What neuropsychology have been studying about chocolate and its effects…

…on your heart, on your mood and sex life.

We have been interviewing Giovanni Spinarelli, a young psychologist expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

On chocolate and its characteristics there have been several studies, especially in medical science and neuropsychology. These researches usually study the effects on the cardiovascular system, on the tone of our mood, also on the alleged aphrodisiac properties. We must say that such studies are very controversial. Some of them highlight the positive effects on blood pressure and on the mood, others stress the negative links with dependency and obesity. The answer? Don’t abuse chocolate, exaggeration is just bad for any substance!

What are the active elements to consider? Are they in cocoa powder or cocoa butter? Or are they linked with the sugar instead?

We find many active components in cocoa. These elements interact with our neural system, among them: phenylalanine, theobromine, tryptophan. Each of them is responsible for specific effects on the biochemical level. The strongest neurobiological effects are raised mood, mental stimulation, and decrease of physical tiredness. The substances included in the cocoa seeds are responsible for the psycho activation of chocolate.