Are You A Chocoholic?

The wonderful organization called AA, otherwise known as Alcoholics Anonymous has helped countless people across the world to address their addiction to alcohol. Similar groups meet to deal with gambling and other anti social urges.

But what about chocaholics? I do not seem to recall reading about brave souls who stand up in public and announce to the world that they are chocaholics. The bar of chocolate is kept hidden in the fridge and is seen as something shameful that only weak minded people want to eat. What utter nonsense.! 

From the time that a child learns how to walk, he or she is rewarded for being a good boy or girl by giving them a chocolate frog or other shaped bar. No one seems to say that this child is being introduced to the dark world of chocolate addiction and no one would think that they are breaking the law in doing so.

Let us look at the history of chocolate and see how humankind came to be introduced to this wonderfully tempting but challenging substance. The love of chocolate has a long history. Chocolate and cocoa powder originate from Cocoa Beans, the seeds of a fruit from the Coca Tree (The Aroma Cacao). The Cocao Tree was cultivated by the Maya Indians, the Inca of Peru, the Taltec's and the Aztecs of Mexico over 3000 years ago.

Its fruit appeased the gods, hence the saying "Food of the Gods". The beans were used as currency and to prepare a bitter beverage, mixed with spices that were at times used as a ceremonial drink. The love of chocolate has a long history. Chocolate and cocoa powder originate from Cocoa Beans, the seeds of a fruit from the Coca Tree (The Aroma Cacao).

The Cocao Tree was cultivated by the Maya Indians, the Inca of Peru, the Taltec's and the Aztecs of Mexico over 3000 years ago. Its fruit appeased the gods, hence the saying "Food of the Gods". The beans were used as currency and to prepare a bitter beverage, mixed with spices that were at times used as a ceremonial drink.

In 1502 Christopher Columbus introduced the cocoa bean to Spain. Henando Cortez (Conqueror of Mexico in 1519) returned to Spain in 1527 and brought with him more coca beans and the Aztec's recipe for preparing 'Xocoatyl' (Bitter Water) which he had tasted in the Court of Montezuma, Mexico. 

In Spain the bean was crushed and mixed with sugar and spices and soon became a popular drink with the nobles. It remained a closely guarded secret for almost a century but with intermarriage between the royal families it eventually gained a popularity throughout Europe and remained an expensive luxury. 

In 1657 a French man opened a shop in London selling both the hot chocolate drink and solid chocolate to be made into a beverage. The process for preparing eating chocolate was not developed until the 19th Century. In 1828 the Dutchman, C. J. Van Houten, patented a process to obtain "Chocolate Powder" (cocoa powder as we now know it) by pressing much cocoa butter from ground and roasted beans - a less fatty cocoa drink.

Some twenty years later Fry and Sons of Bristol in England, combined the extracted cocoa butter with chocolate liquor and sugar to make the first eating chocolate 'Delicieux a Manger' which went on sale in 1847-1848. John Cadbury founded the firm of Cadbury 1824. He was an established tea and coffee merchant. Cadbury's (George & Richard Cadbury, sons of John) released Cocoa Essence, a pure Cocoa product made possible by a Dutch invention.

We can see that chocolate as we know it today, did not come into existence until about 150 years ago. The advertising world has been portraying chocolate as something almost sinful but certainly to be enjoyed by everyone. We do not read articles in the daily newspapers exhorting us to avoid the sins of the chocolate snack.

Let's get serious now ! How can we stop being  chocaholics and hold our heads up high at the Chocaholics Anonymous meetings? Will we be able to proclaim that we are reformed chocolate addicts and that not a single piece of chocolate has passed our lips for the past 5
years? Did I hear you say that this seems to be a rather extreme point of view and that this does occur in the real world ?

You are quite right. But like most of us, you  would probably like to reduce your chocolate intake, even only to know that you can say no and stop eating it when you want to.
 
Here are some tips to help you on your way, but do talk to your chiropractor about nutrition and have a spinal checkup.

* Discover if the craving is emotional - there are all sorts of reasons why people crave foods. It can often be related to feelings of low self-esteem or depression. If you can identify your reasons, then try another approach to tackling the problem.

* Incorporate small portions of chocolate into your usual diet, rather than restrict yourself. Moderation is the key. A research trial found that people who limited eating chocolate to within half an hour of eating a meal gradually weaned themselves off their craving.

* If you are feeling bored and craving chocolate, go for a walk, run errands, call a friend or read a book. If you can take your mind off food for a short time, the craving may pass.

* Make sure you always have healthy food nearby, so you can replace chocolate with fruit a few times a day. Eat an overall balanced diet, eat regularly to avoid hunger and eat more slowly. When your blood sugar levels are stable, cravings are less likely to occur.

* If you think it's necessary, do not allow chocolate in the house. Ask friends and family not to buy you chocolate, or even not to eat it in front of you!

* Finally, it is a good idea to increase your level of exercise, to burn off excess calories and increase your metabolic rate. Exercise also releases endorphins, which counteracts stress, anxiety and depression. If all else fails, see a psychologist or have hypnotherapy. It will at least make you feel good to know that you have done everything in your power to beat the chocolate addiction.