If you experience chocolate cravings so great that you will resort to turning your house upside down to find relief, you are not alone. As many as 91% of American women report having chocolate cravings. The unanswered question is whether or not these cravings are a result of physiology or culture.

Researchers at Cornell University (Appetite 2006) explored the possibility of cultural differences in chocolate cravings. They surveyed a group of American women and another group of women from Spain. The result? Ninety percent of the Spanish women reported having cravings for chocolate, a result very similar to the 91% reported by American women.

An earlier study by the Department of Psychology at Montclair State University (Appetite 2004) explored chocolate cravings and a woman’s perception of the relationship between the cravings and her menstrual cycle. This study also examined the similarity or difference in response between American women and Spanish women.

When asked the open-ended question of when a woman experienced her greatest cravings for chocolate a cultural difference became apparent. Forty percent of American women reported experiencing cravings related to her menstrual cycle whereas only 4% of Spanish women reported the same.

When asked directly if they experienced cravings related to their
menstrual cycle then 60% of American women said yes versus 24% of women
from Spain. These results suggest that the cravings may be more related
to culture than physiology.

However, a number of health professionals here in the United States,
most notably Dr. Elizabeth Vliet, M.D. the author of Women, Weight, and
Hormones (2001), believes there to be a cyclical nature to many food
cravings. She reports in her book that 75 to 85% of her patients
describe having cyclic food cravings that seem to be directly related
to the second half of the menstrual cycle. She attributes the greater
hunger experienced the week before a woman’s period starts and the
"have-to-have chocolate" urge to a rise in progesterone levels.

In addition, Dr. Vliet explains that sweets are among nature’s original
tranquilizers because they influence serotonin levels in the brain.
Serotonin can provide a calming affect when present in moderate levels.
She also warns women not to ignore the increase in appetite. Choosing
to ignore the 12-15% pre-menstrual increase in hunger because you are
dieting can result in uncontrollable cravings.

So when the cravings hit what can you do? Here are six tips to help you out:

1. Be prepared with healthy snacks when you have strong cravings for
chocolate. Snack foods high in the essential amino acid tryptophan are
a good choice. Tryptophan is a precursor for the neurotransmitter
serotonin. As such, it may provide the same benefit as chocolate. Good
food sources of tryptophan and possible snacks include bananas, milk,
yogurt, cottage cheese, turkey or chicken slices, sunflower seeds,
pumpkin seeds, and peanuts.

2. Eat regularly to avoid getting overly hungry. Five mini-meals spaced
out throughout the day may work best. But if that is too hard to
accomplish go for three main meals with two healthy snacks.

3. Don’t deprive yourself of chocolate or you may experience cravings
just because the chocolate is forbidden. Have some when you are not
starving and keep the portion small. Consider having chocolate soon
after a meal to help you avoid overeating.

4. Give dark chocolate a try. It is a healthier choice than milk
chocolate and a small amount can be very satisfying. Allow the
chocolate to melt slowly in your mouth to prolong and enjoy the treat.

5. Learn to identify when you are more vulnerable so that you might be better prepared.

6. If the cravings are somewhat more manageable, try drinking a glass
of water and waiting 15 to 20 minutes.  Have other enjoyable activities
ready to keep you busy while you wait it out. You may find that you
were actually thirsty and not experiencing cravings or hunger.

Whether or not chocolate cravings are based in physiology or culture
may be debated for years to come. While the scientific community
wrestles with this question, you are now prepared to take action. Keep
these six tips in mind to give you relief from your occasional
overwhelming desire for chocolate!

I’ve just come from reading a fascinating article about chocolate. With Valentine’s Day just a day away, it seems most everyone is thinking and talking chocolate!

Is chocolate good for you? The answer to that would depend on who you’re asking. If we’re referring to health, I would say the answer is a qualified maybe. On the other hand, if we’re talking about sensuous, soothing, and satisfying. Well… no qualifications are necessary. The better the chocolate, the bigger the YES!!

So which chocolate is best? If you’re a dark chocolate aficianado, you might want to stop by my Dark Chocolate Bliss blog. I posted a short video clip about a week ago that was produced by the American Test Kitchen. In this clip 4 well known brands of dark chocolate are reviewed for taste and popularity.

If you’ve ever wondered which chocolate is best for baking, especially baking cookies, You will want to read Counting Ways We Love Chocolate! The author of this article, Marty Meitus, points out that baking with chocolate is no longer as simple as choosing milk chocolate versus semisweet or chips versus chocolate bars.

To find an answer to a number of great questions about baking with chocolate, Marty assembled a group of  food and fitness news staffers to evaluate a variety of chocolate chip cookies. Find out which cookie received the highest thumbs up!  Read the article to learn a whole lot more as well such as how chocolate is made, why the amount of cocoa butter in a chocolate bar may affect the outcome of a recipe, and much more!

technorati tags:chocolate, dark, baking, health, Valentines, food

Have you ever had a hot chocolate souffle? Mmmm…you’re in for a treat. I found a video on the art of making souffles, including hot chocolate souffle (the first 12 minutes or so of the video. Requires high speed internet access. My apologies to those of you who cannot access the video.)

My genetic heritage doesn’t allow me to eat egg yolks very often. If this isn’t a problem for you, watch the video and give it a try! (Remember to share your results with others to keep your portion small. A LITTLE bit of chocolate or dessert can fit into a balanced diet for most people.)

Chef Paul from the Pennsylvania College of Technology:

You’re the Chef – Super Souffles – Google Video

technorati tags:hot, chocolate, souffle, cooking, lesson, video

I discovered a video clip of Bill Cosby’s famous Chocolate Cake monologue!! If for some reason you missed this year’s ago, it is an absolute must see. It is by far the funniest comedy piece I have ever seen anywhere.

If you’ve seen it before and liked it, take a few minutes to watch it again (if your internet connection is not fast enough find a friend or neighbor who will let you use their computer!). This is just too good to miss!!

technorati tags:chocolate, cake, Bill, Cosby, nutrition, kids, comedy

The flavonoids in dark chocolate may provide an element of protection for blood vessels. And healthy blood vessels should reduce risk for heart disease.  That sounds good. But I wonder about the long term effects of the extra fat and calories in the typical dark chocolate candy bar?

If you would like to read more about the relationship between dark chocolate and blood vessels in one study, I recommend an interesting article by Daniel DeNoon of WebMD.com.  (Keep in mind that this article does not give the reader any information about important study details such as the calories or grams of fat in the chocolate.)

 

A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Best chocolate fudge pudding – Stuff.co.nz



Here’s a great sounding recipe from New Zealand for chocolate pudding that calls for cocoa and dark chocolate.  I’d love to have a taste! If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out.

Best chocolate fudge pudding Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand - 1 hour ago Basically Grandma’s self-saucing pudding, ‘best’ because you use the best cocoa and chocolate that money can buy, and raid your best Cognac or Whisky to slosh …

Dark chocolate innovations at Chicago – NutraIngredients-usa.com

A  LITTLE bit of daily chocolate fits into an otherwise healthy balanced diet (for just about everyone, even if your genetic heritage dictates that you watch your saturated fat and cholesterol intake as I need to do). And dark chocolate provides us with more of the beneficial antioxidants than other kinds. The food industry is certainly capitalizing on consumer interest in this trend.

Take a look at all the new dark chocolate products soon to be available. Mmmm…!!

technorati tags:chocolate, dark, antioxidants, health