The Food of the Gods Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

The Food of the Gods For over 2000 years, chocolate in its many forms has been enjoyed and its effects have been exalted. It was believed that the Mexican god Quetzalcoatl left the cocoa tree for the people. The Aztec emperor Montezuma is reported to have consumed 50 goblets of chocolate a day. It is called "the food of the gods," literally, as a translation of Theobroma Cacao, the cacao bean. (1). Such a title must imply that chocolate has some naturally occurring superior quality. Why else would we crave it so much more than other foods? For many people, nothing can take the place of chocolate when a craving hits. Chocolate and cocoa have very complex chemical properties and many components. Among the most researched components of chocolate which are thought to have an effect on craving and addiction are fat, theobromine, caffeine, and salsolinol. (2). Fat and sugar are substances naturally craved by the body, and thus although they may play a role in the allure of chocolate, they cannot be responsible for its appeal over other sweets. The caffeine in chocolate is sometimes implicated as part of its addictive properties. However, the amount of caffeine contained in one ounce of chocolate is about 5-35 milligrams, compared to the 140 milligrams found in a cup of brewed coffee. This does not discount the idea that caffeine plays a role in the appeal of chocolate, more likely it compounds the effect of other components. (3). Theobromine, similar to caffeine but present in larger amounts in chocolate, is less potent than caffeine yet still may retain stimulatory effects in large amounts of chocolate. Concentrations of theobromine vary in different chocolate products, and its effect on humans through chocolate has not... ...e.com/chocolate.htm 3) Does cocoa have caffeine in it?, International Cocoa Organization. http://www.icco.org/questions/caffeine.htm 4) Theobromine: Chocolate's Caffeine Cousin . http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/?once=true& 5) In vitro pharmacological activity of the tetrahydroisoquinoline salsolinol present in products from Theobroma cacao like cocoa and chocolate.. http://hub.elsevier.com/pii/S0378874100002919 6) Naloxone, an opiate blocker, reduces the consumption of sweet high-fat foods in obese and lean female binge eaters . http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/61/6/1206?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=drewnowski&searchid=QID_NOT_SET&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX= 7) Psychological and Physiological Characteristics of Sweet Food "Addiction". http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/40004278/ABSTRACT