According to a recent article from the American Chemical Society (ACS), there is a recent scientific findings that provided new evidence that chocolate may be healthier than is usually assumed.
One of the reasons chocolate is unique is the temperature at which it melts: between 94 oF and 97 oF. The human body, at 98.6 oF is just above the chocolate's melting temperature. Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals. Caffeine, a stimulant, is the most well known, but it is present only in small amounts. Another stimulant is theobromine, found in amounts slightly higher than caffeine. The two molecules are identical except for one methyl group (CH3), but it is not yet clear how they act together in chocolate.
One of the reasons chocolate is unique is the temperature at which it melts: between 94 oF and 97 oF. The human body, at 98.6 oF is just above the chocolate's melting temperature. Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals. Caffeine, a stimulant, is the most well known, but it is present only in small amounts. Another stimulant is theobromine, found in amounts slightly higher than caffeine. The two molecules are identical except for one methyl group (CH3), but it is not yet clear how they act together in chocolate.
Another chemical known to make us happy when we eat chocolate is anandamide, so named because it means "bliss" in Sanskrit. This compound is also produced by the brain and blocks out pain and depression. However, when produced by the brain, its quickly broken down, so its effects don't last. According to the same source, anandamide molecules from chocolate stay in the body longer.
Anandamide
