Some say that women and chocolate were made for each other. Amany Abdel-Moneim looks for the truth behind one of life's few satisfactory relationships Those of you who have recently been going without may want to grab a Dairy Milk bar or make yourselves a nice cup of hot chocolate before you start reading this article. Although for the true chocoholic, just thinking about the soft brown melt- in-your-mouth delight is enough to evoke an infinitely sensual response. There is something about women and chocolate. It is the kind of relationship which you could spend many hours pleasurably exploring. The chemistry between us has been scrutinised by endless advertising executives, sociological researchers, and medical students. Abdel-Rahman Afifi, marketing manager at one of Cairo's leading confectionery manufacturers, starts with a blow-by-blow account of what a chocolate product does to your system. "The secret of chocolate's particular appeal lies in the cocoa butter -- it melts just below body temperature, which gives it that delicious feeling of dissolving in the mouth," explains Afifi. "Then comes the sudden charge of energy one gets from the sugar, the kick of the caffeine, and of another chemical called phenylethylamine, which acts as a mood enhancer -- all these work together to create the feeling of ecstasy commonly induced by chocolate products." Of course, in the end, it all comes down to good sex. Doctors have claimed to have discovered the "scientific link" between female needs and chocolate. A recent Italian study by Andrea Salonia, of the San Raffael Hospital in Milan, showed that women who eat chocolate regularly have a better sex life than those who deny themselves the treat. The study revealed that women consuming the sugary snack had the highest levels of desire, arousal and satisfaction from sex. Egyptian doctors agree with the Italian study. Waheed Hassan, gynecologist at Al-Galaa Teaching Hospital, said that chocolate has a positive physiological impact on a woman's sexuality: "Recent research has shown that women who have a low libido can become more amorous after eating chocolate." In Hassan's opinion, chocolate may be particularly effective in helping women who shun sex because they are suffering from premenstrual tension due to a fall in their progesterone level. He also advised women who suffer mood swings as a result of their menstrual cycle to eat chocolate as a means to improve their sexual function. And if you are worried about all the calories you may be adding in this attempt to improve your sex life, think again. According to obesity expert Osama Rafiq, "a chunk of chocolate taken before meals will diminish your appetite. So we could consider it to be an effective diet food." He points out that many of his patients have reported that chocolate helps keep them relaxed, hence helping them not only to lose weight but to stay healthier in general, thus possibly prolonging their life span. "Chocolate is full of mood- enhancing chemicals," explains Khaled El-Rashidi, professor of neurology at Cairo University. "It is loaded with sugar, which is a carbohydrate and triggers the release of serotonin. It also contains fat, which in itself provides a feeling of satisfaction since it answers the urge for calories." El-Rashidi points out that chocolate even contains the same mood- enhancing chemical that is found in marijuana, although in much smaller quantities. Rafiq concurs that modest amounts of chocolate can help people suffering depression, since it contains theobromine, a chemical believed to trigger the release of natural "feel-good" chemicals in the brain. It is these endorphins that are also responsible for kindling the feelings of romance, love, and arousal. However he does warn against eating chocolate between meals, even if you're hungry. "It rapidly satisfies your hunger," he warns, "and that will only reinforce the carving for it." Instead, he advises breaking the cycle by eating a piece of chocolate at the end of a meal when you're already satisfied. That way, you're less likely to overindulge. So now we know that chocolate refines and stabilises our mood. But it also turns out that you can promote your foetus's mental health by nibbling on this delicious substance. Hassan refers to a recent study which revealed that eating chocolate during pregnancy may enhance the new-born's psychological health. "Eating chocolate during pregnancy may help give birth to babies who will grow up optimistic, cheerful, vivacious and more active," he speculates. He further advises pregnant women who suffer from depression to eat one piece of chocolate a day. What about tooth decay, you ask? Contrary to popular belief, cocoa doesn't have the teeth-rotting propensities of other sweets. It also contain flavonoids, which can help reduce high blood pressure, according to dentist Abdel-Hamid Eissa. "It has not been proven that chocolate causes cavities or tooth decay," Eissa insists. "In fact, there are indications that the cocoa butter in chocolate coats the teeth and may help protect them by preventing plaque from forming. Sugar in chocolate does contribute to cavities, but no more than the sugar in any other candy or food." "If you eat chocolate, make sure it is dark chocolate," advises Nagwa Abdel-Wahab, professor of nutrition at the Nutrition Institute. She added that recent research indicates that dark chocolate contains four times the amount of antioxidants as black tea (which is thought to be protective against heart disease and possibly cancer due to its antioxidant properties). "Dark chocolate is considered a good source of iron and magnesium, as well as useful amount of protein, traces of other minerals, and some of the B vitamins," she adds. In the end, though, what matters is the taste. "I love everything about chocolate," says 23-year-old Reda Azmi, who works as an assistant librarian at Cairo University. "The look of it; the sound when I unwrap it; even the feel of melting it in my mouth." Azmi claims that she could eat nothing but chocolate. Student Soha Ghanem, 16, says that the very thought of chocolate makes her relax. "It's not just the taste, it's the feeling, and the thought," she adds. "I feel like a teenager when I sink my teeth into a bar," confesses 49-year-old Salma Youssef. "I buy big boxes of chocolate. The sight of bar after bar of perfect chocolate makes me so excited. Then I take all the bars out of the box and stow them away in secret hiding places." Does anyone talk about their husband like that?
