Hey my dear Steemians ♥
Today's pharmacology topic will be:
The chemistry of cholocate ❤
One of the best pleasure we have in our life exist only thanks to CHEMISTRY! To prove you that, today we will talk about chocolate. We usually associate the aroma and flavour of chocolate with cacao beans. But it's not only about cacao beans. It's about chemistry especially!!
Source: Wikimedia commons
The first very important process for the formation of the substances that are responsible for cacao flavour is fermentation of cacao beans. The fermentation involves several chemical reactions but what is the most important to remember is that fermentation breaks down cocoa beans into amino acids.
The second step in the process of making chocolate is roasting. During roasting, water and some compounds of cocoa beans with unpleasant smell and taste are evaporated. But in the process of roasting there are also reactions that are responsible for making new compounds like aldehydes, esters, ketones, furans and these are responsible for this amazing flavour and taste of chocolate :)
This is not the end ! Before you can enjoy the delights of chocolate there is one last step - crystallization. Crystallization is responsible for the texture of chocolate, when cocoa butter is crystallized.
Why does chocolate make us happy?
Well, many people say because it tastes good. Of course ! I don't know anyone who doesn't like chocolate :p But the secret of why does chocolate make us happy is CHEMISTRY again!
Before I will explain to you why you are happy if you eat chocolate, let me tell you something about our brain. In the brain there are many Neurotransmitters - they are able to send a signal forth and back between neurons. The most important Neurotransmitters in our brain are responsible for our emotions and the way how we feel.
Source: Wikimedia commons
So, back to chocolate 🍩 Chocolate contains some compounds that are able to affect our brain via release of neurotransmitters. One of these is phenylethylamine. When we eat chocolate, the level of phenylethylamine in our brain increases. Phenyethylamine is neurotransmitter that makes us feel good. It increases our physical and emotional energy. At the same time, phenylethylamine increases a level of DOPAMINE (which is another very important neurotransmitter in our brain, responsible for make us feel good, make us more "talkative" and excitable). Phenylethylamine is also called as a LOVE HORMONE 💗
Why dogs can't eat chocolate? 🙄 🐾
Again CHEMISTRY 👍
Chocolate contains a compound named THEOBROMINE. You can also find theobromine in coffee. It has stimulating effects on our body. The compound is also harmless for us ! But we would have to eat at least tens of kilograms of milk chocolate! But on dogs and cats theobromine has a much more adverse effect. Small doses of chocolate can cause vomitting and diarrhoea. Less than 50g of chocolate can kill a small dog.
Source: Wikimedia commons
