
“Over 90% of Americans are planning to give chocolate or confectionery this Valentine’s Day”
FoodNavigator, USA
Great idea! But we wish that more of this gifting was of craft chocolate. So please do your part; treat yourself, your partner and any other loved ones to some of the treats we’ve assembled for Valentine’s Day.
As you do this, if the mood so takes you, please see the below for a (brief) history of chocolate and sex, starting with some definitions before moving onto some debunking. But fear not: Even though technically chocolate hasn’t been proven to be a “biochemical aphrodisiac”, it’s still a great way to show and share your affection. Especially on Valentine’s day.
Definitions and History
An aphrodisiac is defined as “a food, drink, or other thing that stimulates sexual desire”, or “a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior” (Wikipedia).
Chocolate makers, pundits, medical ‘experts’ and many others would have us believe that chocolate is a physical aphrodisiac. This linking of sex and chocolate isn’t new. From the first time the conquistadors saw chocolate, the two have been “intimately associated”. To quote Bernal Díaz Castillo (chronicler of Hernan Cortéz´s conquest of Mexico), Montezuma would regularly consume “50 great jars of prepared cacao and foam … which they said was for success with woman”.
Read more about pre-conquest Aztec chocolate habits HERE.
And even though much of chocolate’s initial take up in Europe was driven by the Catholic Church (come to a virtual tasting to find out more), chocolate’s association with sex continued to be consummated. For Casanova chocolate was the “very elixir of love” and the notorious Marquis de Sade celebrated its potency, begging for it to be brought to his boudoir.
In Britain, Henry Stubbe, a 17th century physician, was a passionate supporter, writing in The Natural History of Chocolate (1662) of the “great use of chocolate in Venery [sexual indulgence], and for supplying the Testicles with a Balsam, or a Sap.” And Stubbe converted Charles II to his way of thinking, with Charles II spending a staggering £229 10s 8d on chocolate and cocoa in 1669 alone; considerably more even than he paid as a stipend to his various mistresses.
Current Claims
Today chocolate is still associated with being an aphrodisiac, capable of working all sorts of miracles. In part these claims are based off this history and increasingly they are also based off claims associated with the myriad of chemicals contained in chocolate.
Most of these claims are based off four chemicals, described briefly below:
- Theobromine: Theobromine is to chocolate what caffeine is to coffee; that is to say: the main stimulant. But whilst theobromine INCREASES the heart rate, it DECREASES blood pressure. It’s the “stimulant that relaxes”. (Note: dogs can’t metabolize chocolate, and it can lead to really unpleasant reactions in them … so don’t ruin Valentine’s Day by treating your dog).
- Phenethylamine (PEA): Phenethylamine works by stimulating the release of endorphins and dopamine. It works the same way as an exercise makes you feel good (and sometimes high). Along with oxytocin, PEA is also produced in the first flush of love (it also can create migraines in a small number of people … so you’ve been warned!).
- Trytophan: Trytophan is a chemical that the brain uses to make serotonin, which, in high, levels can produce feelings of elation, even ecstasy. It can also make you sleepy. And in addition to chocolate, turkey, milk oats and various nuts are also very high in trytophan.
- Quercetin: Quercetin is a flavonoid that has anti-inflammatory properties and is claimed to work similarly to Viagra by relaxing blood vessels and increasing blood flow to genitalia. Again, chocolate contains lots of quercetin (as do many other fruits).
The Bad News
Unfortunately the biochemical claims for any of these chemicals as a physical aphrodisiac seem… stretched.
- Even though chocolate does contain PEA, and as people fall in love their brains produce PEA, the human digestive system breaks down this PEA very quickly. So no matter how much (or how fast) you (or your partner) eat chocolate, the PEA in chocolate won’t pass through to your brain to recreate the feeling of being in love.
- Quercetin has so far only been shown to work for people with really poor circulation, and even then, there is a dearth of studies showing quercetin working on human genitalia.
- At best a case can be made that theobromine and tryptophan may make your heart beat faster and make you ‘happier’. But it’s a stretch to describe this as an aphrodisiac.
The Good News
Psychologically, the news is a lot better!
- Gifting chocolate, and the thought of savouring chocolate, creates ANTICIPATION.
- Gifting is also a great SIGNAL; for example it can show you’ve been thoughtful, appreciate your partners likes (and dislikes) etc. explain why and what you’ve chosen.
- The aromas, tastes and textures of chocolate are EVOCATIVE and STIMULATING.
- SAVOURING craft chocolate is also a wonderfully sensual and sensory pleasure. It’s MOOD ENHANCING.
So we can’t promise “the Lynx effect”. Chocolate hasn’t been shown to work as a pheromone or biochemical aphrodisiac.
But craft chocolate is a great way to start treating your Valentine. It shows you care and want to share. And it kicks off the right mood and signals your desire to savour and stimulate! For inspiration, see HERE.