You might think that a romantic kiss is the best method to awaken the heart and get the juices flowing. Well, you're wrong. A new study shows that it is actually chocolate that gets the job done.
A research team led by Dr David Lewis, formerly of the Mind Lab in the UK, examined couples in their 20's as they engaged in three different activities. The participants' heart rates and brain activities were measured while they were eating dark chocolate, resting, and kissing.
(Photo: AP)
The examinations findings indicated that the chocolate caused the strongest reaction, more than doubling the participants' heart rates from about 60 beats per minute to around 140.
Although kissing also caused an acceleration of the pulse, its effect was lasted a shorter amount of time.
Furthermore as the chocolate began melting in participants' mouths, brain activity was also stronger than in any of the other conditions. No gender differences were identified in the reactions.
So, what is it about chocolate that stirs up emotions more than a passionate kiss with a loved one? Chocolate contains highly stimulating substances that cause an increase in the endorphin levels in the brain and thus creating a pleasurable sensation.
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