Why Men Give Women Chocolate

For generations men have been giving women chocolate to show their affection for them. Chocolate makers love to see Birthdays, Christmas and Valentine's Day come around. They know that it's money in their pockets. It's as common a gift as flowers when a man wants to apologize and diamonds when they want to propose marriage. But what is it about chocolate that's made it the symbol of love? Is it more than just a modern marketing ploy?

One chemical in chocolate is phenethylamine. It acts like a antidepressant and makes us feel good. Another chemical in chocolate is anadamine. It also contributes to feelings of well being and euphoria. These chemicals encourage the brain to produce serotonin which encourages feelings of well being. These chemicals combine to give women many of the same feelings as being in love. So you can see why men are so keen to give it as a present!

Research shows that the chocolate melting in your mouth causes an increase in your brain activity and in your heart rate. The chocolate increases this activity even more than hot and heavy kissing would do. This phenethylamine has the same affects as a sexual stimulant. Women who eat chocolate have been found to have more interest in sex. They have higher levels of desire and arousal. They also reported greater satisfaction.

Chocolate makes women feel better, helps relieve stress, helps get them in a romantic mood and results in greater pleasure and satisfaction. Why would any man not want to give chocolate to the woman he ís in a relationship with or cares about?

By Antony Gardner

The Real Reasons Women Love Chocolate

For most women, when they want to eat something to make them feel better, they choose chocolate. Women all over the world think of chocolate as their comfort food. Why do so many women consider it their favorite food?

First of all, the chemical phenylethylamine, in chocolate has a good reaction with the human brain. One interaction with the brains chemicals produces a mild antidepressant effect. Nothing major, just a mild feel good reaction. Anadamide is another chemical in chocolate that gives us feelings of calmness, well being and a "rightness" with the world. Neither of these chemicals causes a big change, but both are strong enough to be felt.

Chocolate also helps your brain release serotonin which gives you a feeling of pleasure. Chocolates melting point is just above body temperature. So it melts in your mouth perfectly. This feeling is associated with sensual pleasure. A study found that the "melting in your mouth effect" results in an increase in the brain activity and an increase in heart rate. These increases are stronger than what a passionate kiss gives you. And they last up to four times longer!

Phenylethylamine has also been shown to bring on the same feelings of happiness and joy as being in love. Chocolate is obviously delicious and now there is an added benefit. Shortly before a woman's menstrual cycle, blood glucose and serotonin levels drop. Eating chocolate raises those levels and helps adjust the hormone imbalance. The serotonin that chocolate encourages the brain to produce, also acts like a sedative.

By Antony Gardner

Go to School & Learn How to Make Chocolate

Learning how to make chocolate is not that different from knowing how to bake cookies or cake. There are books that you can read and related material online. But if you want to learn from one of the professionals, you have to go to school and sign up for one of the short courses. Most of the chocolate courses you will find cannot be completed in a week.

This is because before you get your hands dirty, you have to understand the history and the chemistry before you are taught the various techniques of making them and how to sell them. You also have to remember that there is a science to making a quality product that people would want to have after they have tasted it for the first time.

For those who want to make their own product instead of just melting blocks, you will need to learn how to outsource beans, creating your flavor profile and then producing these in bulk. There are also courses on quality control to make sure those who decide to go into the business are able to sustain what they have started. Another program that is like a master's degree in chocolate making has classes and tours to chocolate factories not only in the US but in Canada, Belgium, France and Italy.

For those who don't have the time to give up their regular jobs, they can learn about making chocolate online. Schools that offer this make sure the curriculum is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can start and stop anytime you want so you are able to remember everything that is taught before moving on to the next module. After finishing the program, you can use your knowledge to start your own business or look for work within the backing, catering, confectionery or food service industry. This isn't bad even if you have never taken baking classes before because the learning process takes you from basic skills to more advance work. Some of these schools also offer internship programs so you can practice what you have learned under the direction of a master chocolatier.

But nothing compares to education right there inside the kitchen. You just need to make the time and if you can't make it to classes on weekdays, see if there are those being offered on weekends. The cost of tuition in chocolate making schools varies depending on the type of program and also if this is done in the kitchen or at home. For those who decide to learn in the kitchen, they don't have to worry because all the materials they need will already be provided.

For those at home, they have to buy these from the craft store and make do with what they have. Learning how to make chocolate with the help of trained professionals is much better than trying to perfect how it is done through trial and error. After all, it is an exact science when it comes to mixing the ingredients and a little bit of marketing if you are planning to sell this product in the market. Once you get the hang of things, you can try some experiments to make concoctions of your own. After all, chocolates do not always come in boxes.

By Carlos Montenegro

Chocolate Covered Strawberries - A Delicious Combination

The dipping of lush red strawberries into chocolate for the making of different types of desserts has been a common practice for many years. As a matter of fact, no one can quite recall when this tempting dish was first created. However, the idea of mixing sweet and tart has led to this dish becoming a particular favorite of many people!

Since fruits are our top vitamin providers, dipping different fruits into chocolate has become a favorite method of creating a healthy, scrumptious dessert! The different types of fruits that can be covered with chocolate are: apples, apricots, cherries, strawberries, peaches, grapes, and a variety of other tropical fruits. In today's world, strange and exotic tasting chocolates are favored more than the normal chocolate bars. In fact, different chocolates are being tried out and released into the market every year, with claims of exotic tastes to tempt the jaded palate! Bearing this in mind, the makers of chocolate covered strawberries create new recipes, with a special flair used to bring out the tart sweetness of the berry, mixed with the melting scrumptiousness of the chocolate covering!

In some countries, chocolate covered strawberries are created using dried strawberries. Although these do taste wonderful, there is nothing quite like the taste of freshness! If you're ever on a tour to Malaysia, make sure you visit their chocolate industry. While the actual chocolate is rather standard, the fruits that are dipped in it are so varied, it boggles the mind! However, you ought to be prepared for dry, tart and spicy!

So where was this art of making chocolate dipped strawberries first born? Although it isn't exactly known, there are some wild theories that this practice first began with the Sultans in the Arab World. However, considering the fact that strawberries seem to be found mostly in wet climes, this theory doesn't seem to be valid!

Chocolate covered strawberries are a treat in any season and more so when they're out of season! When creating this wonderful dish, make sure that you've got the freshest strawberries in the market! Perfectly ripened ones have a taste that's out of this world, but ensure that there are no stragglers with green on them, or you might just be serving more tartness than sweetness!

What you need to create this wonderful dessert:

30-40 fresh, ripe strawberries (with the green stalks cut off)

250 g of Chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate bar whether dark or milk chocolate

Approx. 40 thin skewers of bamboo

How to make chocolate dipped strawberries:

* First of all, wash the strawberries with warm water, to remove any dirt and germs. Let them dry out gently, but completely, or the chocolate won't take.
* Place the chocolate chips or favorite chocolate bars in a small pan. Take a larger pan, and add some water, and then put it to boil.
* Cover the smaller pan containing the chocolate to prevent any moisture from mixing with the chocolate, since this may cause it to seize. Place the smaller pan atop the larger one, but not so that the water from the larger one overlaps the smaller pan.
* Alternatively, just place the chocolate chips or chocolate bars in a glass bowl, cover and use the microwave to melt it. A minute should be enough!
* After the chocolate has melted, place each strawberry onto a skewer, and then dip into the melted chocolate. While removing the strawberry, rotate the skewer to form swirling patterns as well as to cover any nooks left with chocolate.
* Turn the strawberry upwards by inverting your hand to let the chocolate settle with an extra bite at the tip!
* Place the dipped strawberries on absorbent paper after the chocolate has hardened slightly.
* And you're done!

For the ultimate chocolate sensation, chocolate dipped strawberries should be eaten the same day that they're dipped, for the ultimate decadent delight! Storing these in the fridge is done, but not advised since the chocolate may firm up in a haphazard manner.

Chocolate covered strawberries can be served as an elaborate dessert, normally set within a silvered tray, and eaten with a chilled glass of red! However, having chocolate dipped chocolates for high teas or during breakfast is also a wonderful idea (even if it isn't mother recommended)!

The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

"A true chocolate lover finds ways to accommodate his passion and make it work with his lifestyle." - Julie Davis

Dark chocolate, sometimes referred to as plain chocolate, is manufactured by adding fat and sugar to the cacao bean, without milk being added. Some would say milk contaminates the purity of the cacao bean. Perhaps they are right, I won't argue though! If you are going to eat chocolate, then choose a dark chocolate candy bar or the same in smaller quantity. It is one of the many varieties of chocolate available today, not necessarily a favorite of everyone, but definitely a healthy choice. You can purchase bars, truffles, drinks, and more. The awesome thing about this is, no matter what form you choose, you can still enjoy the heath benefits of dark chocolate.

What is the Value of Dark Chocolate?

There are quite a few different benefits offered by dark chocolate. Not only is it delicious, but for one it can be used to enhance moods. This should be law on a Monday. If you ever feel down in the dumps you can eat some chocolate and it can make you feel better, as proven medically. Just look in the face of a child whose crying and put chocolate on the tongue and you'll see! Chocolate actually contains quite a few different chemicals that are associated with happy emotions. Holidays, like Christmas, Easter and Valentines Day are a perfect examples of happy celebrations that include all kinds of chocolate.

Dark chocolate is also full of antioxidants, which can help prevent heart disease, and lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow like the plant phenols(anti-oxidants) from the cocoa plant. I have read that pure dark chocolate has more anti-oxidants than red wine.

Keep in mind that if you want to get the most benefits from your dark chocolate, you should buy it in its pure form because other forms of chocolate have been manufactured with additives that have removed parts of the pure chocolate. You can talk to your doctor for more information on this, but they will definitely agree and tell you that there are many health benefits offered by chocolate, dark and other types.

"Nine out of ten people like chocolate.
The tenth person always lies."
-Artist/cartoonist John Q. Tullius

Just as with wine, which is supposedly healthy to drink a glass of it a day, but not healthy if you splurge with it, the same applies to eating dark chocolate, or any other type of chocolate. A bit of it will be good for you but too much of it will add layers to your waist line! Moderation keeps the smile and the opportunity to have more.

By Joseph Young