Very interesting text: Le Monde 27.10.99
Chocolate as a soft drug
Henri Chaveron

Henri Chaveron is a teacher at the department of biological and medical genius at the university of Compiegne.

The chocolate is a singular food. Its psycho sensorial and pharmacological components are hypertrophied compared with its nutritional contents which are distinguished from that of other food only by one exceptional calorific richness.

The flavour and the taste appear, initially, as what characterizes best the chocolate and justifies its consumption. But the pseudo “compulsive behaviour”, the "need" that it seems to create in some consumers as well as the various psycho physiologic demonstrations which appear to follow its ingestion brings to give to its pharmacological component an increasing importance.

The history of chocolate is enamelled allegations relating to its stimulative effects, euphoriant, "anti stress" (anxiety/serenity), aphrodisiacs… The allegations of this kind generally do not resist to the development of scientific knowledge. With chocolate, on the contrary, they gradually seem to be supported. The stimulative action was, as of second half of last century, correlated with the presence of alkaloids like the obromine and caffeine in the cocoa. The obromine acts on the heart, the brain and the muscles, like caffeine, but in a more moderate way. In fact on the other hand, relatively recent work brought some scientific credit to the effects of the consumption of the chocolate on the couple anxiety/serenity and the sexual behaviour.

The role played, in these two cases, by the amines bio genes or amines of alarm clock, psycho actives substances present in the chocolate, and in particular one of them, hényléthylamine (PEA), was evoked, in the form of assumptions, by some researchers whose work was widely diffused by the media. This success, significant as much as surprising, is undoubtedly with the measurement of the degree of frustration reached by those which, persuaded of the reality of the effects of the chocolate, did not have any scientific element to justify them. Where the scientist sees only one analogy of behaviour of the PEA with the amphetamines (the receivers of the hypothalamus are identical in both cases), others believe to find an explanation to the chocolate bulimia sometimes observed at the occasionally depressed people. For them, this food would then be used like a kind of unconscious self medication.

The results obtained by Israeli researchers of the University of Jerusalem into 1983 can be likely to develop the " aphrodisiac virtues " old of five hundred years and maintained long-life until our days by many authors as well literary as medical. They show indeed that the administration with rats of PEA starts, on their premises, the first phase of the sequential sequence of the sex act, namely the coupling.

The salsolinol, is ignored by the media. This alkaloid existing in significant quantity in the chocolate is however interesting for several reasons. In particular its antidepressant can by itself adapt to the effects allotted to the PEA. It supports also the rise in the rate of this amine biogene by inhibiting the enzyme which controls it. It would in addition express a certain affinity for the receivers with opiates of the brain.

Lastly, a new group of components was very recently highlighted in the cocoa by the institute of the neurosciences of San Diego, in California. It deals with the anandamide, neurotransmettor implied in the endogenous system of the receivers cannabinoïdes of the brain, as well as two other related molecules (N acyléthanolamine). The effects of this system are similar to the ones of cannabis, that are, essentially, an exacerbation of the feelings and an euphoria. N-acyléthanolamines brought by the cocoa raise the rate of anandamide and would therefore increase the cannabinoïdes effects. The need for chocolate observed on those who consume some regularly and in abundance could be explained by a dependence similar to that existing in the cannabis consuming.

The team of the toxicological private clinic of the Fernand-Widal hospital reported during the talks of Bichat the results of an experiment relating to twenty-two subjects consuming from 100 to 500 grams of chocolate per day and extending over several years. This study gives interesting elements on the characteristics of the "chocolatovore". Its level of physical and psychic activities and its degree of vigilance are high. It expresses an "intense professionalism", no matter what his job is. It is deprived of anxiety. The side effects of the massive chocolate consumption are negligible; no insomnia nor of psychomotor agitation, not of catch of weight. Lastly, the state of lack at the separated chocolatovore is reduced to a light anxiety. Taking into account the discretion of the toxic effects, it had been admitted, in 1985, which it was rather about a chocolatomanie that of a drug-addiction.

Since, the scientific results seem to accredit the thesis of the soft drug. In fact, the chocolate, by stimulating physical and intellectual activities while providing energy and by generating euphoria and wellbeing, that practically without side effects and with a weak dependence, fills the "schedule of conditions" of the nearly perfect soft drug.

The deepening of knowledge gradually seems to justify the name given to cocoa more than two centuries ago: theobroma, "food of the gods".

Henri Chaveron

Henri Chaveron is a university teacher at the department of biological and medical genius at the university of Compiegne.
December 26, 1997 Conlusion: eat chocolate

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Chocolate: devouring passion or soft drug?

Easter passed with its procession of chocolate eggs and rabbits. And the children are not the only ones to be fond of it! The appétence for chocolate exceeds by far the simple greediness of kids. Adults speak sometimes about their consumption like a devouring passion, others are described rather like "accros", others finally look after "their bad mood" or their stress with chocolate. What does really happen?

Who never started up a chocolate plate to enjoy two delicious squares and realised a few minutes or a few hours later that there were nothing more left but packing? Where does this irrepressible desire come from to push us and continue to eat, whereas we do not need any more? Then what does contain this food which, originally, was even considered as a drug, to cause such a passion?

A look for strong sensory feelings?

According to Doctor Gerald Apfeldorfer, doctor nutritionnist and psychotherapist, are "chocolatomane" those who seek in consuming chocolate of strong sensory stimulations, which are at the origin of irresistible impulses towards chocolate… but not any chocolate. The chocolatomanes differentiate the good grain from the ryegrass. They particularly appreciate the black chocolate which content of cocoa exceeds at least 50% of its composition.

Or a search for psychologically active substances?

The neurophysiologists wondered whether this selective appétence for the chocolate would not be conditioned by the search for psychologically active substances. Result: they found a great number of them that chemically compose the chocolate broad bean. Chantal Bismuth, professor of toxicology at the Lariboisière Hospital in Paris specifies that " cocoa is a complex substance, made up by at least 800 different molecules, some of which have a pharmacological activity known" as serotonin.

The anti-depressive virtue of chocolate

It is praised by some passionate that; it could be related to the small quantity of serotonin found in the composition of chocolate. Serotonin is a substance present naturally in the brain and exploits a role mood. Moreover, certain antidepressants as Prozac® particularly influence the serotonin secretion.

Chocolate, a source of pleasure beyond the sensory pleasure
The neurophysiologists have also proved that chocolate induces a cerebral opiated peptide secretion, in other words small molecules of opium. This observation would explain the fact that chocolate is not only a source of gustatory pleasure, but it also induces an addition of pleasure, more of a "cerebral" nature.

Chocolate, a psychic stimulant

Among the substances componing chocolate also appears cafeine, theobromine, the salsolinol and the phényléthylamine. All three are molecules which helps remain awake and vigilant. Moreover, theobromine is known to have a stimulating effect on the central and cardiac nervous system. It facilitates muscular work and excites the appetite. Cafeine is as well known to increase the fatigue strength, to support the mental activity and to increase vigilance.

Chocolate, a source of wellbeing…

More recently, scientists also highlighted, in the composition of chocolate, a small quantity of anandamide, a substance which effects are close to the cannabis! In an article published in 1996, they specify: "our intense desire for chocolate would not only be due to the taste and texture, but also to a feeling of increased wellbeing, similar to that produced by the cannabinoïdes present in the cannabis"

Is the chocolate a drug (soft)?

Therefore, chocolate would be a food for pleasure, wellbeing, anti-stress for some, antidepressive for others. In some cases, chocolate consumption would be connected with a true behaviour of dependence. According to Henri Chaveron, specialist biological professor in genious and toxicology, the whole of the psycho-credits effects are sought by the people "accros" with the chocolate. In a maintenance published in Psychology magazine, it is specified: "the chocolate (black, of course) is a singular food. Its flavour (taste and smell perceived simultaneously) is a source of immediate pleasure, that of the directions. But it causes also differed pleasures due to its chemical composition and its psychophysiologic purposes. The pseudocompulsif behavior, the need that it creates among certain amateurs, as well as the various demonstrations who follow his ingestion brought to attach to this pharmacological component an increasing importance. Its stimulative effects, which one observed that they invigorated neurons and muscles, but also its euphoriant effects, anti-depressive and aphrodisiacs result from the presence, in chocolate, of bioactives substances. These are the feelings that the chocolate amateur seeks. Nothing of astonishing finally so that some use about it and others misuses it… until becoming "accros", of a soft and licit drug "

29/04/2003
Dr. Catherine Feldman

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Addict to chocolate !?

Can we develop a dependence to chocolate as some are with alcohool or drug? Many researchers have opposed different – assumptions - which could not be truly shown until now. 40% of the women and 15% of the men would be "chocoholic" and would suffer consequently from "chocoholism", of the terms forged on "alcoholic" and "alcoholism" to describe the addiction with the chocolate. For three out of four people, no other product or food can appease this pressing desire or "crave". Moreover, many chocoholic consume chocolate in hiding-place or have developed a form of bulimia.
The majority of chocoholic explain their addiction to chocolate by the pleasant feeling of fondant chocolate in the orosensorielles mouth and its characteristics: taste, perfume and texture. The chocolate contains much sugar and cocoa butter (grease). Certain researchers tried besides to explain the chocoholism by a sugar desire. However, 75% of the dependent people to the chocolate are declared completely unable to replace it by another delicacy.

Looking for the guilty

The researchers noticed that if white chocolate contains also cocoa butter and sugar, it fills only very partially the chocolate amateurs. They consequently were interested in the pharmacological components of the milk chocolate and black which are different from those of the white chocolate. Unfortunately for them, the track of the amines biogenes, the méthylxanthines and the cannabinoïdes did not lead them to the key of the addiction to the chocolate.
At all events, the researchers observed that the pressing chocolate desire was activated by a very powerful mechanism, namely the sensory reward brought by the fondant chocolate in the mouth. The force of this mechanism being influenced by the physiological and psychological state of the person.

02/09/2003
Claudine De Kock, journalist health
Psychological Neuro year 5 N° 29,2003

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Chocolate, a lovely remedy

The chocolate, is said to make you put on weight. They is bad for the heart, and one quickly becomes dependent about it… False, false and archi-false! During Bichat Talks, two professors of medicine explained all the opposite. The cocoa is full of virtues; only its taste which is bitter!

Finally an authorized pleasure! The chocolate was considered for long time as a remedy; it gave forces to the Aztec warriors, to Napoleon’s soldiers, the WWI soldiers and the American G.I.' S.

Today, the nutritionnists are opposed to the bad reputation of chocolate had after 1945, which was not really justified. Yes! Chocolate is good for health, and not only because it contains magnesium!

Appart from any excess renewed in the same week and that will leave you, in the worst case, smeared, the chocolate has multiple virtues… that after Brillat-Savarin and Mrs. de Sévigné, Professors J-L Schlienger, of Strasbourg, and J-Mr. Lecerf, of Lille highlighted with the last Talks with Bichat.

Three virtues of chocolate

The chocolate is a good stimulative

It starts up by giving energy, while generating approximately 500 calories for 100 G including sugar 60%, 30% of greases and 5% protein, ideal for any sports of endurance like mountain trecking or the alpinism. It contains tonic and stimulative substances in rather great quantities: for 100 G, 250 to 500 theobromine Mg and 70 cafeine Mg… everything to boost the central nervous system.

The chocolate protects the heart

Like fruits, vegetables and wine, it contains polyphenols in significant quantity. They are substances with the antioxydant properties and anti-incorporating, which have the advantage to protect the arteries and the blood vessels by preventing bad cholesterol (LDL) oxidizing and from developing the plate of athérome.
To know: the black chocolate is richest in polyphenols.

The chocolate is anti-depressive

The chocolate is good for the mood, to chase negative ideas, makes you fly, etc, and some even consider it as a soft drug! In addition to its significant quantities of magnesium (100 Mg/100 G) the relaxing effects are known, it contains many substances which can give him psychotropic effects.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin recommended it since 1826: "Any man who will drink some features of too with the cut of pleasure… Any man of spirit which would temporarily feel as becoming stupid, any man who will be tormented by an obsession which removes any freedom to think. May all these drink a good half-litre of chocolate ambré which I call the chocolate of afflicted!"

Stop the generally accepted ideas!

The chocolate does not give cholesterol

Contrary to the generally accepted ideas, its cholesterol content is very weak, 18 Mg/100 G for milk chocolate, and less than 2 Mg/100 G for black chocolate. Moreover, we noticed that the palmitic acid, an acid fatty saturated present in the cocoa butter which normally increases bad cholesterol, changes, by chance, in oleic acid, an acid which increases good cholesterol and cause a drop in triglycerides.

The chocolate does not make pu on weight

You will not believe me, with its 500 calories to 100 G! But all the studies show that the overweight is not among chocolate fans, but more at those which have food contributions higher than their expenditure (subtle).

Moreover, the chocolate with small amounts is introduced more and more by the nutritionnists into the reducing diets for its considerable psychological benefit. Prefer the black chocolates rich in cocoa (less fat, less sweet). But we do not delude: the chocolate will not improve your line if you eat a lot of it under the pretext to make you feel good.

The chocolate is not a drug

Don’t worry the "chocolatomanie" is not a drug-addiction; a French investigation showed that the chocolatovores were not anxious to be separated from chocolate. They developed a passion for chocolate simply because they appreciate the texture and this incomparable taste of fat-sweetened. It is thus admitted today that the chocolate is an antidepressant and euphoriant by the simple pleasure it brings.

Also, it does not spoil the teeth

If you still had to be convinced of a Xth reason to eat chocolate, here: it would have even certain virtues anti-decays!

In fact, cocoa contains tannins which slows down the development of oral bacteria, of the fluorine which reinforces enamel and of the phosphates which plug the acids formed by sugars in the mouth. It is like a friend of our teeth, which nevertheless does not exempt to brush them regularly!!

Marie Francoise Padioleu
December 19, 2002

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