It’s the third day of Valentine week and it's chocolate day! Have you ever wondered why chocolate holds such a special place in celebration of love? Is it just for its sweet taste or is there something more to it? 

Chocolate with a botanical name ‘Theobroma cacao’, literally translating to ‘food of the Gods’, is a heavenly food with a unique taste and power to evoke a multisensory pleasure. Irrespective of the form it is savored in, (as a chocolate bar, a cookie, gourmet goodies, a chocolate drink, decadent desserts or any other form), indulging in chocolate is always a heavenly and pleasurable experience. 

In addition to its taste, chocolate has multiple health benefits and has for long been hailed as an aphrodisiac. But is chocolate actually an aphrodisiac or just enjoys the reputation of being a sweet love potion due to its power of persuasion. Let us find the truth through this health article.

Chocolate as an aphrodisiac

Chocolate stimulates certain areas of the brain, that stimulate the brain to release ‘feel good’ hormones. Additionally, the cacao in the chocolate contains a few chemicals such as phenylethylamine (PEA), tryptophan and amino acid called L-arginine. 

  • PEA is an amphetamine-like substance and is often dubbed the ‘love drug’. PEA is known to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and trigger the release of hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine giving you a pleasurable feeling. 
  • Tryptophan is a building block of serotonin, the hormone that is released when you are sexually attracted to another person.
  • The amino acid L-arginine increases nitric oxide release and promotes blood circulation to the sexual organs, additionally L-arginine is an effective and natural compound that increases sexual desires in both women and men.

What chocolates are good for you?

When it comes to reaping maximum health benefits out of your chocolate indulgence, it is always advisable to choose dark chocolates. Dark chocolates contain higher amounts of flavonoids than the white or milk chocolates. And as a general rule, the more cocoa a chocolate product contains, the greater are the health benefits.

What chocolates do you need to avoid?

Not all chocolates are good. It is best to avoid chocolates that are chewy, loaded with caramel, or are cream-covered.

Other health benefits of chocolate

In addition to being a potent aphrodisiac, chocolates provide multiple other health benefits. Chocolates are mood elevators, they relieve stress, lower blood pressure, reduce the LDL or bad cholesterol levels, increase blood circulation to the brain.

How much dark chocolate should you eat to get the health benefits?

Although dark chocolates contain flavonoids that are good-for-you, indulging in too much chocolate may not be good for you as the chocolates also contain sugar and empty calories that may override the health benefits. Studies state that eating up to 40g of dark chocolates per day is good for your heart and general health.

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