Love for chocolate

Love for chocolate

A  gift for someone you love

Nine out of ten people like chocolate,the tenth person always lies. 

That sums up how much chocolate is loved by everyone. Chocolate has become the metaphor for love. It is given to express love, celebrate occasions, gifted to someone you love, express gratitude or even as a return gift. In fact there is no occasion for which a box of chocolates would be inappropriate.

So, why is that we love our chocolate so much. Is it some genetic factor, is it in our genes? What makes some people choc-o-holic, to an extent that they are not ready to try any other flavor than chocolate? Try offering it to a die hard fan of chocolate and see if you can persuade him into trying something new !!

Chocolate had been used as early as 1900 BC by Olmecs (Mexico). What started as a chocolate drink has metamorphosed into  a multi billion dollar industry of commercially produced chocolates in different forms; bars, syrups, spreads, ice creams and chocolate cakes.

What exactly is Chocolate?

Cocoa beans are the dried and fermented seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). Theobroma literally means “Food of Gods”. After fermentation, the beans are dried and then roasted. The nibs are extracted by removing the shells. Then they are  ground and liquefied to make pure chocolate liquor. The liquor is further processed into cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

It is the varying proportion of the cocoa solids and the butter which gives it the characteristic taste and texture. The active ingredients are in the solids. More the butter, more will be the fats. Pure chocolate is devoid of any milk and sugar. It’s addition makes it more palatable ranging from dark chocolate, milk chocolate to  finally white chocolate.

The Aztecs used to consume chocolate as a bitter, frothy drink mixed with chillies. We are luckier though, with the plethora of options we have. Chocolate triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin, our feel good hormones. It makes us feel happy and elated. It is said to contain more than three hundred different chemicals, but the most important ones are caffeine and theobromine.

A table spoon of unsweetened cocoa powder contains 12.1 mg of caffeine, whereas dark chocolate will contain in a higher concentration- 22mg per 25 mg serving. The psychoactive effects on cognitive performance can be seen with even 9 mg dose.

Why do we love it so much ?

We love it because of the rich aroma and taste, the way it simply melts in our mouth. The rich creamy flavor evokes a wonderful joyous feeling. Its association with love, romance and happiness makes it a part of our celebrations. But wait, the answer is not so simple! 

Letting chocolate dissolve in your mouth produces the same effect as a passionate kiss in the brain and raised heart rate. Moreover, the effect can last unto four times longer!

There are several hundred different chemical in your typical chocolate, but the most notable are the stimulants theobromine, phenylethylamine and caffeine. It also contains a feel good chemical called anandamide, similar to the one found in marijuana called anandamide THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). It also persists for a long time giving us the longer lasting “chocolate high”.

Eating too much chocolate also triggers a different area of brain (parahippocampal gyrus. Orbitofrontal cortex and prefrontal regions) which practically tells the person to stop as it is perceived negatively.

Choc-o-holics vs Non choco-o-holics

Is there is a difference in the response by brain in people addicted to chocolates against those not? Apparently, there is a difference. Certain areas of brain (orbitofrontal cortex,cortex, ventral striatum and the pregenual cingulate cortex) behave in a different manner in these persons. These same areas are involved in other forms of addictive behavior, such as drug taking, drinking and gambling.

Even a sight of chocolate when you are dieting can trigger a response.

Is it bad for me?

Dark chocolate has higher levels of epicatechin levels which are understood to increase physical performance to a small extent. Some studies say that it reduces the blood pressure, but it has been found that the effect is seen only when it is consumed in very high quantities.

Some side effects include heart burn, sweating, trembling and headache. Consistent consumption can lead to kidney stones. Chocolate can be an important source of lead especially in children, if consumed in high quantities. Allergic reactions and  acne are known to occur.

So eating small to moderate quantities does you no harm and might be of some benefit, but eating too much will increase sugar and fat intake which leads to obesity and its problems.

 Final words

Charles Schulz has said, “All you need is love but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” So indulging yourself or giving it to someone you love is definitely a thing you must do. It creates long lasting memories and moments which we can cherish forever.

Enjoy the chocolate high, gift it to someone whom you love, share it with friends who make you happy and  surprise someone by sending it to them without a reason.

Keep making your life more chocolatey by enjoying the Theobroma…the food of Gods !!

Time for media to introspect

Time for media to introspect

After the Pulwama terror strike and it’s aftermath, there was a huge 

outcry against the media: it's time they do some course correction.

Photo credit : Laura Lee Moreau, Unsplash

After the dastardly terrorist strike in Pulwama, where in the security forces martyred more than forty of their men, the nation was in deep shock and pain. There was a voice across all segments of the society calling for some action to stop this barbarity. For once, the political establishment spoke in one voice, and stood by the government. The government responded by the air strikes with an aim to send a clear message to our enemy, enough is enough. The nation applauded the action of the Airforce and that of  young Wing Cdr Abhinandan. We all welcomed him home with abated breath.

What was most striking in all this, was the role and behavior of our media, especially television. It was disgraceful, insensitive and shameful. The kind of war mongering, expert opinions with the  shrill and cacophony shown on television was horrific and unacceptable.

The media needs  to be reminded here that their job is to provide unbiased reporting. Some amount  of debate and discussions are welcome, but sticking to the boundaries of civility is warranted. Let people be the judge of what is right and what is wrong. There is no reason to spew out venom against each other and try and push your own agenda.

If the media does not behave itself, it will become like the political class, which to a great extent has lost faith of people. It is high time that they come together, chalk out a pledge and mend their ways.

Already we have a situation wherein the viewers have assigned tags to the channels. Pro-establishment or anti government, leftist, rightist and so on. It is a very unhealthy sign and implies a decay in the system. It's high time that such crass behavior is stopped.  Time is ripe to  introspect and course correct; before it is too late.

Four more shots please

Four more SHOTS please!

Binge watch it : Leaves you asking for more

Four more shots please, the streaming new show on Amazon Prime is a peep into the SOBO (South Bombay) culture. It hooks you up and before realizing, the characters grow on you, you empathize with the ups and downs in their life, a roller coster journey spanned over ten episodes….at the end of which you crave for more. You have to wait for the second season though, it should be under production…hopefully!! 

A tale of four women, who accidentally meet each other at a ‘Truck Bar’ and bond with each other. They unwind at the bar regularly and we get to know their lives through their interactions. One is a lawyer who has just divorced, one a fearless journalist and founder of a newsportal and gets ousted from her own company. Third girl has landed in Mumbai to be a fitness trainer and deals with her sexuality by coming out of the closet. And finally the super rich girl whose only purpose in life presently is to to find a  suitable groom.

The new boldness is striking with plenty of use of cuss words and explicit girly gossip. This kind of depiction is unheard of in conventional television. So if you are a purist and a sanskari, please stay away from this riot of bold, brazen and raw display of emotions.

 The twists and turns in the story keep you hooked and involved. At the end of the binge, I was literally searching for the next episode, only to realize that I would have to wait for the next season !!

Gully Boy

Gully Boy

Make your reality catch up with your dreams

Murad (Ranveer Singh) in one of the scenes, tells his father, that he believes in making his reality match up with his dreams and not the other way around. He wants to create his life, his existence with his own efforts and not take what destiny throws at him. That is the crux of his life and the movie captures his journey from raps to riches in every possible sense.

The backdrop of Dharavi, it’s hard life, dirty bylanes, the constant lure of crime and easy money which beackons him at every corner, is a powerful setting for a tale that is a journey of his struggle to become a famous rapper. 

The constant humiliation which he endures in a big family stuffed into a small shanty, makes your heart cry especially when a bunch of foreigners are offered a peep into their small world for five hundred rupees. (Poverty Tourism?)

The problem of polygamy and the effect of it on his mother and the family is depicted so deftly, it makes you sad and cringe for her. 

The characterizations are true to life, etched perfectly, never ever missing the mark. Alia and Kalki are fantastic. But Siddhant Chaturvedi aka M.C. Sher stands out. Fantastic performance coming again after his critically appreciated ‘Inside Edge’ role. At times you want him to win more than Murad ! 

And the music track is amazing. It’s already a big hit. Having the opportunity to watch DIVINE perform live at #Sulafest 2019, and the popularity they enjoy, there was never a doubt that it would be great. It lives up to the expectations it had generated. At the same time it doesn’t become over bearing and blends with the story line perfectly.

An amazing movie….Must watch……three cheers to the Gully Boy.

Keep hoping and rapping “ APNA TIME AAYEGA”

URI: India's Zero Dark Thirty Hour

 Every time I watch a movie, there is one thing that gives me goose bumps, every single time. That is the national anthem playing before the movie. I find that this song evokes that sense of pride and belonging to our country every single time it is played.

Rarely we come across movies and themes that echo these kind of sentiments and have the power to evoke such responses. Such movies come to theaters rarely. They are are created once in a while. Movies like Border or may be Chak de India.

Uri, the surgical strike hits all those notes and evokes that kind of response while watching or rather experiencing it. Yes, It is an experience. It echoes what our nation has undergone in the last couple of years and the kind of sentiments we feel and share with each other.

Watching the movie amidst all service personnel and even discussing it, it nowhere seems far fetched or unreal. In fact rarely does a movie capture the ethos and sprit of the armed forces so accurately. Not only that, the minutest details, the locales, the uniforms, the war cries, the weaponry, the wreath laying ceremony…it’s flawless. You can’t find faults even if you are a cynic or critic.

The movie and it’s structure is so much similar to the cult movie Zero Dark Thirty based on the Laden mission. The plot and its handling and the treatment it has got is in no way less than the Hollywood movie..in fact a shade better. 

The operation , it’s planning and it’s execution is an extra ordinary feat, no matter what the nay sayers will say. If this cannot evoke your nationalism or patriotism, maybe nothing can.

So, when the government responds the way it has done and seeing the film industry’s response to it….when somebody asks us …..

How’s the Josh…..High Sir…...............can be the only response.