Should chocolate labels come with a warning? “Consume with caution!”
In different cultures around the world, a variety of foods are considered aphrodisiacs or “love drugs”. However, one food that is almost universally known to make you drowsy with lust is that divine confection from the cacao bean. Chocolate, when consumed, is believed to make lovers plunge into a fit of passion. With its supposed increased libido abilities, no wonder chocolate flies off the shelf every year at Valentine’s Day!
Chocolate can thank its power to the “feel good” micronutrients that release endorphins in your body. But, hormones aside, there is nothing more sensual than biting into some really luscious chocolate with your paramour. This simple act can become one of the most intimate, indulgent experiences. So whether you’re sharing an ooey-gooey molten lava cake or an entire box of assorted chocolates those neurotransmitters in the brain are firing at high speed, increasing your heart rate and heightening the electricity between the two of you.
Chocolate the Superfood
When it comes to choosing the right chocolate for your loved one, remember not all chocolate is created equal. Milk and white chocolate, while delicious, don’t contain the antioxidants, or flavonoids, that dark chocolate does. To really get the blood flowing you want to choose chocolate that contains 70% or more cocoa. And we know that you plan to feed this to the person you’re sweet on– but the more bitter the chocolate, the better. Dark chocolate contains so many wonderful properties that it’s so hard not to enjoy yourself and that special someone around you when eating – from the sugar and the caffeine to the stimulating chemical reactions in your body, what more do you need?
And it seems that the health benefits of dark chocolate are touted high and low these days! The flavonoids in dark chocolate help increase circulation throughout the body, reduce stress, and improve your mood and energy levels. Not to mention that it affects the part of the brain that is in charge of the sexual arousal hormones – serotonin and amphetamine.
And chocolate is so accessible these days that it’s something that everyone can get their hands on. There is always something for everyone in the market. So next time you are trying to woo your partner into a special evening, and your wallet doesn’t afford you a three-course meal with oysters and champagne at a Michelin starred restaurant – look no further than the candy aisle at your local supermarket. Or if you are really looking to impress, scour the Internet for a dark chocolate recipe that will knock the socks off (literally) of your lover. My all-time favorite is a decadent dark chocolate cake – simple, but oh so delicious.
Passion is so important for any relationship. And it’s inevitable that relationships may hit slumps. Dark chocolate is just one way to try to keep that passion alive and going. So whether you get creative in the kitchen, or make a special trip to a boutique chocolatier, your evening may be prime for passion.
