- The Aztecs associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility as did the Mayans (sorry, their god of fertility). Recent studies have actually proved that cocoa has some more modern day uses as a medicinal agent. A Japanese study linked cocoa's polyphenol content to cholesterol reduction. Another German study revealed cocoa can actually reduce blood pressure. Researchers claimed the hypotensive effects were in the range usually achieved by betablockers or ACE inhibitors, and would reduce the risk of stroke by about 20%, coronary heart disease by 10% and mortality by 8%.

Prof Avni Sali, Director of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine claims that polyphenols in dark chocolate are antihypertensive because they cause vasodilation by increasing the production of nitric oxide.

The BBC reported a study that broke down chocolate's pleasurable physiological secrets. Part of chocolate's sex appeal is that it melts in the mouth due to the fact that its melting point is just below that of the human body temperature. The act of melting chocolate in one's mouth produces an increase in brain activity and heart rate that is more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasts four times as long after the activity has ended.

"Although kissing set the heart pounding, the effect did not last as long as that seen with the chocolate, which increased heart rates from a resting rate of about 60 beats per minute to 140. The study also found that as the chocolate started melting, all regions of the brain received a boost far more intense and longer lasting than the excitement seen with kissing."

Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine which have been linked to an increase of serotonin levels (the happy hormone) in the brain. Dark chocolate also has a substantial amount of antioxidants due to its high cocoa content with a rich source of the flavonoids gallic acid and epicatechin that reduce the formation of free radicals.

Another BBC report on the science of chocolate has claimed that chocolate contains small quantities of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid found in the brain. This psychoactive ingredient is a neurotransmitter that targets the same brain structures as THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Two other structural cousins of anandamide present in chocolate, N-oleolethanolamine and N-linoleoylethanolamine, both inhibit the metabolism of anandamide. It has been speculated that they promote and prolong the feeling of well-being induced by anandamide.

Other therapeutic uses of dark chocolate include longevity, mood enhancement, cognition, erythema and scaly skin, insulin sensitivity, cough suppression, dental decay, PMS and athletic performance.

The higher the cocoa content the greater the medicinal effects. At least 50% cocoa solids are required for a product to be therapeutically effective.

Also, if you really want to be a purist with your health, try and look for chocolate that's made with evaporated sugar cane juice or xylitol. NO SUCROSE. And if you're still feeling guilty when nibbling a gift from the gods, note that the World Cocoa Foundation claims some 50 million people around the world depend on cocoa as a source of their livelihood.