Problems with Chocolate

Let’s face it. Chocolate is delicious, and a top favorite of many people. Some enjoy it freely, relying on its positive contribution to pleasure and nutrition, others, aware of some of its unhealthful qualities, abstain. Seems we are currently caught between surges of those opposing attitudes and usage. What, really is the current state of reliable scientific information?

Chocolate produces the most common food cravings in America! Forty percent of women, especially about the time of their menstruation, crave chocolate. Fifteen percent of men experience craving for chocolate. This unusual craving for chocolate can even bias people writing about chocolate! What is going on? Why? Chocolate chemistry is one large answer. There are over 400 chemicals in chocolate. Among them, several stand out.

Chocolate Has Caffeine in It

This famous stimulant, caffeine, erodes sleep, jangles the nerves, undermines the body’s ability to fight headaches, and even promotes depression when used long-term. Habitual craving tends to become a long-term pattern. See the table below, prepared by Dr. Winston Craig, on caffeine content. Though the content of caffeine in chocolate is relatively small, it is a warning that other harmful chemicals may lurk among its dark, delicious mysteries.

Chocolate Has Much More Theobromine Than Caffeine

A group from Johns Hopkins tested seven volunteers to see whether they could detect theobromine hidden in capsules and presented in double-blind fashion, where neither subject nor experimenters knew which capsules had the drug. Five out of seven could discriminate the theobromine by its effects in their bodies even when hidden in capsules. The dosage required to do this overlap the theobromine content of a larger dose of chocolate.¹⁾Mumford, G K, et al., Discriminative stimulus and subjective effects of theobromine and caffeine in humans. Psychopharmacology, 115(1-2):1-8, 1994,abs

This suggests that the potency of theobromine has been neglected in previous evaluations. Though theobromine is much weaker on the brain than caffeine is, its effects on smooth muscle elsewhere in the body are quite significant. In animal research high dose theobromine can produce atrophy of the thymus gland, the testicles, and degeneration of spermatogenic cells (precursors of sperm cells).²⁾Gans, J.H. Comparative toxicities of dietary caffeine and theobromine in the rat. Food Chem Toxicol, 22(5):365-9, 1984, abs. This raises a cautionary flag on the theobromine front.

Chocolate Has Phenylethylamine

This is another unsavory brain stimulant, related to the drug amphetamine (”speed”). Weaker, but significant, it can play a part in imbalancing transmitter chemistry in the brain and nervous system. Analysis of cocoa powders in Germany has revealed that phenylethylamine can combine with aldehydes to form another brain-active chemical that can release dopamine into the pleasure centers of the limbic system of the brain. This could also help explain chocolate cravings.⁴⁾Aldimines arise from condensation of phenylethylamine with aldehydes. The main component of these products is N-phenylmethyl-N-phenylmethylene amine (CA5 3240-95-7). Phenylethylamine can release dopamine in the pleasure centers of the mesolimbic region of the brain. This could help promote habituation.
Ziegleder G, et al., Occurrence of beta phenylethylamine and its derivatives in cocoa products. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch, 195(3):235-8, 1992, abs

Chocolate Raises Endorphins

Endorphins are raised by eating chocolate. The darker the chocolate the more of the opioid effect this psychoactive food has. These endorphins are involved in motivational circuits in the limbic region of the brain. And, when this endorphin component is blocked by using the drug naloxone, people eat less chocolate. This indicates a narcotic element in chocolate.⁵⁾Drwenowski A., et al., Taste responses and preferences for sweet high-fat foods: evidence for opioid involvement. Physiol Behav 51 (2).371-9, 1992, abs.

Chocolate Has Anandamides

Ananda comes from the Sanskrit meaning “bliss.” Several of these more newly discovered brain-active molecules are complicating the chocolate picture.⁶⁾Tomaso, E. and Piornelli, D, Brain cannabinoids in chocolate. Nature, 382.677-8, 1996, abs. Other stronger but related chemicals of this group are found in marijuana. Since chocolate has several anandamides in it, chocolate becomes a candidate for a potential ”gateway agent” to position the brain for marijuana use–something stronger. The pro-chocolate people should realize that brain chemicals can interact so that several relatively weak chemicals at lower doses can combine to activate synapses requiring totally impossible or at clearly unrealistic doses when each is considered only all by itself. This pharmacological phenomenon of multiple interactions is common in atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cancer. It is something like tobacco pharmacology. Benzopyrene alone cannot explain the lung cancer problems of smokers. Many chemicals are involved, not one or two.

Chocolate and Salsolinol

This alkaloid, salsolinol, is found in cocoa and chocolate. It also pushes the dopamine system in the brain. It inhibits the formation of cyclic AMP, and the release of beta-endorphin and ACTH in a pituitary cell system. So a group from the Institute of Pharmacy in Berlin thinks that it has a role in chocolate addiction.⁷⁾Melzig, M.F., et al., In vitro pharmacological activity of the tetrahydroisoquinoline salsolinol present in products from Theobroma cacao L. like cocoa and chocolate. J Ethnopharmacol, 73(1-2);153-9, 2000, abs

Chocolate and PET Scans

A brain science group at Northwestern School of Medicine studied the effects of eating chocolate on function in the depths of the brain using PET scans. At first, while chocolate is eaten, the middle portions of the bottom of the brain showed activation. Later, when the subjects were satiated with chocolate, the activation of the brain shifted to the sides of the bottom. Merely eating would show no shift.⁸⁾First the subcallosal region of the limbic system, and caudomedial orbitofrontal cortex was activated. The insula/operculum, striatum and midbrain were also lighted up. When the subjects were satiated with chocolate, the activation shifted to more lateral regions of the brain. This infers that chocolate has clear effects on the brain. This brain scanning approach should be replicated, comparing foods with and without cravings.
Small D M, et al., Changes in brain activity related to eating chocolate: from pleasure to aversion. Brain, 124(Pt 9)1720-33, 2001, abs.

Chocolate and Prefrontal Cortex

Schroeder and colleagues, at the University of Wisconsin, compared nicotine and chocolate in the lab under strict control for effects on the expression or triggering of increased activity of genes. They found that the Fos gene, which promotes growth in a specific area, is activated in the prefrontal cortex after the consumption of chocolate. Both nicotine and chocolate were associated with the gene expression of Fos in the prefrontal regions. They concluded: “addictive drugs induce long-term neuroadaptations in brain regions sub-serving normal learning and memory for motivationally salient stimuli.”⁹⁾Schroeder B.E., et al., A common profile of prefrontal cortical activation following exposure to nicotine- or chocolate associated contextual cues. Neuroscience, 105(3):535-45, 2001, abs.
It would be helpful if this study were repeated comparing other foods not showing the phenomenon of craving

Cocoa Butter Reduces Exploratory Activity

Borgman and associates discovered that feeding mother rats 20% cocoa butter while they were building babies produced progeny that demonstrated deficient exploratory behavior. This means that this product can change the behavior of progeny.¹⁰⁾Borgman, R.F., et al., Influence of maternal dietary fat upon rat pups. Am J Vet Res, 36(6):799-805, 1975, abs

Chocolate Has Tetrahydro-beta-carbolines

Herraiz, of Madrid, found and measured a half-dozen potentially active neuroactive alkaloids in chocolate and cocoa. Using the highly advanced high-pressure liquid chromatography technique combined with fluorescence and mass spectrophotometry he detected a half-dozen of these very interesting chemicals. Carbolines have been implicated in the addiction to alcohol. He also found tryptamine in chocolate.¹¹⁾Herraiz, T., Telrahydro-beta-carboIines, potential neuroactive alkaloids, in chocolate and cocoa. J Agric Food Chem, 48(10);4900-4, 2000, abs.

Tryptamine is well known in brain science to distort serotonin chemistry in the brain and elsewhere in the body. It can even produce bad dreams. Carbolines are mild inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO); this gives a mild stimulation or “kick” to norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

Chocolate and Calories

There are over 1,200 calories in one pound of chocolates (2,600 calories in one kg)! Hence chocolate is a proven cause of obesity, both in the lab and in life. Chocolate is a high-fat, high-sugar food. Chocolate combines high-sweet taste with high-fat, melt-in-your-mouth feel. This combination is potent enough to contribute to its high potential for creating cravings.

Food Cravings

And would you believe it—97% of women and 68% of men out of 1,000 undergraduate college students reported experiencing some food craving. Craving for chocolate was the most frequently reported food craving, especially among women.¹²⁾Weingarten, HR, and Elston, D., Food cravings in a college population. Appetite, 17(3):167-75,1991, abs.

At the university of Pennsylvania, 249 undergraduates and 319 of their parents were surveyed for cravings. Again, the most-craved food among females was chocolate—almost one-half of the sample in both age groups of women. About one-half of the female group showed a well-defined peak of craving a few days before the onset of menses and extending into the first few days of menses. Just sweetness or just methylated xanthines such as caffeine did not correlate with their cravings. They report that the most common food craving in North America is—you guessed it—chocolate.¹³⁾Rozin, P., et al., Chocolate craving and liking. Appetite,17(3):199-212,1991, abs.

In another study, pregnant adolescent girls were interviewed during the third trimester of their pregnancy. 86% of the 97 teenagers had cravings for sweets, especially chocolate. These young mothers-to-be with cravings ate more sweets, providing more calories, than the other girls without cravings ate.¹⁴⁾Pope, J.F., et al, Cravings and aversions of pregnant adolescents J Am Diet Assoc, 92(12):1479-82, 1992, abs.

A group from the Leeds School of Medicine, United Kingdom, studied cravings for food in women who were not patients. Subtle differences in the change of arousal (or activation) of the brain and manifestations of hunger were noted between those who craved chocolate and for those who craved other sweet foods.¹⁵⁾Hill, A J., and Heaton-Brown, L., The experience of food craving: a prospective investigation in healthy women, J Psychosom Res, 38(8)-801-14, 1994, abs.

Scientists from the University of Tampere, Finland, Medical School reported that “chocolate addiction and problem eating behavior are related. In the presence of external cues for chocolate, chocolate addicts showed more behavioral arousal, had greater craving, experienced more negative affect, and ate more chocolate than control subjects.” By comparing eating attitudes, behavior, body image, and symptoms of depression, it was shown that chocolate addiction is related to problem eating. They showed that addicts to chocolate had more abnormal features in eating behavior, more dysfunctional attitudes, and they were more depressed than non-addicts.¹⁶⁾Tuomisto, T., et al., Psychological and physiological characteristics of sweet food “addiction.” Int J Eat Disord, 25(2):169-75, 1999, abs.

It seems that chocolate craving is a combination of chemical, sensory, and psychological mechanisms, more active in females and accentuated by hormonal and mood situations. No single chemical or known factor can explain all the facts.

Chocolate and Mood

Regarding the effects of foods on mood Dr. Benton says, “Arguably the food with the greatest impact on mood is chocolate.” He observes that chocolate cravings are highest when people feel emotionally the lowest.¹⁷⁾Benton, D., and Donohoe, R.T., The effects of nutrients on mood. Public Health Nutr, (3A):403-9, 1999, abs.

Chocolate and Brain Waves

Martin, from Middlesex University, London recorded brain waves, using 19 electrodes in 5 subjects. He found that even the smell of chocolate was associated with significantly less theta activity (electronic evidence of arousal than with any other odors tested.¹⁸⁾Martin, G N., Human electroencephalographic (EEG) response to olfactory stimulation: two experiments using the aroma of food. Int J Psychophysiol, 30(3):287-302, 1998, abs. In view of the well-established phenomenon of chemical conditioning (from the Russian school of brain physiology) this finding has considerable significance. Jist as ringing a bell can produce saliva, so—smelling the odor of chocolate can change brain waves. This is more electronic evidence that chocolate can change brain waves.

Chocolate Is a Trigger for Migraine

From the Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, London, England, Peatfield reported results from 419 patients complaining of migraine headaches. 16.5% reported that their headaches could be precipitated by cheese or chocolate. Both together were potent. There is a widely reported general observation that chocolate can trigger migraine attacks.¹⁹⁾Peatfield, R.C., Relationships between food, wine, and beer-precipitated migrainous headaches. Headache, 35(6):355-7, 1995, abs.

Chocolate and the Lower Sphincter of the Esophagus

In the American Journal of Digestive Disease, Wright and Castell record the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle that closes the esophagus to prevent stomach contents from entering it by back-flow and, among other problems, causing “heartburn” (GERD). Before chocolate, this important sphincter, or valve, generated a closing pressure of 14.6 mm of Hg. After consumption of 120 ml (1/2 cup) of chocolate syrup, the pressure fell to only 7.9 mm of Hg. This was statistically significant, with a p value rating of less than 0.01. [This is firm evidence that chocolate is a pharmacological food, not just a trivial side issue] Antacid therapy did not cancel all the damage from the chocolate.²⁰⁾Wright, L.E., and Castell, D.O., The adverse effect of chocolate on lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Am J Dig Dis,20(8):703-7, 1975, abs.

Heartburn can thus be caused in part from chocolate. This is so significant as to suggest that people with reflux esophagitis (GERD) abstain from chocolate.²¹⁾Murphy, D.W., and Castell, D.O., Chocolate and heartburn: evidence of increased esophageal acid exposure after chocolate ingestion. Am J Gastroenterol 83(6):633-6, 1988, abs This is clear evidence that chocolate interferes with normal smooth muscle tone of the upper sphincter into the stomach, allowing acid to back up out of the stomach and cause not only pain but also erosion and degeneration of the lining of the esophagus.

Chocolate, Calcium, and Oxalate

A group in France measured the effects in 10 healthy subjects of eating 1 ½ ounces (45 grams) of dark chocolate. Compared to just sucrose (table sugar) for the control subjects, they found a striking 96% increase in triglyceridemia, a 147% increase of calcium, and a 213% increase of oxalate in the urine. Each was statistically significant, <0.01, <0.01, <0.001 respectively. The authors mention that being a food stuff rich in sucrose, fat, and oxalate, chocolate is considered unsuitable in cases of obesity, diabetes mellitus, urolithiasis (kidney stones), and postprandial (after meal) hypoglycemia. They are concerned about the contribution of this urinary pattern to the formation of calcium oxalate calculi (stone formation).²²⁾Nguyen, N.U., et al., lncrease in calciuria and oxaluria after a single chocolate bar load. Horm Metab Res, 26(8):383-6, 1994, abs.

Chocolate and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The University Hospital at Maastricht, the Netherlands, reports that gastroenterology patients had 2.5 times the risk of inflammatory bowel disease when they used chocolate, compared to a similar group of people in the general population (the control group). Those patients who used cola drinks had 2.2 times the risk, and the risk associated with chewing gum was 1.5 times greater. But there was a negative, or favorable risk, in those using citrus–0.5. Obviously chocolate and cola consumption were positively associated with the development of ulcerative colitis.²³⁾Russel, M.G., et al, Modern life in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease: a case-control study with special emphasis on nutritional factors. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 10(3):243-9, 1998, abs.

Chocolate and Fibrocystic Disease of The Breast

Minton and associates report in the American journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that 13 of20 women (65 percent) with benign fibrocystic disease of the breast noted complete disappearance of palpable breast nodules, pain, tenderness and nipple discharge one to six months after eliminating coffee, tea, colas and chocolate from their diets.²⁴⁾Minton, J.P., et al., Response of fibrocystic disease to caffeine withdrawal and correlation of cyclic nucleotides with breast disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 135:157-158, 1979, abs.

In a separate study they measured the levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in these women and found them 1.5 and 3 times higher than the normal level in women. This infers that these abnormal levels of biochemicals can imbalance cell growth regulation. The tissue levels in women with actual cancer were even more abnormal. They then put this information to work by trying to eliminate the offending foods like coffee, tea, colas and chocolate from their diets before doing biopsy procedures, and noted that fewer breast biopsies were necessary. [How splendid and humane]

Caffeine and Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Caffeine in amounts of 11-150 mg/day from coffee, tea, chocolate and colas, in a series of more than 7,000 women around Quebec City, Canada was associated with increased risk of intrauterine growth retardation, meaning birth weights of less than the 10th percentile considering both gender of the baby and its gestational age. (This concerned the babies with the lowest tenth of birth weight compared to babies of the same sex and date of conception)²⁵⁾Fortier, I., et al., Relation of caffeine intake during pregnancy to intrauterine growth retardation and preterm birth. Am J Epidemiol, 137(9)951 -4; 955-8, 1993, abs. Caffeine intake apparently can interfere with normal growth in the mother’s womb. Other scientists suggest a higher dose limit, but affirm the risk, especially to premature infants and those of low birth weight.

Mother’s Caffeine Use and Baby’s Head Circumference

Watkinson and Fried studied 286 women participating in the Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study. Data was collected on maternal use of tea, coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, chocolate bars and drinks, and caffeinated medications. They found that babies of mothers who consumed 300 or more mg per day of caffeine averaged lower birth weight and had smaller head circumference, even after mother’s use of tobacco was accounted for.²⁶⁾Watkinson, B., and Fried, P.A., Maternal caffeine use before, during and after pregnancy and effects upon offspring. Neurobehav ToxicoI TeratoI, 7(1):9-17, 1985, abs.

Chocolate Addiction and Mood

Fifty people who considered themselves “chocoholics” were studied at the University of Dundee, Scotland. Members of this group averaged about 12 chocolate bars (60 grams) a week. They craved chocolate about six times per week. The dieters and secret eaters had unpleasant effects after eating their chocolate.²⁷⁾Hetherington, M.M., and MacDiarmid, J. I., “Chocolate addiction:” a preliminary study of its description and its relationship to problem eating. Appetite 21(3): 233-46, 1993, abs. Later, this group reported that feelings of guilt clouded the short-term pleasures associated with eating the chocolate.²⁸⁾Macdiarmid, J. I., and Hetherington, M.M., Mood modulation by food: an exploration of affect and cravings in “chocolate addicts.” Br J Clin Psychol, 34: 129-38. 1995, abs.

Craving Shifts from Alcohol to Chocolate

78% of 222 “recovered” alcoholics reported statistically significant use of coffee, chocolate and other sweets. Apparently cravings can shift from one target to another.²⁹⁾Junghanns, K., et al., Craving shift in chronic alcoholics. Eur Addict Res, 6(2):64-70, 2000, abs.

Are There Any Pluses for Chocolate?

Yes, there are antioxidants in chocolate. Yes, the fat in cocoa, which is largely stearic acid, is not as highly dangerous as palmitic acid of beef, but we need to mention that stearic acid does increase lipoprotein (a), a risk factor that can push blood coagulation.³⁰⁾Miller, G.J., Postprandial lipaemia and haemostatic factors. Atherosclerosis, 41 (Suppl 1): 547-51, 1998, abs Also, when cheap milk solids are added to chocolate, this complicates the picture. And there are other pluses that could be mentioned but you can obtain more and better phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals without the cluster of problems associated with the use of chocolate. The health benefits of chocolate are quite substantially outweighed by its more significant risks and problems.

Something Better

In our globalized planet the availability of carob is most fortunate. Carob has calcium, vitamins E and B and minerals. It also has pectin and lignin. No wonder John the Baptist used carob. Carob has been used therapeutically and safely, especially to control diarrhea in infants. It is easily taken in milk or soymilk.³¹⁾Adapted from Schaad, P.E., Nussbaumer, PA, The carob bean in infant dietetics. Schweiz Apotheker Zig, 103:212-215, 1964.

To Summarize

• Chocolate contains caffeine.
• Chocolate contains much more theobromine than caffeine.
• Chocolate contains a number of other brain-active chemicals.
• Chocolate has a combination of psychoactive chemicals that help explain its high incidence of cravings–over 40 percent in females.
• Chocolate tends to imbalance appetite control more than other sweets do.
• To cover the bitter flavor of chocolate, much sugar is used. Chocolate is a high-sugar food.
• Chocolate is a high-fat food. No wonder it fosters obesity.
• Chocolate contributes to several diseases.

It is obvious that there is so much evidence, from several directions, of harm from the use of chocolate that its use cannot be recommended.

Carob is so healthful that even the great Health and Spiritual leader, John the Baptist, used it liberally.³²⁾Matthew 3:4, The Bible.

The best true health demands the best nutrition for one’s body, mind, and soul. ”Take us the foxes, the little foxes, [like Chocolate] that spoil the vines…”³³⁾Song of Solomon 2:15a, The Bible.