DARK CHOCOLATES ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE MIND

Dark Chocolates contain several biological components such as

neurotransmitters, good cholesterol, and antioxidants.

Chocolates contain certain amounts of neurotransmitters. One of

those is endorphins. For one thing, chocolate stimulates the production

of endorphins, natural pain relievers in the body, producing a

pleasurable sensation similar to the warm inner glow induced in

susceptible chocoholics. The brain then responds to endorphins in the

same way as it responds to morphines, as endorphins are chemically

similar to morphines. Like the effects of the opiates, as of morphine, it

leaves one in the state of highness, goodness and happiness, though

you need to eat a bunch of pounds to see the great effect. Another

common neurotransmitter affected by chocolate is serotonin. Serotonin

is known as an anti-depressant. One of the chemicals which causes the

release of serotonin is tryptophan found in, among other things,

chocolate (Coveleskie, 2004). Another thing in chocolates are

phenylethylamines, theobromine and caffeine, which are mental

booster. It stimulates the nervous system, increases blood pressure

and heart rate. It also helps mediate feelings of attraction, excitement,

giddiness, apprehension, and euphoria. Chocolates have anandamides,

too, which mimics the effect of marijuana.

 Dark chocolates contain high amount of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances that oxidation or reactions promoted by

oxygen and peroxide. They protect the body from the deleterious

effects of free radicals like aging. Studies show that some varieties of

chocolate especially dark chocolate have higher Oxygen Radical

Absorption Capacity (ORAC) values than many common foods such as

prunes and blueberries. One of those is flavoniods in polyphenols.

Flavonoids are a subgroup of a large class of polyphenols. They are

naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based foods recognized

as exuding certain health benefits. They are found in a wide array of

foods and beverages such as cranberries, apples, peanuts, onions, red

wine and chocolate. The Flavonoids in dark chocolate also prevents the

excessive clumping together of blood platelets that can cause blood

clots. They also decrease the risk of people to have cardiovascular

disease. For every 100 grams of dark chocolate, at least 53 mg of

Flavonoids are present. These can be achieved in appropriate and

adequate amounts.

Here is more good news – some fats in chocolate do not impact

your cholesterol levels. One-third of the fats in dark chocolate are Oleic

acid, one-third Stearic acid, and one-third Palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a

healthy monounsaturated fat that is found in olive oil. Stearic acid does
not raise the levels of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), which are the bad

cholesterol in the body, in the bloodstream unlike any other

unsaturated fats in the body. Palmitic acid is more on the bad side. It is

a saturated fat, which raises levels of cholesterol and the risk of heart

disease. All these means that only one-third of the fats in dark

chocolate are bad for you.

Another set of beneficial biological components obtained in dark

chocolate are vitamins and minerals. Chocolate contains a good

selection of vitamins including A, B, B2, B3, B6, C and E. They all

contribute to the wellness of the body and its functions. For every 100

grams of dark chocolate, it contains 365 mg potassium, 132 mg

phosphorus, 115 mg magnesium and 3.13 mg iron. These are minerals

which help maintain the fluid electrolyte serum levels in the body.

Dark chocolates have both positive and negative effects in the

body. Advantages include stimulation of endorphin production,

relaxation, keeps blood vessels elastic, promotes feeling of euphoria,

decreases stress and pain, prevent free radicals that aid in aging,

increase resistance to fatigue, intellectual activity and watchfulness

and stimulates the mind to respond more quickly to stimuli.

Dark Chocolates are beneficial to the mind.

 Two of the chemical components found in dark chocolate are

Endorphins, which are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds and

Serotonin, which serve as neurotransmitters in the body. Both of them

contribute to a positive sense of well being of the human body both

inside and out.

The consumption of dark chocolate, like other palatable sweet

foods, triggers the release of endorphins. They are produced by the

pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates also during

exercise, excitement, pain, consumption of spicy food and orgasm,

and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia

and a feeling of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers."

The term "endorphin" implies a pharmacological activity (analogous to

the activity of the corticosteroid category of biochemicals) as opposed

to a specific chemical formulation. It consists of two parts: endo- and

-orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine,

intended to mean "a morphine-like substance originating from within

the body." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin) Enhanced

endorphin-release reduces the chocolate-eater's sensitivity to pain.

Endorphins probably contribute to the warm inner glow induced in

susceptible chocoholics. This sensation explains why chocolate gifts

are a great way to bring joy to a loved one. (http://www.chocolate.org/)

 Tryptophan content in dark chocolate can produce Serotonin,

which increase the feeling of “ecstasy” in the mind and give rise to the

feeling of happiness in the mind. It is a mood-modulating

neurotransmitter, and is considered as the brain’s “happy chemical”.

Approximately 80 percent of the human body's total serotonin is

located in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut, where it is used to

regulate intestinal movements. The remainder is synthesized in

serotonergic neurons in the CNS where it has various functions,

including the regulation of mood, appetite, sleep, muscle contraction,

and some cognitive functions including memory and learning.

Modulation of serotonin at synapses is thought to be a major action of

several classes of pharmacological antidepressants.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin). The serotonin level in the dark

chocolates may act as an effective anti-depressant. The dark chocolate

contains serotonin, which has the qualities of anti- depressants.

However, tryptophan is present in chocolate in only small quantities,

fuelling debate as to whether it causes the elevated production of

serotonin.

Another feature that can be found in chocolates is anandamides,

and endogenous cannabinoid which mimics the effect of marijuana,

though not the same with marijuana. It is unique due to its

resemblance to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a chemical found in

marijuana. Anandamide, also known as arachidonylethanolamine, is a

naturally occurring neurotransmitter found in the brains of mammals.

The name is taken from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means

"bliss". Anandamide may play important roles in the regulation of

mood, memory, appetite, and pain perception. It may act as the

control of cognition and emotion. It boosts the pleasure you get upon

eating chocolates. It also promotes euphoria, elevates emotional

distress, decreases stress and pain, and promotes relaxation. Three

compounds that strongly resemble anandamide were found in dark

chocolate by Daniele Piomelli and co-workers at the Neurosciences

Institute in San Diego (Piomelli, 1996). They also found compounds (N-

acylethanolamines) that block the breakdown of anandamide, which

promotes the sense of well-being and goodness. Piomelli speculates

that part of the pleasure of chocolate comes from anandamide and the

anandamide-preserving N-acylethanolamines. "We are talking about

something much, much, much, much milder than a high", he says.

However, one must note that experts estimate the levels of these

substances are so low in most chocolate, that a person would need to

eat several pounds of chocolate in order to substantially impact the

brain’s own normal Anandamide levels. Elevated brain anandamide

levels have been suggested to magnify the sensory properties of

chocolate, which are fundamental to craving, and could also interact

with other biologically active constituents of chocolate (i.e., caffeine,

theobromine) to induce a noticeable sense of well-being

(Parker&Parker&Brotchie, 2006).

Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a neurotransmitter

that makes us feel more alert and gives us a sense of well being and

contentment and like the feeling of a person being in love, thus touted

as the “love drug”. Phenylethylamine (PEA) is an alkaloid, which is a

naturally occurring chemical compound, and a monoamine, which is a

neurotransmitter found in the brain. Neurotransmitters help send and

receive signals in the brain. Phenylethylamine helps produce hormones

that create positive feelings. Phenylethylamine is most commonly

found naturally in chocolate. Phenylethylamine is known as the "love

drug" and is thought be the reason why chocolate is said to be an

aphrodisiac. It works by stimulating the brain's pleasure centres and

reaches peak levels during orgasm. Researchers found that a session

of moderate aerobic activity appears to elevate the body's levels of

phenylethylamine, a natural chemical linked to energy, mood and

attention. Phenylethylamine may play a role in the "runner's high."

Phenylethylamine affects mood by changing the chemical makeup of

the brain and inducing a "high" feeling resembling that of love and

passion by stimulating the release and transmission of dopamine. This

affects several areas of the brain and the hormones released. These
hormones help elevate mood, balance blood pressure and increase

heart rate, breathing rate, muscle strength, and mental

alertness(Parker&Parker&Brotchie, 2009). This effect led to labeling

cocoa as an aphrodisiac, or a substance that improves sexual drive

(Lipoff, 2009). Tyramine in an amino acid that acts to contract blood

vessels and is often implicated as a major contributor to migraine

headaches in susceptible individuals (Rusell, 2006).

Trace amines, such as phenylethylamine, are molecules found

naturally in our bodies, but in very small amount. Their structure

resembles that of the neurotransmitters adrenaline, dopamine and

serotonin which we now have a strong effect on our mood. The trace

amines probably play a more essential part of our body chemistry than

the scientist first suspected. Their amounts are low, but they still seem

to be capable of regulating important bodily functions like blood

pressure, body temperature and even our mood. Trace amines have

not only been found in chocolate, but in beer, red wine and certain

types of hard cheese too.

Chocolate is one of the nature’s most concentrated sources of

theobromine, a mild, natural stimulant and molecular “cousin” of

caffeine. The name comes from the scientific name of the cacao tree:

Theobroma Cacao. It makes up about 0.5-2.7% of most chocolates by

bulk. Theobroma itself means “food of the gods”, though no one

understood chocolate’s allure until the angelic alkaloid was isolated in

1878. Although methylxanthines, which are the caffeine and

theobromine exclusively found in chocolates, are bases, they have

very low pKa(0.5) and, hence, are highly fat soluble and are absorbed

from the stomach and through the walls of the intestines, easily

crossing both the blood-brain and placental barriers. Moreover, recent

clinical studies have suggested that theobromine suppresses vagus

nerve activity, which is responsible for coughing. In fact, it has been

found to be 5 times more effective in stopping persistent coughs than

the leading medicine codeine. It is now consequently marketed as the

new and effective cough suppressant. In addition theobromine

promotes mental and physical relaxation. It also increases alertness

but also headaches. It may be because of the PEA which dilates the

blood vessels in the brain, causing the trigger of migraine. While safe

for humans, keep this delicious delight away from dogs and other

species because it may cause real death due to the lack of specific

enzyme that metabolizes theobromine.

The delightful molecule, theobromine, makes the worth of effort

of eating chocolate great. It is an alkaloid, and also known as

xantheose. The theobromine is responsible for the bitter taste. But

don’t take back! There’s more to it. Yes, it sounds bitter but it’s what

gives the kick.

Chocolate contains caffeine too. Caffeine is found to promote

feeling of relaxation and calmness to the mind. Yes, it may be true but

it’s not quite significant and true in the case of dark chocolates. The

amount of caffeine in chocolate is not enough to have the great effect

like the overwhelming delight just when you jumped off on a bungee.

You actually may need to eat 25-pounds of chocolate to experience the

“eye-opening” power-like effect of it. Actually, theobromine is what

makes chocolate special in particular. In a recent study, it was

demonstrated that when comparing cocoa powder with just the

isolated methylxanthines, the two groups exhibited similar effects. It

was the concluded that since the cocoa powder had similar activity to

the isolated methylxanthines, the pharmacological effects of

chocolates are most likely due to the methylxanthines

(Parker&Parker&Brotchie 2006).

Micah Perry P. Daquipil

Izel Faith A. Arocha