Chocolate ““ sweet, creamy and irresistible ““ boasts a history almost as rich as its texture.

After all, chocolate once acted as currency in ancient cultures. In the Mayan civilization, 10 cacao beans bought you either a rabbit or a prostitute, depending on your needs. As well, the Mayans used chocolate in place of blood during religious rituals (Alfred Hitchcock also used it as a blood substitute for the iconic shower scene in the movie Psycho). The Aztecs revered chocolate as a gift from the gods, the Spanish employed it as a cure for fevers and other bodily pains and even Napoleon insisted on having it supplied on all of his military campaigns.

So why, on Valentine’s Day, will so many feel the inevitable pangs of guilt with every piece of chocolate they consume? As Dr. Rena Mendelson, author and professor at Ryerson’s School of Nutrition, explained, many people today associate indulging in sweets with committing an offence against their body.

“It’s really engrained, because people say things like, “I was bad. I ate chocolate,” Mendelson said. “That doesn’t actually make you a bad person, and I think if people get rid of that guilt they may enjoy things more and not feel bad about themselves or the food they eat.”

Mendelson noted that about 60% of Canadians are overweight or obese. However, she added, enjoying some chocolate on Valentine’s Day will not result in a diet disaster.

“No single food offers you true health or leads to disease,” Mendelson said. “It’s a pattern of foods that make a difference and chocolates on occasion are totally fine as part of an overall diet.”

Still, for those who hope to dispel their chocolate-related guilt this Valentine’s Day, some facts are in order. First, of all the varieties of chocolate, dark chocolate is the healthiest.

“(It) has more antioxidants and potential health benefits in it than other forms, like white chocolate or milk chocolate,” Mendelson said. “But don’t polish it off right off the top. Enjoy it over time.”

And while chocolate is often given from the heart, it also offers some benefits for the heart.

“I have seen randomized clinical trials to attest to the (prevention of) hypertension and cardiovascular (disease),” Mendelson said. “I do know that there’s also good evidence that women may crave chocolate just before menstruation, and that it may lead to them feeling better.”

Good to know, but little consolation for those worried about their “Pot of Gold” going straight to their thighs.

“I think it’s not just a matter of how much you eat, but what else you eat in your diet,” Mendelson suggested. “The key is to incorporate it into a diet that involves more physical activity. (Canadians) are just not active enough for the calories we eat.”

And to strike a delectable, deciding blow to chocolate-related guilt, Mendelson offered to verify or bust some commonly accepted beliefs. For example, many often associate eating chocolate with acne breakouts.

“Acne is actually the result of bacterial interaction at the level of the skin,” Mendelson said. “I’m certain a dermatologist would tell you that chocolate does not cause acne.”

But no doubt a sugar rush will keep chocolate lovers up all night.

“Sugar actually makes us calmer,” Mendelson offered. “Most people think sugar makes us more hyper, but it encourages more serotonin levels in the brain, and that’s our sort of “feel good’ neurotransmitter. That makes us feel more relaxed, more sleepy and generally good-feeling.”

And speaking of good feelings, Mendelson noted that eating chocolate can stimulate the same chemicals in the human brain that falling in love does.

“There is some truth to that,” Mendelson said. “There are certain factors in chocolate that might stimulate endorphins. That’s why people eat it ““ it not only tastes good but it also leads to you feeling good.”

Does that mean that we can go one step further and verify that chocolate is an aphrodisiac? On this issue, Mendelson hesitates.

“I have seen that, but I’ve never seen a controlled trial,” Mendelson said. “So I don’t know. But there are a lot of cultural and physiological and hedonic properties associated with chocolate that make it such an appropriate Valentine’s gift.”

So it seems the only thing remaining is to truly savour every piece of Valentine’s chocolate. And Mendelson even has a tip for that.

“Go skating and enjoy some chocolate afterwards. It’ll taste that much better when you get back.
“And,” she added, “get rid of the guilt.”

Check out these delectable chocolate recipes:

Chocolate Bark