The Lust of Chocolates

Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet once said, "Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates." He must have, definitely, been introduced to the euphoric impact that chocolate tends to have on ones senses and its effect on one’s libido.

Chocolate has, since time immemorial, been immensely popular with children and adults alike. While the little ones feel happy fancying that they too will one day own a chocolate factory like Charlie, the grownups are wooed by its aphrodisiac like properties.

Effect of Chocolate on Women and their Sexual Behaviour

Women have associated chocolate consumption to sex for years. Today, even scientists talk of the existence of a strong relation between the two through a series of tests and experiments.

In a similar study, urologists from Milan's San Raffaele hospital questioned 163 women about their chocolate consumption habit and their sexual fulfillment. The research established that "Women who have a daily intake of chocolate showed higher levels of desire than women who did not have this habit. Chocolate can have a positive physiological impact on a woman's sexuality."

Italian researchers, during the late twentieth century confirmed that women who eat chocolate regularly had the highest levels of desire, arousal and satisfaction from sex. According to studies conducted more recently found that not only does chocolate intensify the sexual appetite but it also stimulates a sense similar to an orgasm.

Dr Andrea Salonia, author of a study on the relationship between chocolate consumption and sexual behaviour of women points out that women, who consume large amounts of chocolate have a more fulfilling sex life. According to her, "Women who suffer mood swings as a result of their menstrual cycle may also suffer a dip in their sexual function. I strongly believe eating chocolate may improve their sexual function."

The Science Behind Chocolate’s Wonder

After years of painstaking study conducted on chocolate’s psychotropic properties, scientists have come to comprehend that even though, chocolates contain stimulants like caffeine and theo-bromine, they are present in very moderate proportions, in fact much lower than in tea and coffee. Stimulants are so low that one would have to consume about 25lbs of dark chocolate in one go to experience an arousal. Therefore, the role of these two stimulants in heightening sexual pleasure is automatically ruled out.

Chocolate is believed to contain another stimulant called - phenyl-ethylamine, which is responsible for initiating the release of dopamine into the pleasure centers which in turn is associated with an orgasm. Consumption of chocolates, especially dark chocolates just before the act, results into a rush of endorphinsdefine, which is quite similar to experiencing the ecstasy, most commonly linked with a good sexual relationship.

Now that the secrets of chocolate lay revealed, there lies no harm in making it an essential element of your mating ritual. So on your way to becoming a chocoholic…are you?

But before you go on trying these chocolates’ virtues, below is a trivia on chocolate history for you to acknowledge those who introduced chocolate in the world.

Tracing the History of Chocolate Making

About 500 years ago, Montezuma, an Aztec ruler, introduced the world to the pleasures of chocolate. He would himself consume about 50 tumblers of liquid chocolate, which he called ‘Chocolat’, before entering his harem. The world owes to Spaniards more than any one, for they carried with them, the aphrodisiac properties of chocolate, and spread it throughout Europe.

It was once again the Spanish, who in the early nineteenth century, thought of giving chocolate its solid appearance. Subsequently, the Italians discovered the procedure of extracting cocoa butter and the Dutch, who, till date are famous for their concentrated version of cocoa, were the ones who later, invented the technique of manufacturing cocoa powder. The credit of giving chocolate its present form must go to the Swiss, for it was them, who invented a series of processes to make chocolate bars. They eventually also found out a way of making profitable use of surplus milk by adding milk to the original recipes of chocolate.