|
 The Lure and Lore of Chocolate
Science says it’s all in your head.
Researchers have discovered that chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), the same chemical that the human brain releases during moments of emotional pleasure. PEA is also believed to be responsible for the feeling that we have when we are “in love.”
But don’t get too excited by this discovery. Most studies show that the body breaks down the PEA in food so quickly that it doesn’t enter the bloodstream. And even if it were absorbed, there is no evidence that it would increase PEA levels in the brain.
The Legend of St. Valentine
Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three martyred saints who bore the name Valentine or Valentinus. On February 14, 273 C.E. [A.D.], the Roman Emperor Claudius II beheaded a priest named Valentine. It seems that Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret after Claudius declared that young soldiers must remain single. (Claudius outlawed marriage because he believed it decreased a man’s zest for battle.)
One legend says that, while he was in prison, St. Valentine actually sent the first valentine to his jailer’s daughter. Having fallen in love with her, he signed his romantic letter “from your Valentine”—the phrase we still use today.
The Early History of Valentine’s Day Traditions
 |
In ancient England, the Romans introduced their British subjects to Lupercalia, a fertility festival held in honor of Lupercus (the Roman equivalent to the Greek god Pan). Held every February 14, Lupercalia included a matchmaking ritual in which young men drew the names of young women who would become their dancing partners during the “Rites of Pan.”
|
|
In 496 C.E. [A.D.], nearly 100 years after the Romans left Great Britain, Pope Gelsius outlawed the pagan celebration and instead declared it a “Day of Love.”
|
|
During the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that birds chose their mates each year on February 14th. To emulate their feathered friends, people drew lots on this date and let fate decide who their future mates would be.
|
|
On February 14, 1415, the Frenchman Charles duc d’Orleans sent love poems to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London. The tale of his romantic letters spread quickly, and people soon began sending love notes (accompanied by mementos, chocolate, and other sweetmeats) to their loved ones on this date.
|
|
Continue to Chocolate: Quick Health Facts |
 |
|
When picking out a St. Valentine’s Day gift for a loved one next year, you may want to head for the grocery store. Cheddar cheese, salami, and pickled herring all contain more PEA (the chemical connected with emotional highs) than chocolate. |
|
