The Seductive Qualities of Chocolate: Mood, Emotion and Addiction

Chocolate comes from the seeds of the tropical tree named Theobroma cacao (Theobroma means "food of the gods" in Greek). The Aztecs valued chocolate as a food that was for the divine, and thus only royalty and the priests could enjoy it. They made hot liquid drinks that they called "chocolatl", which was believed to be linked with wisdom and fertility (this may explain why people believe chocolate possesses aphrodisiac properties. The Spaniards who had invaded Mexico brought back the drink to Europe in the early 1500s, but the Europeans found it to be unpalatable.

It wasn't until milk, sugar and cocoa butter was combined that chocolate was enjoyed by the Europeans. These days chocolate is consumed all over the world and holds a seductive allure that many seem to be unable to resist. Some go to extremes with their chocolates, ordering gourmet ones online when they are unable to afford to, or sneaking little chocolate morsels into their mouths even when they are on a restricted diet. What, experts ask, is so special about chocolate that it tempts and triumphs over us? Well, experts have discovered that chocolate possesses various substances that affect moods and our feelings, and can even be physiologically addicting.

Chocolate fanatics may be lured in by the substance not only because of its sweet, decadent flavor, nor by its high magnesium content as many experts had suspected, but by its addictive properties. Chocolate actually activates the same part of your brain as certain opiates do, such as heroin or morphine. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, or PEA, which is an amphetamine-like chemical. PEA is a neurotransmitter which has been found to have psychoactive effects on an individual. It is even richer in theobromine. Theobromine has an uplifting and stimulating effect on the mind, as well as a chemical structure similar to caffeine.

According to a study by the University of Michigan, when the opiate blocker naloxone is administered, chocolate's seductive effects were reduced. With naxolone in their bloodstreams, the participants reduced their consumption of chocolates by ninety per cent, meaning they were considerably less vulnerable to the addictive pull of chocolate.

With the usage of positron emission tomography, the patterns and localized areas of brain activity of those eating chocolate have been able to be determined. Scientists have found that while people are eating chocolate, they experience heightened blood flow to certain areas of the brain, such as the frontal cortex and the midbrain. These areas are also activated by drugs such as cocaine. Apparently, while people are eating chocolate, they are rewarded by feelings of pleasantness that are generated as these specific parts of the brain are being activated.