Just when we think our poor hearts can't take another pounding (we still love you, Panthers), here comes Valentine's Day.
And like a game where it feels like the whole world is watching, the stakes are high. There’s not much margin for error. A fumble can get you sidelined. A couple of bad plays and you could forfeit the game entirely. Worst of all, the penalties can continue to accumulate even after the players have left the field.
At times like this, it's wise to take comfort where we can. So let’s turn to CHOCOLATE. Here are some tasty facts to nibble on:
Chocolate will melt between 86 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, lower than your body temperature. That’s why M&Ms candy with the hard-shell coating can boast they “melt in your mouth, not in your hand.”
International Chocolate Day is held each year on September 13, the birthday of Milton S. Hershey. The “S” is for Snavely.
There is also a World Chocolate Day celebrated on July 7.
According to Fortune magazine, you should be celebrating on October 28 instead.
There is a Laboratory of Chocolate Science at MIT.
You can buy chocolate-covered insects online. Our favorite review from amazon.com: “Similar taste and consistency to pretzels.”
The Mars candy company and the American Heart Association co-funded a study of chocolate’s health benefits.
Chocolate can be good for you because it contains antioxidants called flavanols, which can be linked to a decrease in blood pressure. Experts haven't set a therapeutic dose just yet, so “experiment” in moderation.
Other research showed that certain people who regularly ate candy had lower body mass index (BMI) measurements than people who abstain.
In 2014, Time magazine reported cocoa farmers are fighting a fungal disease called “frosty pod” and warned this could lead to a global shortage. All the more reason we should partake as often as we can.
Of course, no amount of sweet indulgence can really soothe the disappointment of a letdown, not in sports and not in romance. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, a dreary post-game Monday, or any other day, the best we can do is take heart from believing that the next time around we’ll get another chance to play.