Choc-a-bloc full of flavor

The Chocolate Information Center's new online club (www.chocolatelove.org) is spreading the good news about the history, culture and nutrition about the tasty treat.

The site says chocolate has been associated with love and how fine chocolate and roses are the quintessential Valentine's Day gifts.

Chocolate helps you keep the winter blues away and can be beneficial to your health.

The site also claims chocolate can be beneficial to one's health. With cocoa beans as its major component, chocolate boosts cardiovascular health based, according to numerous studies. Positive effects have been observed on blood pressure, enhanced flexibility of blood vessels, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, as well as platelet function among people eating chocolate.

Most chocolates also contain bucket loads of calories and are not usually on the top of the diet list. People should eat chocolate in moderation. Eating too much may add weight and cause tooth decay.

A good way to burn off those calories is exercise and chocolate is a good source of energy supplement for athletes and people on a long journey. After eating chocolate, the sugar released into the blood slowly and maintains a normal level of blood sugar, says the website.

Finally, the website says chocolate makes us happy. Scientific research shows that chocolate is rich in magnesium, which balances the brain's chemistry, calms the mind and makes us happy.

China Daily

(China Daily 01/31/2007 page19)