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Chocolate's reputation as an Aphrodisiac
originated in South America over one thousand five hundred years
ago, where it is known that it was thought to have mystical and
aphrodisiac qualities by both the Mayan and Aztec cultures - the
Aztec emperor, Monteczuma drank
fifty golden goblets of chocolate a day to enhance his sexual
prowess -. So when chocolate was discovered by the
Spanish Conquistadors and introduced to Europe by Cortez, it was
natural that the Spanish, and eventually, the rest of the world,
continued to associate it with love. The reasons for this can be
seen in the observed affects of chocolate on human behavior.
Chocolate
is a very complex food source, so complex in fact that
scientists are only now beginning to unlock it's secrets. Among
it's many other constituents, Chocolate has been found to
contain substances called Phenylethylamine and Seratonin,
both of which (put simply), are
mood lifting agents. Both occur naturally in the human brain and
are released by the brain into the nervous system when we are happy
and also when we are experiencing feelings of love, passion
and/or (dare I say it?) lust. This causes a rapid mood
change, a rise in blood pressure, increasing the heart rate and
inducing those feelings of well being, bordering on euphoria
usually associated with being in love.
Eating
chocolate also releases Phenylethylamine and Seratonin
into the system, producing those same euphoric effects. This
phenomenon has been scientifically observed, so it's not
unreasonable to assume that it's probably these effects which
gave rise to chocolates reputation as an aphrodisiac. Both these
substances can also be mildly addictive, explaining why
chocoholics are chocoholics. Plus eating Chocolate gives an
immediate and substantial energy boost thus increasing stamina.
Although
the famous lover, Casanova is said to have consumed chocolate
for it's aphrodisiac qualities before frolicking with his
conquests, recent research suggests that women are more
susceptible to the effects of Phenylethylamine and Seratonin
than men. Casanova obviously didn't know this as there's no
mention of him sharing his chocolate with the ladies, or maybe
he thought his charms alone were enough to guarantee
success.
So there
you have it, calling Chocolate an
aphrodisiac may be stretching it a bit, but eating chocolate
does make you feel good and may even induce or 'mimic' the
feelings of being in love...
So, aphrodisiac or
not, if you want to ensure your loved one’s
devotion, a gift of chocolate is the way to do it and you can’t
do better than a gift of Janet's chocolates, handmade in the
English countryside, specially for a loved one!
Click Here to Buy a chocolate gift on line
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