The Emblematic Food of Valentine’s Day!

NATURE’S ANTIDEPRESSANT

Dark Chocolate, also good for heart and brain function is magnesium, plentiful in cacao, as are B vitamins, which support brain health, too. The mood evaluation associated with eating chocolate is probably due to these nutrients, as well as the neurotransmitters and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which occur naturally in cacao.
Additionaly, the low amount of caffeine in cacao acts as a gentle stimulant; 1oz (25g) of dark chocolate contains about 20mg of caffeine, the equivalent of 1 cup (250ml) of green tea. Think of chocolate as natural’s antidepressant. With all those mood-and health-supporting components, chocolate truly deserves its place as the emblematic food of Valentine’s Day! To ensure you’re getting more goodness and less sugar, dairy, and other additives, choose organic dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content.

Caroline Cski, CHNP (“Alive” Canada’s Natural Health and Wellness Magazine) Feb 2008
Presented by http://happychocolate.net/

Love drug?

Chocolate contains a natural 'love drug'...

Tryptophan is a chemical that the brain uses to make a neurotransmitter called serotonin. High levels of serotonin can produce feelings of elation, even ecstasy - hence the name of the designer drug that also works by increasing serotonin levels.
While tryptophan could be considered 'chocolate's ecstasy', another chemical called phenylethylamine has earned the nickname 'chocolate amphetamine.' High levels of this neurotransmitter help promote feelings of attraction, excitement, giddiness and apprehension. Phenylethylamine works by stimulating the brain's pleasure centres and reaches peak levels during orgasm.
But many scientists are sceptical that chocolate could produce mood-altering effects in this way. Chemicals like tryptophan and phenylethylamine, which are also found in many other foodstuffs, are present in chocolate only in very small quantities

Love at First Bite...

Why Chocolate Makes Us Feel Good?

When it comes to tasting chocolate, the brain responds in the same way-by falling madly in love, it’s like nature wants us to become chocoholics.
Why else would chocolate trigger the same brain responses as falling in love? Small wonder isn’t it, that tongues hangout and hearts skip a beat around chocolate. When you hear in best news of the century for chocolate lovers- that Good Quality Chocolate is Healthy for you - it’s time to get serious.


Several more obscure chocolate ingredients seem to act by affecting the brain's own neurotransmitter network.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers of the brain. They work by transporting electrical signals between nerve cells. These signals cause changes in the sensations and emotions that we experience.

Dininely Gelicious gift of Health , Longevity, and Love.

Chocolate's good for your skin?

It's true!
Antioxidant compounds in cocoa, called flavanols, improve artery health by boosting blood flow, and that boost may be good for your skin, too. Researchers discovered this chocolate benefit in a study of women who consumed half a cup of cocoa (containing 329 milligrams of flavanols per serving, the amount in a 3-½ ounce serving of dark chocolate) daily for 12 weeks.At the end of the study, the women experienced less skin dryness, scaling, and roughness compared to the beginning of the study. Also, their skin was thicker, exhibited improved blood flow, and was even more resistant to sun damage. Pretty amazing. Still, don't toss your sunscreen and indulge in mass quantities of chocolate. Consume the sweet in moderation and apply sunscreen every day when you'll be outdoors for 20 minutes or more.

For more skin tips, take the RealAge Skin Care Assessment for personalized advice and recommendations. Originally published on 09/14/2006.

Chocolate, superfruits, omega-3 and wholegrains...– four of the trends in four of the trends in
packaged goods tipped by ProductScan Online to take the market by storm in.