Melting Away Chocolate Myths

Chocolate! It’s loved so much that the average American eats about 13 pounds of the heavenly stuff a year. However, instead of pleasing your palate, you’re likely to end up a glutton for guilt! Here’s how to savor the sweetness by melting away chocolate myths!

Most of us love chocolate, even though we still battle the inevitable guilt that comes along with something that tastes so good. New research melts away some chocolate myths.

Does it really cause acne? Chocolate experts say no way. For years they thought it did, and now they are saying it is a total myth. As long as people keep their hands and faces clean, chocolate has nothing to do with it.

What about caffeine? Isn’t chocolate loaded with it? That’s just another myth. In fact, a chocolate bar has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaf coffee. For those allergic to the creamy candy, nutrition researcher say it’s probably not. True chocolate allergies are rare.

There’s definitely a very small subset of the population that has food allergies and food sensitivities, and chocolate certainly is one of them, but it’s very low.

Chocolate can make you feel good. It contains chemical compounds that stimulate the brain and may even put you in the mood for love! “There’s some evidence to suggest that it is indeed an aphrodisiac.

One of the biggest fears for some people is once they start eating it they won’t stop. With 160 calories in the average chocolate bar, moderation is key. Experts agree chocolate is not addictive. However, if you crave chocolate all the time, see your doctor. Your body could have a magnesium deficiency. And one more chocolate truth, the candy contains polyphenol, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant also found in red wine.