attention and stay alert. Chocolate contains tryptophan too, which helps you create serotonin, your body's own natural antidepressant.
