Chocolate is a psychoactive food (ie one that's capable of affecting mood and/or behaviour) made from a variety of the cacao tree called the Theobroma, a Greek word meaning 'food of the gods'. It has been suggested by some that chocolate can be addictive, and, indeed, the fact that it contains an array of complex chemicals might support this claim. For instance, chocolate contains a compound called anandamide, which is a cannabinoid (as is marijuana), as well as chemicals that inhibit the breakdown of cannabinoids - which are, in fact, produced naturally by the body and synhesised in the brain. Chocolate contains compounds that make this chemical remain in the bloodstream for longer, which some people cite as the reason for any chemical dependency on chocolate.

Chocolate also contains caffeine, a stimulant that increases the consumer's sense of satisfaction and floods the brain with endorhins, which act something like opiates, reducing a person's sensitivity to pain and producing a similar effect to that of morphine. It also contains quantities of tryptophan, a mood regulator that enhances serotonin function.

However, chocolate has been proven to be beneficial to human health as it contains antioxidants, which help to protect the body against cancer and heart problems - pass me the Dairy Milk!!