The Chocolate Diagnosis
Eating chocolate is one of the world’s most popular passions. The typical Swiss eats more than 21 pounds of this chocolate each year. Even the average Belgian or Brit downs some 16 pounds annually. In the United States, consumption weighs in at roughly 11.5 pounds per year. The earliest record of chocolate was over fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American rain forests, where the tropical mix of high rainfall combined with high year round temperatures and humidity provide the ideal climate for cultivation of the plant from which chocolate is derived, the Cacao Tree.
The Cacao Tree was worshiped by the Mayan civilization of Central America and Southern Mexico, who believed it to be of divine origin, Cacao is actually a Mayan word meaning “God Food”, hence the tree’s modern generic Latin name “Theobrama Cacao” meaning ‘Food of the Gods’. Cacao was corrupted into the more familiar “Cocoa” by the early European explorers. The Maya brewed a spicy, bitter sweet drink by roasting and pounding the seeds of the Cacao tree (cocoa beans) with maize and Capsicum (Chilli) peppers and letting the mixture ferment. This drink was reserved for use in ceremonies as well as for drinking by the wealthy and religious elite, they also ate a Cacao porridge.
Chocolate is full of mood-enhancing chemicals. To start with, it is loaded with sugar, which is a carbohydrate and triggers the release of seratonin. Read more
Energy Drinks: Energy Boost or Drop
A typical day for many individuals starts early and ends late. Routines like this may cause one’s energy to drop and cause many individuals to ineffectively perform many activities. Because of these conditions many individuals rely on energy drinks in times of exhaustion and anxiety. Some say that the use of energy drinks promote increased energy, alertness, extra nutrition, and boost athletic performance. Energy drinks are beverages that contain large doses of caffeine and other approved stimulants like ephedrine and ginseng. In addition to stimulants, many kinds of energy drinks contain sugar in various forms and other B vitamins. Many people use these drinks to replace the energy they lose after having intensive workouts or give them that extra boost before workout. Before gulping these energy drinks for for various reasons, knowing the downsides of these drinks may help individuals decide if these drinks are worth drinking.
Too much sugar in energy drinks can be stored as fat in body which may lead to unwanted weight-gain. The sugar content of these drinks may cause a sudden crash in the body’s energy level when the sugar leaves the bloodstream. In addition, excess sugar can alter metabolism and retain salt and water in human body which may lead to high blood pressure. Metabolism describes the chemical reactions that take place in the human body’s cells that converts the consumed food into energy. Read more
Caffeine, Useful Or Useless?
If you are like me, this is a weakness of yours too. I digest way too much caffeine each day. I probably have at least six or more servings each day. More than I should consume in several days. I drink too much cola. That is my problem. Not only is it loaded with sugar, it has caffeine in it too.
That morning cup of coffee to get you going isn’t a problem. For most people it does help wake them up and become more alert. For many, it’s that morning cup of coffee that helps jump start their day and become more worthwhile. But like anything else if you drink more caffeine than you should, this can have the opposite effect of what you intend. Too much caffeine can cause a rebound effect and leave you feeling even more drained of your energy than when you started out. Additionally, too much caffeine constantly in your system can cause you to have problems getting the proper sleep at night. This can become a very big problem.
You may not think of it as a problem, but it is. Caffeine is addictive. Yes, you can get hooked to it. I’m not saying that you will be like a crack head if you don’t get a cup of coffee. But anyone who is addicted to caffeine knows how it feels to get the shakes when you don’t have any in your system. This is the addictive qualities of it. You are shaking because you are going through withdraw. Your body is craving it and letting you know.
Indeed, caffeine is a great pick me up. That morning cup of coffee knocks the cobwebs off and puts a little extra bounce in your step. The key is that you use caffeine properly and don’t over do it. Side effects can develop when caffeine is overused. And certainly caffeine should never be used for a substitute for getting enough sleep. Particularly in situations where risk is involved such as driving over the road. Read more
