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11 THE GAMECOCK ♦ Monday, February 23, 2004 ■ ” W“ ■ aj nr~ "All I really need is love, but a • 1 la /I ■ / little chocolate now and then I_I I J \\ /■ I doesn’t hurt.” ContactUs I I r.. 1/1 I A lucyvanpelt Story ideas? Questions? Comments? I IIJ If I I 7 \ peanuts character E-mailusatgamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu — ~m-m-■—^ ~®-"—“ __ '_^_•_ Sweet Surrender Chocolate entices with tantalizing taste, ability to alter mood BY RACHEL HARTLEY THE HAMECOCK Ever wonder why you sometimes get the urge to indulge in a sinfully sweet piece of chocolate? If so, don’t worry — you are not alone. Chocolate, considered both a mood-booster and a merely irresistible treat, is the No. 1 most-craved food. Picture this: it’s Thursday night, and you have a huge test in the morning. Everyone is out partying except you. Alone in your room, dreaming of spring break and basically hat ing life, you suddenly get a hunger pang, which compels you to take a study break. While going to get a snack, you find yourself debating with yourself as to what would be the best choice of food. Considering your mood, do you go for a Twix bar or a healthy granola bar? If you are like Nick Cargile, a fourth-year retail management student, you “do not see choco late as a mood-lifter” and might go for the healthier choice to satisfy the hunger. But some, like first-year pharmacy student Heather Davenport see chocolate as a “good way to temporarily feel better.” Scientists have found that many of the 300 known chemicals present in chocolate affect how a person feels. According to a study by the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, Calif., chocolate contains a neurotransmitter called anandamide, which is considered a mood-altering substance. The study further suggests that this substance in a small way mimics the active ingredient in marijuana. Don’t get too excited, though. Although both gives the body a temporary “high,” re searchers say that in order to get the same high you would from marijuana, you would have to consume 25 pounds of chocolate. After deciding to go for chocolate, which flavor do you usually prefer? There are many decadent choices out there, such as white, dark or milk chocolate. Many, like Hunter Young, a fourth-year media arts stu dent, go for milk chocolate when craving strikes. But if you’re in need of a temporary, . mood-changing buzz, milk chocolate might not be the most effective option. This same study found a correlation between the type of chocolate you choose and its effect on mood. For example, white chocolate has been found to lift the mood a little more than other flavors because of the presence of a chemical called serotonin, which is natu rally found in the brain and helps to calm and relax an individual. It is doubtful that most chocolate lovers consciously select their chocolate based on any potential benefits it provides. But the next time you’re looking to boost your mood or just indulge in a delicious well-loved treat, there is little doubt that America’s most al luring sweet, chocolate, will be calling. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Chocolate: Dark is healthiest Moderate consumption of dark chocolate may help reduce the risk of heart disease, new research shows. Dark chocolate benefits • Less sugar than milk • More antioxidant-rich cocoa than milk chocolate • Cocoa contains I , flavonoids and other compounds, which inhibit J “bad" LDL cholesterol oxidation; oxidized cholesterol has a greater chance of clogging j ! Source: U.S. National Library of } Medicine. Pennsylvania State University, KRT Photo Service jj Graphic: Jutta Scheibe, Pai ©2002 KRT | » eleases -February 23-27 — In These Times “SCHIZOPHRENIC” JC Chas$z “THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST” Soundtrack “IN THESE TIMES” Petep Paul & Mary “SHOCK DENIAL...” Rick Springfield Vienna Tc n g Worm *tea.rvg«r« “WARM STRANGERS” Vienna Teng “VIRGINIA CREEPER” Grant-Lee Philips V’