Chocolate is a favorite of many, many people. The popular idea is that it has mood-enhancing compounds in it that make us enjoy it so much. But researchers at the University of Bristol asked people to take capsules with either cocoa or starch in them without telling them which was which. Guess what. No big difference, although the cocoa group did report feeling a bit more alert. That was possibly from the little bit of caffeine in it.

Come to think of it, if the reason we crave chocolate is the natural substances in cocoa beans, then the most undiluted, darkest chocolate would be the most popular. Actually, it’s the chocolate made by the alkalai process that removes more constituents that is then diluted with lots of sugar and milk or just coats some other nice thing, like nuts or caramel, or whatever, that people like most in Europe and most of the U.S. So another favorite idea bites the dust.

The researchers say it’s the total sensuous experience that counts. I’ll go along with that. I believe you can eat anything on a healthy diet. Just not very much.

Take heart, though, researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, has found that flavinoids in dark chocolate at good for the heart. You need about an ounce of 75-85% chocolate a day. They will be running clinical tests to prove this and I would definitely volunteer for that, even at roughly 165 calories. –Di

You can check out the BBC’s article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6991289.stm

chocolate, dark chocolate, Weight Loss