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Path: utzoo!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!throop
From: throop@cs.utexas.edu (David Throop)
Newsgroups: soc.singles,alt.folklore.urban,alt.drugs,rec.food.cooking,sci.bio
Subject: Love, chocolate and caffeine
Keywords: phenylethylamine
Message-ID: <1203@ai.cs.utexas.edu>
Date: 28 Jan 91 19:49:07 GMT
References: <1991Jan22.064720.26816@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <1991Jan22.202142.13814@newcastle.ac.uk> <1991Jan28.110606.11803@cs.UAlberta.CA>
Followup-To: sci.bio
Organization: Dept of Computer Sciences, UTexas, Austin
Lines: 24

Mark Israel quotes Michael Liebowitz, _The Chemistry of Love_

>   "Our hypothesis about the links between love and chocolate has
>gotten a lot of attention in the press, but it may turn out that
>people turn to chocolate when they're unhappy for the sugar, the
>caffeine, or out of habit, and not to get a shot of PEA."

  But chocolate doesn't contain caffeine, does it?  I've repeatedly
seen claims that it does, but I think that all that it actually
contains is theobromine, (a compound which, contrary to it's name,
contains neither bromine nor God.)  Theobromine is somewhat similar to
caffeine in its pharmacological action, but the levels in modern day
chocolate are much less active than the corresponding amounts of
caffeine in, say, coffee.

   Simple proof that chocolate doesn't contain caffeine:
     If it did, somebody would be marketing a caffeine free chocolate.
     If somebody was marketing a caffeine free chocolate, I'd 
       know about it.
     I've never heard of such a thing.
   ERGO
     Chocolate doesn't contain caffeine.

David Throop