CHOCOLATE IS A SOURCE OF ENERGY
TRUE 
Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium (112mg/100gr), potassium 365mg/100gr) and phosphorus (173mg/100gr). Milk chocolate adds calcium (200mg/100gr). We also find traces of iron, sodium, fluoride and copper. It also contains vitamins (B, B2, PP) and represents a non-negligible part of the daily ration of lipids, glucides, protides and fibre. To a slightly lesser degree for white chocolate, since it contains no cocoa. An excellent re-energizer for after intense physical effort because its total caloric value is 500kcal/100gr. Chocolate is as important to intellectual activities of long durations. Better than crib-notes, a chocolate bar with hazelnuts?

CHOCOLATEIS RESPONSIBLE FOR CRISIS DE FOIE ( LIVER CRISIS – BILIOUS ATTACK)
FALSE
The term “crise de foie” being inappropriate, and existing in no other language than French, we could only accuse chocolate of causing digestive problems when consumed in too great quantity. Nevertheless, no scientific study has ever been completed on the liver function of subjects who abuse pralines filled with Whisky on a daily basis.

CHOCOLATE CAUSES CAVITIES
FALSE
No real risk has ever been proven as long as a good dental hygiene regimen is followed. In addition, chocolate contains substances that fight cavities, like fluoride, tannins and phosphates. So now we can tell you that you needn’t always associate drilling with chocolate.

CHOCOLATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SKIN ALLERGIES
TRUE AND FALSE:
We can’t say it enough, cocoa can not be held responsible for attacks of acne, nor for other allergic reactions. A study of 383 people susceptible to food allergies showed that chocolate was implicated in only 0.8% of the cases. We fear that it is the elements contained in the chocolate ( soy, milk proteins,…) rather than the cocoa itself that are at the root for allergic reactions. Further to this point, the addition of other vegetable fats in chocolate could have unforeseen consequences. In effect, in the absence of correct labeling concerning the exact nature of the vegetable fats, we can not exclude the appearance of skin problems in some consumers whose digestive systems would not assimilate one or another of the oils consumed along with the “new” chocolate.

CHOCOLATE PROTECTS THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
TRUE:
A recent study ( July 2000) published by an American university tends to show that a moderate and regular consumption of chocolate could have beneficial effects on long term health, the same as green tea or wine. Other analysis has shown that 40 gr. of dark chocolate deliver the same beneficial effects as a glass of red wine. It’s diverse elements protect the heart from blood clots, inhibit plaque formation and reduce the risk of coronary thrombosis in subjects that do not smoke and are in good health. In addition, chocolate contains flavanoids, substances with antioxidant properties also found in aspirin, as well as traces of sterotonin, which controls the regulation of arterial hypertension. So, which is better: a nice daily glass of wine and a chocolate bar starting in youth, or the infamous regulatory medicines and a triple bypass surgery at fifty?

CAN CHOCOLATE HELP TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY
TRUE:
Research by American psychologists in 1991 revealed that people who learned a list of words while being exposed to the scent of chocolate scored markedly better when asked to recall the list in the presence of the scent. The explanation seems to lie in the effect of chocolate scent on brain activity. Recent studies at Middlesex University have shown that chocolate scent has a dramatic effect on so-called theta waves, a form of brain activity known to be linked to memory-intensive tasks.

CHOCOLATE IS A DRUG
FALSE:
Consumption of chocolate doesn’t provoke any of the symptoms that drug taking does: withdrawals or increased cravings and consumption. And though it is true that cocoa contains substances (anandamides) that are contained in cannabis, a man of 60 kg (130lbs) would have to consume 11 kg (24.25lbs) per day to get the same effects. Given the weight gain that this would cause, one would imagine it easier to make a weekly round trip to Amsterdam.

CHOCOLATE INCREASES CHOLESTEROL
TRUE AND FALSE
Dark chocolate has an insignificant amount of cholesterol, on the order of 1.3mg/100gr. On the other hand, the fatty acids present in cocoa butter have the ability to lower the LDL cholesterol level ( the one that is bad for our body) without diminishing the level of HDL cholesterol, which has a beneficial effect. As for milk chocolate and pralines, the milk or cream that they contain can lead to a rise in bad cholesterol.

CHOCOLATE CAUSES CONSTIPATION
FALSE:
100 gr of cocoa contains as much fibre as 100 gr of whole grain bread, that is, 9 gr. Consumption of chocolate then contributes to the good working of the intestinal track. In addition, the more cocoa chocolate contains, the less sugar, an element that interrupts intestinal functions.

CHOCOLATE CAUSES EUPHORIA
TRUE:
Besides its other substances, cocoa contains theobromine ( an alkaloid stimulant) and caffeine. Cocoa then has a tonic effect on the central nervous system and we can confirm that it improves those functions. Moreover, cocoa also reduces stress or anxiety and it is also a notable antidepressant, thanks to the phenylethylamine that it contains. And for the premenstrual women, there is sugar to replenish her deficiency. This is no doubt why we dive again and again into chocolate: it has substances that are necessary for good balance in our bodies. From a strictly energy point of view, we also note that chocolate is rich in sugars that assimilate easily into the body, something that allows us to easily get over those little pangs of hunger.

CHOCOLATE IS AN APHRODISIAC
TRUE AND FALSE:
No serious study has ever demonstrated that chocolate might have any aphrodisiac qualities. But, popular rumour says otherwise since the beginning of time, so to be sure, we should (re)test this idea!!