Is Chocolate really a Aphrodisiac?

Chocolate is the traditional gift of love, ranking right up there with roses as the most romantic gift one can give. But is it really an aphrodisiac? There is some evidence that the answer might be yes. Chocolate contains three substances, caffeine, theobromine and phenyethylamine that might be related to this myth. Caffeine acts as a stimulant. Theobromine stimulates the heart muscle and the nervous system. And phenyethylamine is reputed to be a mood elevator and an anti-depressant.

The combination of these three substances, giving you extra energy, making your heart beat faster, making you a bit jumpy and slightly giddy....well, you can see how chocolate could be linked to love. In fact, Montezuma used to drink a frothy chocolate beverage before going to visit one of his wives. But before you go out to buy several cases of chocolate to ply your lover with tonight, remember that these substances show up only in small quantities in chocolate.

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