• Question: why is chocolate so addictive?

    Asked by diack to Alexandra, Dean, Jess, Luisa, Sian on 23 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sian Foch-Gatrell

      Sian Foch-Gatrell answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Chocolate contains some mood-enhancing substance such as phenylethylamine which has similar effects on the body as an amphetamine which can make you feel good.

    • Photo: Dean Whittaker

      Dean Whittaker answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      If I remember rightly – you eat it and it releases endorphines (pleasure chemicals in your brain). Your brain likes this so wants more. That’s probably due to the fat content. Back when we were hunter gatherers we ran around a lot and didn’t eat much. We evolved to want fatty foods because fat stores a lot of energy. Nowadays we have free access to food and work in offices etc.. so instead of needing fatty foods we try to avoid them. But they’re delicous and addictive!

    • Photo: Alexandra Kamins

      Alexandra Kamins answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      haha I’ll let the chocolate specialist answer this one 😉

    • Photo: Jessica Housden

      Jessica Housden answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      yum, I wish I knew because I might just be addicted to it!

    • Photo: Luisa Ostertag

      Luisa Ostertag answered on 23 Jun 2010:

      Because it contains loads of sugar and fat. (Studies have shown that food very rich in fat and sugar can affect us in a similar way to drugs – we need more evry day if we keep on eating them very regularly.)
      Also it contains endorphines (hormones that make you feel happy).
      And it contains caffeine and theobromine (similar to coffee and tea), which stimulate and if you overdo it might add to the ‘addictive’ effect too.

      But I also have to say: chocolate is great and tasty and I love it – but it’s not really addictive. At least in no way comparable to drugs like nicotine or heroine.

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