The History of Love Chemistry

The History of Valentines Day
and giving Candy and Sweets

	"Hey, Sugar Pie, ...Honey,...... cupcake" ...Why do we call our lover a name of a sweet food ?

	One theory suggests that when we fall in love our brains secrete a chemical called phenylethylamine.This is an amphetamine-like substance that is responsible for producing that “rush” that we feel.
A pheromone called androstenol is also produced that heightens our sexual awareness.

These two chemicals may actually leave a sweet taste in our mouths.

Then we start calling each other things like sweetheart, honey, sugar, sweet, muffin, or cupcake.

Chocolate also contains the chemical and may have some aphrodisiac properties. We give chocolate to stir up some, albeit temporary, feelings of love.

The Aztec emperor Montezuma used to drink a goblet of chocolate before entering his harem each night, leading to the popular legend about Chocolate's Aphrodisiac Properties.

But this legend may just have some truth to it... Chocolate contains three substances, caffeine, theobromine and phenyethylamine that might be related to this myth. Caffeine acts as a stimulant.

Theobromine stimulates the heart muscle and the nervous system. Phenyethylamine is reputed (no conclusive proof exists yet) to be a mood elevator and an anti-depressant.

The combination of these three substances, giving you extra energy, making your heart beat faster, making you a bit jumpy and slightly giddy....well, you can see how chocolate could be linked to love. But before you go out to buy several cases of chocolate to ply your lover with tonight, remember that these substances show up only in small quantities in chocolate.

Sour Grapes ......

However, there is nothing as bad as love gone wrong! And so then we suddenly start spouting off words that have to do with being disgusted, depressed, angry, bitter etc. These are like, "a sour taste in my mouth" or "foul mood" or even being a little "stinker."

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