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Tuesday, December 13, 2005

To Eat or Not To Eat?

Feeling down today. Even a bit nauseous. It happens when i pressurise myself too much, or if i become too angry, sad, disappointed, or missing some stuff or someone terribly. Are you asking which of these I am suffering from? Probably all. And I think the only proper anitidote for the above mentioned is non other than the ever-famous chocolates. Vinod was just telling me yesterday that chocolates need no rhyme or reason. True. And anyway, I think I have a pretty good reason to indulge in some right now. Hmm.. then I think... are chocolates that good? Is chocolate an aphrodisiac? Not really. Chocolate contains small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA) that is a mild mood elevator. It’s the same chemical that our brain produces when we feel happy or "in love." The mild "rush" we get from this substance may be why some people say they’re "addicted" to chocolate. Will I live longer if I eat chocolate? Perhaps. A Harvard University study found that men who ate chocolate lived one year longer than those who didn’t. Scientist think that chocolate contains chemicals that help keep blood vessels elastic and increase beneficial antioxidants in the bloodstream Chocolate can elevate your mood. Despite the above facts, self-professed chocolate addicts aren’t delusional. Some researchers believe their obsession is more likely the result of learned behaviors and cultural factors rather than chemicals. As for chocolate’s mood-altering properties—carbohydrates present in the sweet can raise serotonin levels in the brain and lead to a feeling of well-being. Chocolate contains flavonoids and anti-oxidants. According to these studies, chocolate is chock-full of flavonoids—naturally-occurring compounds found in the cacao plant, as well as in red wine, tea, fruits and vegetables. Recent research suggests that these flavonoids may have potentially beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. They may also act as antioxidants, which are believed to prevent or delay certain damage to the body’s cells and tissues. Choosing Healthy Chocolates. As some recent studies suggest, chocolate—in moderation—may be good for your health. For instance, chocolate contains antioxidants (which may help prevent cardiovascular disease) and stearic acid (which may increase levels of HDL "good" cholesterol). Will chocolate raise my cholesterol levels? Contrary to popular misconception, eating lots of chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol levels. Chocolate contains stearic acid, which is a neutral fat that does not raise bad cholesterol (LDL). Also, the cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat. This is the same type of fat found in olive oil that may actually raise good cholesterol (HDL).
Info courtesy of California Academy of Sciences
Right... so not too many good reasons to not indulge in my chocolate huh? So there I go ahead with some MARKS & SPENCER Swiss Chocolate Extra Fine (Milk with Hazelnuts). Ermm.. Sorry Vinod and Naresh... This was actually bought for you guys.

4 Comments:

Blogger Leela Vinod Kumar said...

well, well, well.. if it isn't my (sorry, our) chocolates to the rescue.. anyways this shd put me onto the road to obesity (atleast now)... ok loads of info, some words here and there tht really don't make sense nor did i bother finding out(like phenylethyl..something) and all these FAQs later, i think all point in the same direction, the same path i have asked u to tread.. eat, eat my child coz chocolates need no occassion, reason or anything at all.. u can make anything the reason (or the absence of one) for having a chocolate... frm a mere slab of plain one to one fully loaded with all sorts of things.. anything and everything will do..

12/14/2005 04:40:00 AM  
Blogger Pandhu said...

you think i found out abou penylethyl??? the info just supported my argument. so what the hell.

12/14/2005 08:10:00 AM  
Blogger Jeevan said...

I got a nice information about chocolate from this post. The Chocolate which containes COCO are having fats, so i try to avoid chocolate containes more coco.

12/14/2005 08:20:00 PM  
Blogger Pandhu said...

thanks for that piece of advice thennavan.
Actually milk chocolates arent that good either.

12/14/2005 11:50:00 PM  

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