It's Not Just Food, It's Chocolate

I stare at the wondrous aisle of chocolaty goodness in complete awe. The vast choices send my mind into a whirlwind. Shall I choose the silky, smooth milk chocolate bites, or the lavish caramel filled praline? I could get the handmade truffles that I sometimes treat myself to when I know it is going to be a long day. The heavenly taste always trumps the outrageous price. To hell with it, I will get it all.

People say that I am addicted to chocolate. I simply say that I am an advocate of chocolate. You see, most people don’t know the true benefits of the coveted delight born out of cocoa beans. In the media, chocolate is commonly portrayed as either a romantic gesture, or a glutinous side effect of depression. Let me rid you of those misconceptions right here and now. Chocolate is a gift from the earth. It increases the levels of endorphins released into the brain, which is why it is known as a comfort food. What people don’t know, is that it also releases phenlethylamine, a neurotransmitter that leads to feelings of excitement and alertness. It works somewhat like amphetamines by increasing mood and decreasing depression, but does not result in the same tolerance or addiction. So when you think about it, it is an anti-depressant that cannot become an addiction, and if maintained in proper doses, can be a luxurious, legal upper.

Aside from the more scientific affects of my favorite indulgence, it can be the most beautiful tasting food in the world. Like little bites of pure joy, love, and euphoria mixed into one small package. It brings a smile to my face every time. Biting into that gorgeous heavenly brown feels like velvet in my mouth. My very favorite is when it has a solid shell, but once bitten into, reveals a soft, gooey center. You can mold it into any shape or size you like and make it taste bitter, sweet, fruity, or even fill it with alcohol for those who prefer a more rebellious desert. It is the perfect food. Perhaps it can also lead to a few extra pounds, but I would gladly dedicate a couple of curves to enjoy the happiness that it brings me. For those of who you are fitness obsessed and claim chocolate has too much sugar, I guarantee all the fruit you eat has just as much if not more. So stop being such a health snob and sacrifice a couple of apples for a mini Cadbury chocolate bar, I guarantee you will enjoy your slightly shorter life alit more.

As I share the greatness of what I like to call cocoa-crack, I am eating a Lindt milk chocolate truffle. Its small round frame is a perfect two bites away from consumption. The rich, creamy center sends tingles to my taste buds while my mouth reacts with a huge grin of appreciation. Perhaps chocolate isn’t the most healthy obsession, but I believe it is the most satisfying. So I will leave you with a few of my favorite chocolate quotes and hope that the next time you are looking for a delectable treat, you skip the generic M&Ms and go straight to the fudge:

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces - Judith Viorst

Giving chocolate to others is an intimate form of communication, a sharing of deep, dark secrets - Milton Zelman, publisher of "Chocolate News"

Other things are just food. But chocolate’s chocolate – Patrick Skene Catling

Chocolate makes everyone smile-even bankers – Ben Strohecker, chocolatier