All of us associate giving chocolate on Valentine’s Day to our loved ones. We could chalk this up to good marketing by the chocolate industry, but it turns out that there really is something to chocolate and love.
Why do we get that dreamy, heart-warming feeling when a chocolate chunk melts in our mouth? It isn’t just the sugar jolt from the chocolate bar or eating any candy would do this too. Chocolate evokes a blissful, loving mood in our brains especially if it is high in cacao content like you find in 70% or greater dark chocolate.
Little known facts about plant chemistry
All plants have an effect on our bodies and brains via their complex, potent blends of plant chemicals known collectively as phytonutrients. Chocolate, made from the fermented beans of the cacao tree, is packed with them.
In Teeccino’s chocolate blends, we use naturally fermented and roasted cacao powder that hasn’t undergone further processing with alkali solutions which reduces cacao’s antioxidants. We prefer the taste and health benefits of natural cacao powder compared to ‘cocoa’ powder, the ingredient in hot chocolate mixes and many instant beverages which is alkalized, also known as Dutch processed, to make it dissolve better in water.
Plants that stimulate our brains 
Cacao along with coffee and tea are the three most widely consumed plants that affect our brains with their phytonutrient content. Coffee impacts the brain via caffeine which increases alertness and suppresses fatigue. Tea also primarily affects our brains via caffeine but the impact is softened by its L-theanine content, a phytonutrient that is thought to have a calming effect on the nervous system.
Cacao works its magic on the brain through an array of different phytonutrients without depending on caffeine, a very minor stimulant in cacao, to produce its effects.
How cacao in chocolate puts us in the mood for love
- Anandamide: Its reputation for producing bliss comes from its affinity with our brains’ cannabinoid receptors where it can induce feelings of euphoria.
- Tryptophan: An amino acid that stimulates the production of serotonin, our happiness neurotransmitter as well as melatonin to help us sleep better.
- Phenylethylamine(PEA): A compound that increases the effects of serotonin and dopamine both of which can help evoke pleasurable feelings of love. It also plays a role enhancing cognitive performance. People with low levels of PEA in their urine have higher incidence of depression and perform worse on tests.
- Magnesium: An essential electrolyte mineral that helps our muscles relax and can help reduce anxiety.
The bugs in our gut love chocolate too
The latest theory about why chocolate makes us happy comes from a study of its effect on our microbiome. Scientists discovered that people who eat >85% dark chocolate score higher on anti-depressive markers than even people who eat >70% chocolate. In other words, they’re happier!
When analyzing their gut microbes, it was found that they have a larger diversity of species in their microbiome and there is a specific species of microbes that is found in high concentrations while another is in low quantities.
Cacao is full of polyphenols which are phytonutrients that are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory effects. Polyphenols are prebiotics for our gut microbes which use them to create important metabolites essential to good health. The study found that an abundance of Blautia obeum is associated with happier dark chocolate eaters while Faecalibacterium prausnitzii levels were significantly lower. The reverse was true in people who had more depressive symptoms.