Five Reasons to Love Valentine's Day

I’m not a big holiday person, but I’ve come to appreciate Valentine’s Day because I like receiving flowers and the chances are high that my hubby will have a beautiful arrangement delivered to our home (hint, hint).

Out of curiosity, I did a little research into the history behind Valentine’s Day and its traditions are pretty murky. Some say St. Valentine was a priest who secretly married young lovers during the rule of Emperor Caludius II. Other stories suggest Valentine was a prisoner who fell in love with the daughter of his captor and wrote her letters signed, “From your Valentine,” kickstarting the tradition of sending love letters with that signature.

As for chocolate, the health benefits of eating a small piece of high quality dark, with a least 70% cocoa, are accepted by even the most fervent naysayers. I buy mine in bulk at a restaurant supply store here in L.A. called Surfas, http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/. I add two ‘pistoles’ to my coffee every morning, which turns it into a kind of coffee/hot chocolate concoction. I rarely have the desire to eat sweets and think it may have to do with my bitter chocolate daily a.m. dose.
Here are five reasons to love chocolate—and anyone sweet enough to gift you with some this month.

1. It lifts your mood: Chocolate is loaded with phenylethylamine, a substance that is part of a group of chemicals called endorphins. Ever heard of a “runner’s high,” when your mood is lifted during exercise? That sensation is caused by the release of endorphins into the bloodstream. Eat enough chocolate and those endorphins will be flowing in no time, exercise not required!
2. It helps you fall in love: High levels of phenylethylamine have also been linked to the feeling of falling in love—maybe those Aztecs were on to something, after all!
3. It’s a natural stimulant: The caffeine in chocolate can give you a kick. Chocolate also contains alkaloids, like theobromine, which stimulate the kidneys and affect the central nervous system in a similar way to caffeine.
4. It calms you down: Another chemical compound found in chocolate is seratonin, which is well known for its calming abilities.
5. It keeps you healthy: Chocolate contains flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that are known to help prevent heart disease and cancer. Yes, you can also find these substances in fruits and vegetables, but, one day a year, I’d rather receive a box of chocolates (and flowers!) from my love than a bouquet of broccoli any day!