Women and chocolate

[maxi29]

A topical Valentine question. Why is it that women just love chocolate and men don't? My partner and all my ex gfs just adored the stuff. Yet I can't stand it - nor do any of my mates ever eat it. Nor is it just me, a quick search of any woman's mag or even this site will reveal women's almost addictive interest in chocolate. Is this chemical, ie there's something hormonal that does this? Or is it purely clever marketing, where women have been persuaded that men are unreliable yet chocolate is always there?

[Laura-sakura]

That's not clever marketing it's a fact! I don't know why women like chocolate but maybe it's the same chemical in red wine because I rarely see men drinking that. My dad however eats tons of chocolate and hes not feminine in the least. (but quite fat)

[Zeddy]

It isn't just men although more women than men seem to have an obsession.

Can you tell me why men have this passion for drinking pint upon pint of gassy brown liquid that is actually quite foul tasting?

All things choc related:

http://www.chocolatereview.co.uk/

[Lonnie]

Never really thought about it before, I never by chocolates. although I do like them, its my wife who buys them all the time so there could be something in it.

[Goodsoulette]

I know lots of men who love chocolate. Infact there is one who posts on here regularly has a top 5 favourite choccie bars and they were the real sugary kind. I think the difference lies in the fact that women are generally more prone to comfort eating and chocolate is perfect for that, it looks good, feels good and tastes good. Men like it they just dont get passionate about it because a bar of chocolate cant get you drunk, cant kick a ball, and doesnt have nice boobs.

[Zeddy]

:d

[gammaray]

Chocolate releases endorfins. These are chemical triggers in the brain that ensure a sensation of well being (amongst other things) in the recipient. In general terms women crave endorfins more than men. Testosterone levels have a part to play in this too.

[irisred]

Would just like to say that I'm a girlie and I very rarely eat chocolate. I prob eat 3 bars a year if that. One of the men I work with eats 2 or 3 bars of chocolate a day (he's also skinny as a rake).

Never really been bothered about chocolate but then nor were my parents!

[Fizzgig]

The fact that chocolate melts at body temperature is an indication why women like chocolate. Not only is it one of the most gorgeous flavours in the world, when you've got a load in your mouth, it melts and goes all gooey and literally fills every orifice with flavour (if you'll pardon the expression) and I'm sorry. Chocolate IS better than sex!! My husband knows that if he's standing there in his birthday suit and there's a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk behind door number 2, I'm going to open Door number 2 before he can even pucker up!!!!!!!! Chocolate rocks!

[Scarlett]

I did read somewhere that it was a hormonla reason that women NEEDED chocolate and men didn't. I wish I could remember it. But I also know that you can easily wean yoursellf off chocolate just by not eating it, and replacing it with fruit. The cravings soon disappear!

[Gef]

Most men I know love chocolate and red wine.

[lodekka]

As a proud owner of testicles, I'm not a great beer drinker and don't like wine. If I eat chocolate, it's got to be good chocolate.

http://www.greenandblacks.com/chocolate.php

[maxi29]

Some interesting views here. I must say that the existence of men who like chocolate and the fact that some women don't does tend to suggest that it's more marketing than hormonal, a hypothesis supported by 10clarionst's assertion that there's more sugar than chocolate in most choccie bars (something that hadn't occurred to me). But it may well be true that women have sweeter tooths (teeth?) than men.

But the beer parallel is an interesting one - you do hardly ever see women enjoying bitter, it's very much a male drink. And yet that's not to do with marketing as most beer advertising is spent promoting lager - perhaps men have got a preference to bitter taste as a complement to women's taste for sweetness.

Thanks everyone for your answers - it's been interesting reading them.