Are chocolate lovers crazy? In my line of business I have encountered many people who just cannot get enough of it, and therefore would qualify for the title of "Crazy For Chocolate Person" (and I'm quite willing to entertain the possibility that I may be one of them). I certainly wouldn't want to be the one nominated for the role of telling some amongst them, that henceforth, they will not be allowed to indulge in their self prescribed elixir of life. The idea that, any suggestion of chocolate being prohibited, could lead to extreme behaviour, has inspired these thoughts and quotations. Do you think I'm crazy?...

In the beginning, there was the word...and the word was Xocalati (Aztec name for cacao, meaning 'bitter water').

There are three important things in life: Love, chocolate,...and..er...and remembering to buy chocolate. (Chocolate is the most popular confectionary flavour in the world).

Last week, I saw a swimming pool full of chocolate liquor; and as usual, I had to go and put my foot in it-well to be honest, it was both feet. (Americans are the largest consumers of chocolate in the world.)

I had a 'near death' experience, and I saw the light, and the light was leading me into a shiny brown, and the shiny brown was surrounded by, what looked like almonds. (The majority of almonds produced, are used in the chocolate industry).

We were the first to build a house completely from chocolate. Two months later, here we are; homeless-but not hungry!

Obviously, the person that said, "Music is the food of life," never tasted it. (Chocolate cravings cannot be satisfied by any flavour other than chocolate).

If chocolates and flowers are the way to a girl's heart, then why do they not make chocolate flowers? (Twice as many women than men eat chocolate).

Susan asked Mary, "So what would you do if I took all that chocolate away?" Mary replied, "So what would you do if you had to carry all that chocolate, and you weren't allowed to leave...Never ever!

"At the end of the day, people are all the same, we all want and need the same things, dont we?" "Yeh right! Speak for yourself dude!" (A study by Dr Gene-Jack Wang, showed increase brain activity in research participants (similar to that of cocaine addicts) when exposed to their favourite foods).

Tomorrow's another day. "Oh dear, back to the shops again."

Money is everything. You can't get chocolate without it. (Americans spend about $13 billion on chocolate annually).

I have become an optimist. The larder isn't half empty; it just has more space for...chocolate... things....

If faith really can move a mountain, then why couldn't she carry a bigger box of chocolates when she visited yesterday?

"I just don't know what you see in that man, After all, he's just a candy store worker." (The average chocolate lover will consume about 14,500 chocolate bars in a lifetime).

"I would run a million miles just to be by your side... The chocolate side of course, not the wafer side."

They say that chocolate gives you a boost of energy. I bought all this chocolate because I'm planning to run a marathon. Sometime soon... Honestly! (Chocolate contains the stimulants: Theobromine, phenylethylamine, serotonin, sugar and caffeine).

Two chocolate chips were sitting on a freshly baked cookie. One looked up at the sky and said, "it's nice here, isn't it?" The other replied, "no, I'd much rather be in a bar."

"So what if I do have a chip on my shoulder? You should see what I have in my pockets." (It is thought that the chocolate chip was invented accidentally by a cook whose chocolate bits didn't melt in a cake she baked).

In the cold light of day, chocolate tastes just right. (When melting chocolate, the temperature should not exceed 115F for dark chocolate and 110F for milk Chocolate).

If you were in my shoes, you'd have very sticky feet. (Cocoa butter is a by-product of the chocolate making process, and is most commonly used in body lotions other such skin related products).

"My son, friends will come, friends will go. But chocolate doesn't have legs."

Who would have thought that chocolate could become so popular, without being featured on a reality TV show. (The UK chocolate confectionary industry boasts sales of 500,000t annually plus exports)


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A bit of chocolate is good for the soul, and good for your body, too. In moderation, of course!

The cacao bean, first cultivated and used by the Olmec people, who lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, and some time after by the Mayans and Aztecs, has been used in dozens of ways, including medicinal.

Chocolate, as we know it today, took a few centuries to evolve into the sweet, delicious, to die for treat that we all know and love. Besides its cocoa-ey, creamy taste, chocolate really does make you feel good. It's not just your imagination!
Here are jut a few of the 300 agents found in chocolate that help bring you those yummy, feel good vibes:

Seratonin - Acts as an antidepressant

Phenylethylamine - A mild mood elevator

Theobromine - A stimulant, related to caffeine, but giving a calmer, more relaxed after effect

Oleic acid - A monounsaturated fat, which can raise good cholesterol

Potassium

Magnesium

Vitamins B1, B2, D and E

Antioxidants

Flavanoids - Help keep blood vessels elastic

Bet you didn't know that....

The smell of chocolate can increase theta brain waves, thereby relaxing you

Cacao contains antibacterial agents that can help prevent tooth decay

Drinking hot chocolate before a meal can lessen your appetite

Men who eat chocolate live a bit longer than those who don't

So, the next time you're feeling the need to have a bite or two of chocolate, go ahead and have it! It's not as bad as you've been led to believe. Unless you consume it in excess, of course. While chocolate does have many positive things going for it, you can't forget the high sugar content in most chocolate confections. That's where all the calories come from. You also should opt for the dark chocolate as opposed to milk chocolate, because that's the type with all those health benefits mentioned above.

So, indulge, but only on occasion. Who doesn't need to feel a little good every now and then? Keep it to a minimum, and you can feel good AND look good, darling!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvonne_Bridges

Whether you are looking for a comfort food, a quick burst of something sweet in your mouth or you just love the feeling of eating it and the taste, you will find that you are certainly not alone when it comes to loving chocolate! Chocolate, which comes from the cocoa bean of South America, is one of the world's most favorite tastes and there is a good reason why!

Chocolate has many things to recommend it, and though there are plenty of jokes about women and chocolate, the truth is that it has that effect on almost everyone. Chocolate is known to stimulate the circulatory system, and when eaten in small amounts, it is an energy rich food. The process of letting chocolate melt in your mouth has the effect of stimulating your brain activity and heart rate; this is essentially the same reaction that you get from passionate kissing, only it lasts four times as long. No wonder people love giving this gift to a spouse or significant other!

People have been eating chocolate in one way or another for more than three thousand years. Many of the peoples of South America have been making chocolate beverages throughout history, though today's chocolate lover might shy away from the bitterness. Pure cacao beans are extremely bitter, and first they must be dried, cleaned and roasted to create cacao nips. Then the nibs are ground down and made into a liquid, which gives pure chocolate liquor, which could be fermented into an alcohol.

The cacao bean was introduced to Europe in the 16th century, when it became an instant favorite with the Spanish court. It was a favorite with the nobility and the people who could afford it, and the taste soon spread to England and to the rest of Europe. A milk chocolate was created in Jamaica, which was originally used for medical purposes, but quickly became a well loved drink.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Calvin