| p>Chocolate is a healthy food with aphrodisiac | | | | those found in tea and red wine, scientifically proven to |
| qualities. It is great for our heart in more than a | | | | be very healthy. |
| romantic way. As chocolate is great for cleaning our | | | | Besides being very tasty, chocolate is very important |
| blood vessels, and as we need a high rate of blood | | | | as part of healthy eating patterns. The variety of |
| being pumped throughout our body when we exercise | | | | chocolates, like dark chocolate which is strong |
| or make love, chocolate is the answer. | | | | flavoured and less sweet which final flavour and |
| Chocolate tastes great and it is prepared in multiple | | | | quality depends on the appropriate mix and quality of |
| forms, in such a way it is very difficult not finding the | | | | chocolate beans as the manufacturing process itself. |
| right taste and texture for us. | | | | Chocolate is considered by some as the food of gods. |
| Chocolate is great for breakfast,, for Valentines Day, | | | | Chocolate history is fascinating. From the fisrst cocoa |
| Mothers Day, for a romantic encounter, and it is | | | | beans prized by the Aztecs to the production in Britain |
| awesome if we want to say I love you, or just to let | | | | of the first known commercial chocolate bars, this |
| somebody know we care. It is great for kids and | | | | history is fascinating and complex at the same time. |
| adults alike. | | | | There are so many varieties of blends, that it is |
| There are so many presentations we should not have | | | | possible to find great books with mouth watering |
| any problem finding the right one for every opportunity. | | | | recipes which celebrate the intriguing history and |
| It is lovely to be given gourmet chocolate that you | | | | culinary popularity of one of the most evocative |
| would not normally buy for yourself, but you could also | | | | world's treasures. |
| include a jar of chocolate sauce, a tin of luxury hot | | | | More than 3000 years ago the Mayans and Aztecs |
| chocolate or some chocolate cookies. | | | | consumed chocolate. They used cocoa beans as |
| It is a well known fact that chocolate is the most | | | | currency. In 1502 on his fourth and last voyage to the |
| famous desert known to men and women. There is | | | | New World, Christopher Columbus came upon a |
| no culture on planet earth without a great recipe we | | | | canoe that was transporting agricultural products |
| can enjoy for any ocassion. You are entitled to | | | | including cocoa beans. He seized the content of the |
| prepare, serve and enjoy the most gorgeous sweet | | | | canoe and brought cacao back to Spain. Chocolate |
| treats on earth. | | | | became popular in Europe decades later when the |
| Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tree | | | | Spaniards added sugar to the cacao. |
| Theobroma cacao. Theobroma is Greek for 'food of | | | | Chocolate candy bars, after-dinner mints, brownies, |
| the gods'. The ancient Aztecs venerated the cacao | | | | truffles, doughnuts, chocolate milk-if it has chocolate in |
| tree and used its beans as a form of currency. They | | | | it, we eat it. Hot, cold, solid, liquid, over ice cream...even |
| saw the tree as a source of strength and wealth and | | | | over meat?! Yes, a Mexican sauce called "mole" uses |
| assigned their god Quetzalcoatl its guardian. | | | | unsweetened chocolate in a sauce that is served over |
| Chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, natural | | | | meat. It's a versatile flavor, chocolate. Chocolate has |
| body hormones that generate feelings of pleasure and | | | | been blamed for acne and tooth decay, but research |
| well-being. Chocolate contains a natural 'love drug'. | | | | has found that it is innocent of these evils. That must |
| Tryptophan is a chemical that the brain uses to make | | | | have made lots of people worldwide sigh in relief: the |
| a neurotransmitter called serotonin. High levels of | | | | chocolate industry sells five billion dollars worth of |
| serotonin, produce feelings of elation, even ecstasy - | | | | chocolate each year in the U.S. alone. The U.S. is only |
| hence the name of the designer drug that also works | | | | the eighth largest consumer of chocolate. Switzerland, |
| by increasing serotonin levels. | | | | whose citizens eat more than 21 pounds per person |
| Scientist from California University published in 2001 the | | | | each year, leads the world in chocolate consumption. |
| results of investigations conducted by them which | | | | Chocolate contains approximately 380 known |
| suggests that comsumption of certain chocolates can | | | | chemicals, so it is no wonder it is difficult to figure out |
| modulate the synthesis of certain hormone-like | | | | why chocolate is such a favorite treat. And who is to |
| compounds or cicosanoids which may help to maintain | | | | say that it is only one or two things in chocolate that |
| cardiovascular health by reducing blood vessel | | | | cause us to feel happy? Many of the chemicals in |
| vulnerability and platelet clumping. | | | | chocolate are found in other foods, yet we do not buy |
| Fine chocolate is produced with the highest quality | | | | heart-shaped bananas to show that special someone |
| natural ingredients and each variety has its own | | | | that we care for them. It may be a unique chemical |
| distintic character which is carefully enhanced by the | | | | combination that gives chocolate its edge over vanilla, |
| best cooks around the world. | | | | berry, and caramel. Chocolate has been said to |
| As chocolate is made using the best cocoa beans, the | | | | improve mood. |
| final product contains many of the healthy compounds | | | | Chocolate is a great food, and a great treat for |
| from plants, including minerals, like iron copper, zinc and | | | | friends, loved ones, and a great companion for |
| magnesium and great antioxidants like polyphenols, like | | | | romantic encounters. |