Valentine’s Day is many things to different people: a chance to start new relationships, rekindle old ones, or remind that special someone how wonderful they really are. Others feel like it’s just another “Hallmark” holiday where they’re expected to do something for unknown reasons. Regardless of your hopes, expectations, or reservations about Valentine’s Day, chocolate has long been a favorite gift for lovers.

Since the time of the Aztecs, chocolate has been used as a gift. Today a box of luxury quality chocolates says a thousand “thank you”, “good luck” or “I love you”. Chocolate can be given as a way of saying “congrats,” “sorry,” or “get well soon.” On Valentine’s Day, chocolate clearly says “I LOVE YOU!” Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel great. Elaine Sherman wrote: “Chocolate is heavenly, smooth, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, rewarding, powerful, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, heavenly. Chocolate is fall, happiness , pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy… chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.” What more could you want to say to your lover on Valentine’s Day? Even the scientific name of the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means “food of the gods.”

Why does chocolate evoke so many feelings and emotions in us? Chocolate has long been associated with passion, romance, and love. This association can be traced back to the Aztecs. They believed that chocolate was a source of spiritual wisdom, incredible energy and heightened sexual power. Chocolate was widely used as a wedding aid and was widely served at wedding ceremonies. The Aztecs did not know chocolate as we know it today; They consumed cocoa as a drink. Reports indicate that Emperor Moctezuma consumed large quantities of the drink every day and always fortified himself with a drink before entertaining his harem. The explorer Cortés informed Charles I of Spain that chocolate is “…the divine drink that increases endurance and combats fatigue. A cup of this precious drink enables a man to walk for a whole day without eating.” From the earliest times, chocolate was considered a substance of power and a source of vitality.

Chocolate has been a subject of study since the first shipment from Veracruz arrived in Spain in 1585. But modern science has made some interesting discoveries that may help explain our desire for quality chocolate. Chocolate contains organic substances known as alkaloids. The most important of these substances is theobromine, which acts as a stimulant for the kidneys. The stimulants in chocolate also affect the central nervous system, with similar effects to caffeine, which is also present in chocolate. A bar of chocolate can contain up to 200 mg of theobromine but only about 25 mg of caffeine. Another important substance found in chocolate is phenylethylamine, which is part of a group of chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins have an amphetamine-like effect and are found naturally in the human body. When endorphins are released into the bloodstream, moods are lifted and feelings of positive energy are achieved. The sensation known as the “runner’s high” is caused by endorphins released during exercise. Phenylethylamine levels in the brain have also been linked to “falling in love.” Another chemical found in chocolate is serotonin. Serotonin is known for its calming properties. The presence of these chemicals may explain the multitude of feelings that chocolate evokes.

Debra Waterhouse, author of Why Women Need Chocolate, conducted a survey and found: 97% of women reported cravings, 68% of which are for chocolate, 50% would choose chocolate over sex, and 22% % were more likely than men to choose chocolate as a mood lifter. These findings could easily be interpreted as a result of how chocolate makes us feel. I don’t know why more women choose chocolate than men, because I’m a man and I love chocolate.

Critics would say that the benefits of eating chocolate are small compared to the sugar and fat in a chocolate bar. The best chocolate, dark chocolate with a high content of cocoa butter with no added fat, as well as a high percentage of cocoa solids and therefore less sugar. Although chocolate will never be considered a health food based on its nutritional value, it is still good for you! Good for the heart and soul, anything that helps relieve stress and makes you feel so good should be.

Receiving a well-wrapped box of chocolates evokes a feeling of anticipation. The pleasure of unwrapping the box, the sensual smell, lifting the soft and seductive papers, the look of smooth dark chocolates. When it finally passes your lips and begins to melt instantly, filling your mouth with exquisite pleasure. The taste and smell flood your senses with overwhelming ecstasy. Eating it slowly, taking the time to enjoy and savor each bite. What better way to start an evening of love?