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The science behind global chocolate
obsession

Dark, milk, white, flavored with orange, mint, strawberry and the growing favorite — salted caramel —approximately 7.5 million tons of chocolate are consumed annually. But there are reasons chocolate, celebrated around the world on Sept. 13, International Chocolate Day, is so beloved and it’s not just that it tastes so good.

How did it get so delicious? That is a tale of innovation.

The Swiss have been perfecting chocolate since the early 19th century. Francois-Louis Cailler, took the granular texture of the cocoa bean to a smooth chocolate bar. Then world-renowned chocolatier Rudolph Lindt perfected that recipe by adding cocoa butter with a machine he invented called a conche.

But why does the vast majority of the world love it so much?

It’s a chemical thing. The ingredients and chemicals in chocolate have positive effects on our brains and bodies. It’s not necessarily the individual amounts, but the chemicals combined that result in the desired effect.

First on the chocolate inventory list is phenylethylamine, the catalyst in the release of endorphins and an increase in serotonin and dopamine — offering feelings of happiness and contentment. Phenylethylamine is also the chemical released by the brain when you are in love. So it’s with good reason we give in to the impulse buy stack of chocolate at the grocery check-out.

Additionally, the stimulant theobromine offers chocolate eaters a bit of a boost. This ingredient causes a similar energy lift as caffeine, but the effects of theobromine will last longer. Chocolate also contains the real caffeine deal with nearly 25 percent of the caffeine in the average 8-ounce cup of coffee.

So far, we’re happy, content and feeling wide awake and energetic. What’s next?

IMAGE: Freepik

L-tryptophan is an amino acid that makes essential proteins and is not produced naturally by the body, so we get it from the foods we consume. And yes, chocolate has this too. Combined with the sugar carbohydrates in chocolate, this magic chemical, like serotonin, offers us a little chill-out vibe.

And one of the big winners is polyphenol — a valuable antioxidant found in various foods that protects the brain. It is often used as a supplement for those struggling with psychiatric or cognitive challenges as it has less harmful side effects than medications.

So now we know why chocolate makes us feel good, but there are health benefits to a moderate relationship with chocolate — most commonly dark chocolate.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, some chocolate has a positive effect on heart health. So, if you’re reaching for a fix and hoping to feel good about your choice, come over to the dark side.

It’s those magic antioxidants again.

The most impactful is flavonol — a phytochemical compound called epicatechin found in dark chocolate that offers a number of health benefits.

Epicatechin lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing blood pressure and increasing healthy blood flow to the heart. It offers immune-system stability, preventing an overactivity linked to some diseases. It also helps the body use insulin properly, combatting diabetes.

Those are the health benefits of the things epicatechin reduces in our bodies, but what are the gains?

Well, it offers some welcome gifts to our brains. These include a memory boost, increased response time and better visual acuity. In addition, epicatechin reduces the amount of oxygen required by athletes, increasing the volume of nitric oxide in the bloodstream so they can perform longer.

There is a long list of reasons dark chocolate should be a welcomed addition to our diets but it is also important to maintain a healthy and moderate relationship with the delicious treat. Sugar content and high carbohydrates are things to watch for.

Too much can counter all of the good it can do for us in moderation. According to Health Digest, “A diet high in sugar-rich chocolate can be a factor in the development of insulin resistance, which can lead to Type 2 diabetes.”

And Type 2 diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and kidney disease.

So, as you reach for your chocolatey favorite this International Chocolate Day, remember—chocolate is your friend, but consider it a fair-weather one.

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Warning signs of MS

A new study published in Nature Medicine identifies a new type of brain lesion in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that might be an indicator of fast disease progression.

These broad rim lesions (BRLs) were mainly discovered in those whose MS progressed quickly, indicating they are an important clue for doctors.

BRLs are like hotspots of inflammation. They have a thick, active outer layer that is filled with immune cells that appear to create discord in the spinal cord and brain. Patients with these lesions were more prone to quicker disability and had more damage in essential parts of the nervous system.

By studying donor brain tissue and using high-tech imaging like PET scans, researchers were able to identify the lesions while people were still living. They were also able to identify a unique pattern of gene activity in BRLs and signs of stress inside cells.

Notably, the lesions may be used to predict the potential rapid decline of MS patients. Additionally, the research team identified possible targets for new treatments that may help to slow or stop the damage.

The findings may assist in earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment and possible new drugs for those facing aggressive forms of MS.

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Goodbye batteries, hello bugs

Rechargeable batteries have significantly reduced the environmental impact of battery waste, but there are still a lot of products out there requiring lithium-filled batteries that erode over time and leak chemicals into soil and water.

Researchers at Binghamton University have developed a tiny battery powered by probiotics to help, and it just dissolves after its battery life is depleted — no pollution, no recycling, no mess.

Rather than using toxic chemicals, the biobattery runs on 15 strains of innocuous probiotic bacteria. The power generated is straight from the natural process of these microbes just doing what they do — breaking down nutrients.

The device is printed on paper that ultimately dissolves in water and has a coating that breaks down in acidic environments like the human stomach or polluted soil.

Batteries aren’t part of the typical human diet, so why is this important?

The medical field is moving toward personalized medicine. Sometimes this means ingestible health monitors, implants, etc., that we would prefer not to leak toxins into our bodies. The limited low-power output is perfect for small devices like these offering up to 100 minutes use.

When it’s finished, it simply disappears — no toxic leftovers, no waste.

In future, versions could power even more impressive tech, but for now this is a significant step toward greener, safer and smarter electronics.

The paper was published in Small.

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Enzymes caught in the act

A protein that is not functioning the way it should could be the catalyst for an array of medical conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases. So it makes sense that identifying and understanding what’s wrong with the protein can help develop treatments.

A recent study published in PNAS produced a breakthrough image of a powerful enzyme (a type of protein) involved in the body’s immune response that may offer a key route to how we treat these diseases.

The research team used cryo-electron microscopy, kind of like a camera for things at the molecular level, to look at the structure of ADAM17. This protein behaves like a pair of molecular scissors, removing other proteins off the cell to send important signals. ADAM17 needs a helper protein called iRhom2 to maintain stability and act as an action guide.

The researchers were able to work out how these two proteins fit together and how an antibody called MEDI3622 can plug ADAM17’s active site, keeping it from turning on. But they also found the solution — a hidden control switch of sorts in the iRhom2 protein that helps to connect signals from inside the cell to what’s going on outside.

Understanding these new functions may help in the design of more precise drugs that shut down ADAM17 when it’s misbehaving, without causing unwanted side effects, offering a clearer path to targeting inflammation at its root.

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Meet Glaphene

Brad and Angelina made Brangelina and now a mashup of names has hit the materials science world as scientists take graphene, known for its strength, flexibility and electrical conductivity, and mash it with a type of glass.

Scientists at Rice University have created Glaphene.

Graphene typically acts as a superconductor and the silica glass as an insulator, kind of like a wall that blocks electricity. When these opposites are layered together just right, some cool magic happens.

The atoms begin to communicate across layers, reshuffling their electrons. As a result, Glaphene becomes a semiconductor.

This means it can conduct electricity in a way for use in electronics like solar cells, sensors or futuristic computers. The technology we use daily, like cell phones, cannot function without semiconductors.

Future applications may include next-generation electronics, photonics and quantum devices.

The researchers emphasize this could lead to new ways to mix and match 2D materials and create something entirely new that could lead to custom-built materials tailored for specific functionalities in advanced tech.

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