New American Chemical Society video highlights 5 of chocolate's sweet benefits

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, released a new Bytesize Science video today featuring five chemistry facts that highlight why chocolate, in moderation, may be good for you. The video, produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, is available at www.BytesizeScience.com

The video explains how a bar of chocolate contains hundreds of compounds, many with beneficial properties. Among the video's "sweet" facts:

• Chocolate may improve your mood, and not just because of its delicious flavor. Chocolate contains a number of chemicals that inhibit the breakdown of the neurotransmitter anandamide—sometimes called "the molecule of bliss"—which can block feelings of pain and depression.
• Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, stimulants that can provide a burst of energy.
• According to an article from the ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the naturally occurring polyphenols in cocoa ― the key ingredient in chocolate ― boost levels of HDL, commonly known as the "good cholesterol."

Provided by American Chemical Society