Chocolate (pronounced /ˈtʃɒklət/ ) comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Native to lowland tropical South America, cacao has been cultivated for three millennia in Central America and Mexico, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. All of the Mesoamerican peoples made chocolate beverages, including the Maya and Aztecs, who made it into a beverage known as xocolātl, a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water". The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After being roasted and ground, the resulting products are known as chocolate or cocoa.Much of the chocolate consumed today is made into bars that combine cocoa solids, fats like cocoa butter, and sugar. Chocolate has become one of the most popular flavours in the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and hearts on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and cocoa.Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine, phenethylamine, and anandamide, which have physiological effects on the body. It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Scientists claim that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure. The presence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals.

Apple & Eve has just launched Sesame Street Organics 100% Fruit Juice Boxes.They are available in supermarkets, club stores, health food stores and retail outlets across the country, including Whole Foods, Toys R Us and Costco. Please visit www.appleandeve.com or email rebeccas@businessdevelopmentgroup.com.

One of the fastest ways to absorb anything into the body is through the mouth ........ Most people, even dentists and dental hygienists, don't realize there is a warning on the back of most toothpastes (including many from health food stores).

The one of those rare site and products reviews on digestive health. Don't waste hundreds of dollars shopping for overpriced programs and supplements when most can be obtained for a fraction of the cost at your local grocery or health food store.Also it's a real shame internet health vendors are totally unregulated. Read on. Shocking report!

Everything you need to know about effective, safe, and cheap solutions for IBS symptoms. Why pay for ridiculously overpriced and often useless digestive cure products, when you can obtain more effective solutions from your local grocery or health food store?Hundreds of others have learned the practical, inexpensive and safe natural remedies.

High fructose corn syrup is extremely soluble and mixes well in many foods. It is cheap to produce, sweet and easy to store. The perfect combination for mass production of sweetened goods. It’s used in everything from bread to pasta sauces to bacon to beer as well as in "health products" like protein bars and "natural" sodas.