Irresistible, powerful, formidable chocolate commands a post. It embodies love, happiness, relaxation, joy, optimism, good times… and that’s because it is The Great(est) Mood Enhancer. When we eat chocolate, our levels of happy hormones run wild and our eyes scintillate (or shut) in elation. Going back to the times of the Aztec Empire, we already see politically charged moves motivated by this dark and mysterious “cacao.” The commodity of cacao held such great economic power for the Aztecs that it catalyzed their conquest of land. Drinking chocolate in this time period was a symbol of nobility, wealth and status.

Nothing has changed. Its magnificent effects on our brain and devoted hearts are ennobling, luxurious, uplifting, and also powerfully heart-opening. Chocolate produces as big an increase in psychoactive brain activity and heart electricity as a passionate kiss. But believe it or not, the effects of chocolate last four times longer. [In which case, I’ll take both simultaneously for exponential effects😉]

By Dr. Blog’s precise orders, prescribe yourself anywhere from 25-100g of dark chocolate—once, twice or as I do, thrice—daily as a recommended dose of phenylethylamine to help lift the cloak of winter, career, relationship, or any other of life’s doldrums. For a list of my most effective selections, refer to previous post—>Sexual Chocolate. I’ll take advantage of this opportunity to add a few more noteworthy suggestions to my original list:

Firetree 69% (best of the best of the best)
Francois Pralus Fortissima 80% Dark
Dick Taylor Brown Butter and Cocoa Nibs
Dar Chocolate Art Bar, Hazelnut Milk Chocolate
Auro Chocolate, Mana 85% Dark
Frog Hollow Farm Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles
Francois Pralus, Barre Infernale Noire
Goodnow Farms Chocolate Café Con Leche 63%
Dick Taylor Vanilla Milk Chocolate 55%
Fjak, Hazelnuts and Dark Chocolate Spread (this on a square of any dark or milk chocolate bar and life will stop for a good minute or two)
Chow Chocolat NY Artisan Cognac Truffles (Etsy)
The Conscious Bar, Espresso Crunch
Creek House Patisserie Organic Vegan Espresso Bonbons (Etsy)
Dr. Bronner’s Dark 70% Roasted Whole Hazelnuts
Meurisse, 73% Himalayan Salt
Fjak, Thailand Dark 85%
Luisa Abram Rio Purús Wild Cocoa 81%
Belvie Black Pearl of the Mekong 85%
Chocolarder Mocha Truffles

Phenylethylamine, also known as the “Love Drug,” is an amino acid which chemically inspires, energizes and relaxes the brain and the heart. And it is precisely why (dark) chocolate is said to be an aphrodisiac. So, too, is chocolate rich in Anandamide, also known as the “Bliss Molecule.” This neurotransmitter helps regulate physiological processes, like mood, appetite, sleep, and immune response. Chocolate also contains a gentle (and superior) stimulant called Theobromine which gives the body steady energy without the crash, and which, unlike caffeine, works the cardiovascular rather than the nervous system.

Ah but the superpowers of chocolate do go on. According to Harvard Medical School, flavanols (found in dark chocolate and pure cocoa) benefit human brain function. Studies demonstrated improved brain blood flow, oxygen levels, and nerve function along with a doubling stem-cell count after consistent consumption of cocoa drinks over a period of 3 months.

CHOCOLATE, YOU ARE CLEARLY THE LOVER’S AND GENIUS’ DRUG OF CHOICE

Fun facts about chocolate:

1. The scientific name for the cacao tree, Theobroma, translates to “Food of the Gods.”
2. It takes roughly an entire year for a cocoa tree to produce enough beans to make ONLY TEN 100g chocolate bars. (WHATTTT?????!!!!!!!!!)
3. Chocolate is superior to even the most superior, complex and nuanced of wines. Yes, according to the American Chemical Society, it contains over 600 flavor compounds in comparison to red wine, reported to have close to only 200.
4. During the Revolutionary War, some soldiers fought for freedom in exchange for chocolate, logically.
5. The Chocolate Industry is worth over $75 Billion per year globally, logically.
6. The amount of Nobel Laureates within a country, and its amount of chocolate consumption is intriguingly correlated. Apparently the more chocolate eaten, the more awarded geniuses. Makes perfect sense.
7. Throughout human history, people have utilized chocolate to pay for debts and transactions. This should still make sense.
8. Marie Antoinette not only ate cake, but also guzzled bountiful amounts of decadent hot chocolate. The drink was often served at the Palace de Versailles, mainly for its effects as an aphrodisiac. Clearly her fetish. Would History have changed had she Let Them Eat Chocolate?🤔