Why Should We Send Valentine's Day Chocolate　情人節(jié)為什么要送巧克力

Why Should We Send Valentine's Day Chocolate　情人節(jié)為什么要送巧克力

◎ Gabriel Keith Harris

Chocolate is almost synonymous with Valentine’s Day, but it’s doubtful that Saint Valentine even tasted it. During the martyr’s lifetime in third-century Rome, chocolate was still limited to native South America.

巧克力幾乎是情人節(jié)的同義詞，情人節(jié)直譯為“圣·瓦倫丁諾的紀念日”，但圣·瓦倫丁諾本人是否嘗過巧克力，尚無定論。3世紀的羅馬，在這位殉道者的有生之年，巧克力仍然僅存在于南美土著部落。

Today chocolate is enjoyed by people the world over, with some 2.3 billion pounds of chocolate consumed in America each year. That amounts to 10.8 pounds per person.

今天，全世界的人們都可以享受到巧克力的美味，美國每年消費的巧克力都可高達23億磅之重，相當于10.8磅的人均年消耗量。

The gift of chocolate

巧克力：送禮首選

Legend has it that chocolate was a gift of the gods. The cacao tree was supposedly brought to mankind by Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god who taught mortals how to make a drink from it.

巧克力據(jù)說是神的饋贈。阿茲特克人崇拜的羽蛇神不僅賜給人類可可樹，還教導人類如何用可可調(diào)配飲料。

Giving someone chocolates still carries a wealth of meaning. The custom even has royal approval, ever since 1900 when Queen Victoria sent special tins of chocolate to soldiers in the Boer War to wish them a happy New Year.

贈送巧克力還包含著豐富的含義。1900年，維多利亞女王將幾罐巧克力贈與參與波爾戰(zhàn)爭的士兵，恭祝他們新年快樂。自此以后，送巧克力的風俗就得到了皇室的認可。

And of course chocolate often sends a message of love, whether it’s a gift-wrapped box for Mother’s Day or a Valentine’s present of heart-shaped truffles.

當然，無論是母親節(jié)的巧克力精美禮盒，還是情人節(jié)的心形松露巧克力，作為禮物送出的同時，還會傳達一份真摯的愛意。

Chocolate, love and sex

巧克力、愛情與性

French doctors prescribed chocolate to women patients for a broken heart.

法國醫(yī)生曾為失戀心碎的女病人開出巧克力藥方。

Chocolate has long been associated with love. At one time, nuns were forbidden to eat it because of its sexual reputation. Casanova is believed to have thought of hot chocolate as the “elixir of love”. And in the 18th century, French doctors prescribed chocolate to women patients for a broken heart.

巧克力與愛情的關(guān)聯(lián)由來已久。修道院曾一度禁止修女吃巧克力，就是因為巧克力的性意味。在人們看來，意大利風流浪子卡薩諾瓦就是那個把熱巧克力視作“愛情神藥”的人。18世紀，法國醫(yī)生曾為失戀心碎的女病人開出巧克力藥方。

Science may hold a clue—chocolate contains a substance called phenylethylamine, a naturally occurring chemical in the brain which promotes feelings of euphoria associated with being in love. It also contains a variety of other substances which may help create a feeling of well-being.

此事還是有一些科學依據(jù)的。巧克力中含有的名為苯乙胺的物質(zhì)，可以刺激大腦分泌一種化學物質(zhì)，令人產(chǎn)生一種戀愛時才有的欣快感。除此之外，巧克力中還含有許多可能會使人產(chǎn)生幸福感覺的物質(zhì)。

Do you know?

你知道嗎？

That same 100 grams of chocolate also contains 5 milligrams of methylxanthine and 160 milligrams of theo- bromine, both caffeine-like stimulants. When taken in large quantities, these stimulants can induce nausea and vomiting—a good reason to limit your Valentine’s Day nibbling to a few chocolates.

100克巧克力中有5毫克甲基黃嘌呤和160毫克可可堿，這兩種物質(zhì)均為類似咖啡因的興奮劑。如大量服用這些興奮劑，會導致惡心、嘔吐，這可是限制你在情人節(jié)只吃幾塊巧克力的大好理由。

Meanwhile, Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and other pets, and can even be lethal. Don’t give it to your dog. Theobromine is toxic to dogs, and one ounce of chocolate could kill a 10-pound canine.

同時，巧克力對狗和其他寵物來說是有毒的，甚至可能致死。所以，不要給你的狗吃巧克力?？煽蓧A對狗來說是劇毒，一盎司巧克力就可以殺死一條10磅重的狗。

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