People are programmed to love chocolate

[Tormod]

For the first time, scientists have linked the all-too-human preference for a food - chocolate - to a specific, chemical signature that may be programmed into the metabolic system and is detectable by laboratory tests. The signature reads 'chocolate lover' in some people and indifference to the popular sweet in others, the researchers say.

 

lefthttp://hypography.com/gallery/files/5/chocolate_image_thumb.jpg[/img]The study by Swiss and British scientists breaks new ground in a rapidly emerging field that may eventually classify individuals on the basis of their metabolic type, or metabotype, which can ultimately be used to design healthier diets that are customized to an individual's needs. The study is scheduled for publication in the Nov. 2 issue of American Chemical Society's Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.

 

Sunil Kochhar and colleagues studied 11 volunteers who classified themselves as 'chocolate desiring' and 11 volunteers who were 'chocolate indifferent.' In a controlled clinical study, each subject - all men - ate chocolate or placebo over a five day period while their blood and urine samples were analyzed. The 'chocolate lovers' had a hallmark metabolic profile that involved low levels of LDL-cholesterol (so-called 'bad' cholesterol) and marginally elevated levels of albumin, a beneficial protein, the scientists say.

 

The chocolate lovers expressed this profile even when they ate no chocolate, the researchers note. The activity of the gut microbes in the chocolate lovers was also distinctively different from the other subjects, they add.

 

"Our study shows that food preferences, including chocolate, might be programmed or imprinted into our metabolic system in such a way that the body becomes attuned to a particular diet," says Kochhar, a scientist with Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland.

 

"We know that some people can eat a diet that is high in steak and carbs and generally remain healthy, while the same food in others is unhealthy," he explains. "Knowing one’s metabolic profile could open-the-door to dietary or nutritional interventions that are customized to your type so that your metabolism can be nudged to a healthier status."

 

Researchers have known for some time that metabolic status and food preferences can vary from person to person and even between different cultures. The recent growth of the new field of proteome research, which focuses on characterizing the structure and function of the complete set of proteins produced by our genes, has allowed scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the metabolic changes that occur when foods are digested, Kochhar says.

 

"There's a lot of information in metabolism that can be used to improve health and this information is just now being explored and tapped," the researcher says.

 

In the future, a test for determining one's metabolic type could be performed as part of a blood or urine test during a regular visit to the doctor, Kochhar predicts. But a reliable test to measure one's metabolic type may be five years away, as more research is still needed in this area, he notes.

 

Women were not included in the current study in order to avoid any metabolic variations linked to the menstrual cycle, which has been shown in studies by others to influence metabolic differences, Kochhar says. But the researchers plan to include women in future clinical trials on metabolic responses to chocolate to determine if there is a gender-specific response to the treat.

 

In addition to providing a better understanding of individual metabolic types, the current study could also lead to the discovery of additional biomarkers that can identify new health benefits linked to chocolate and other foods, says Kochhar, whose research was funded by Nestlé.

 

Source: Eurekalert

[freeztar]

Can your metabotype change over time?

 

I used to love chocolate and I am indifferent to it now. :clock:

[Buffy]

Somebody needed a survey to know that we like chocolate? :)

 

Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Bundt Cake, Bon Bons,

Buffy Blue

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! So that's why I need my dailly dose of the good stuff!

I couldn't possibly get through the day w/out my choco fortified coffee!

 

Choco fortified coffee-

make

1- pot tripple strength coffee

add

1-heaping tblspn baking cocoa per cup

I prefer it black and unsweetened

But you can add cream and sugar to suit your tastes.

[Michaelangelica]

Somebody needed a survey to know that we like chocolate? :)

 

Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Bundt Cake, Bon Bons,

Buffy Blue

OF COURSE!!!

I met some German flavour scientists who were trying to copy the flavour of whisky so that it could be just added to ethanol and distillery accountants would be happy as the stuff din't have to sit in kegs for 10-20 years.

 

I know they had a case of whiskey delivered (on the firm's budget) for many years.

"For research purposes" of course!

 

How do people get jobs like that?

[OldBill]

I've always considered chocolate to be one of the four basic food groups, along with caramel, nougat, & peanuts. That then dictates that an all-Snickers diet might possibly provide the most nutritionially balanced, universal benefit to all metabotypes. :)

[Michaelangelica]

Funny that the Aztecs never made a 'sweet' of it as we do.

They usually mixed it with Chilli.

The Mexicans use it in a famous chicken dish 'Mole de Guajolote' (that might be turkey?)

I have never seen the unsweetened chocolate that they use.

 

So much chocolate is inferior these days with the coco fat taken out and very little coco. Coco butter melts at the same temperature as the human body so you get a "rush' of flavour though your whole moth. I once had some chocolate chill "balls" made by a S. US chef. They had lots of coco butter and couverture chocolate. They exploded all over your mouth with simultaneous chocolate-chilli flavour. A unique experience!

 

It amazes me people can sell "white chocolate" when it has nothing to do with chocolate.

 

The 5 star Regent Hotel in Sydney has a chocolate room and a full-time chocolate chef!

 

I wonder rather than "metabolic types", as postulated in the article, we don't have brain receptors for Theobromine -the active ingredient in chocolate.

We seem to have receptors for other plant drugs.

I heard that this was the same drug that was released when people were "in love". Anyone know if this has any basis in fact?

 

Here is an article for the chemists.

Bodybuilding.com - Theobromine Information and Product Listing! Theobromine FAQ!

Although theobromine is related to caffeine and exerts similar effects, theobromine does not affect the body through central nervous system stimulation. Instead, it induces muscular relaxation of the smooth muscle tissue.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

It amazes me people can sell "white chocolate" when it has nothing to do with chocolate.

Cocoa butter, proper white chocolate contains cocoa butter. (cheaper stuff might not but is supposed too hence white chocolate.)

[Michaelangelica]

Cocoa butter, proper white chocolate contains cocoa butter. (cheaper stuff might not but is supposed too hence white chocolate.)

Even normal shop bought chocolate "milk" chocolate has no coco butter these days. You can tell by the was it dissolves in your mouth -Coco butter dissolves quickly at body temperature giving a flavour "rush"

Much coco butter goes into cosmetics.

it is very difficult to buy good dark chocolate. Sometimes I wonder if real chocolate is as popular as people think.

A restaurant using "real' chocolate as a flavour in its milkshakes had to go back to the artificial syrup as that is what people knew.

 

I buy dark "Lint 70%" when I can

Other wise you need to buy a massive block of couverture chocolate from a catering supply company.

even then you need to be wary, as many varieties have low coco butter content.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Hersheys lists it as the third ingredient after sugar and chocolate, Nestle has none. Lindt is to die for! I recently had some really good choco at 85% cocao so nice so dark and lovely!!!!!!

[Michaelangelica]

Q: A friend just told me that chocolate can reduce blood pressure. It sounds too good to be true. Is it?

 

A: There’s some evidence that the flavonoids in dark chocolate may help reduce blood pressure, but the answer isn’t. . . rhubarb. . .rhubarb . , .rhubarb. . .

Chocolate and Blood Pressure | Healthy and Green Living

 

Guess who has high BP?:hyper:

[JoeRoccoCassara]

Personally, I can't stand chocolate!

 

I haven't eaten chocolate in like 2 years.

 

It's the same reason I can't stand creamy donuts, stuffing cake, and greasy pizza, salty frieze, and all that....funky stuff.

[Thunderbird]

Chocolate covered coffee beans!!!!!!..... yummy

[mynah]

Funny that the Aztecs never made a 'sweet' of it as we do.

They usually mixed it with Chilli.

The Mexicans use it in a famous chicken dish 'Mole de Guajolote' (that might be turkey?)

I have never seen the unsweetened chocolate that they use.

 

A chili chocolate is on sale here: Good quality dark chocolate with a substantial amount of chili. Wonderful stuff - don't know, however, if I'd still like it without the sugar!

[Michaelangelica]

Anyone know anything about anandamide and chocolate?

From Wiki:-

Cannabinoid receptors were originally discovered as being sensitive to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC, commonly called THC), which is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. The discovery of anandamide came from research into CB1 and CB2, as it was inevitable that a naturally occurring (endogenous) chemical would be found to affect these receptors.

 

Anandamide has been shown to be involved in working memory.[3] Studies are under way to explore what role anandamide plays in human behavior, such as eating and sleep patterns, and pain relief.

 

Anandamide is also important for implantation of the early stage embryo in its blastocyst form into the uterus. Therefore cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC might interfere with the earliest stages of human pregnancy.[4]

 

Anandamide also is important in the regulation of feeding behavior, and the neural generation of motivation and pleasure. Both anandamide and exogenous cannabinoids like THC enhance food intake in animals and humans, an effect that is sometimes called the 'marijuana munchies.' In addition, anandamide injected directly into the forebrain reward-related brain structure nucleus accumbens enhances the pleasurable responses of rats to a rewarding sucrose taste, and enhances food intake as well[5].

 

Moreover, anandamide is thought to be an endogenous ligand for vanilloid receptors (which are involved in the transduction of acute and inflammatory pain signals), activating the receptor in a PKC-dependent (protein kinase C-dependent) manner.

Raphael Mechoulam (right), discoverer of psychoactive compound, (-)-trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, from Cannabis sativa L. (1964) and Lumír Ondřej Hanuš (left), discoverer of endogenous ligand, anandamide, from brain (1992). Both compounds bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

Raphael Mechoulam (right), discoverer of psychoactive compound, (-)-trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, from Cannabis sativa L. (1964) and Lumír Ondřej Hanuš (left), discoverer of endogenous ligand, anandamide, from brain (1992). Both compounds bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

 

[edit] Endogenous and dietary sources

 

Anandamide occurs in minute quantities in sea urchin roe.[6] Anandamide was reported to be present in chocolate[7] in small quantitities that were not assumed to have pharmacological or psychoactive effects.[8] However, a later study failed to repeat these findings and did not detect anandamide in chocolate.[9]