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I think that was once the advertising tagline in the marketing campaign for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup back in the 1970s. It was (and is) true of that wonderful candy bar and it is definitely true of coffee and chocolate gift baskets. Chocolate is an admitted favorite of many women, but I have a feeling some men are eating it too, since the United States consumes over two billion pounds annually, which adds up to over 11 pounds per person. Some scientists say we are programmed to love chocolate, and other people just maintain we love chocolate and who knows why. Chocolate has been called everything from a sin to an aphrodisiac-and whatever it is, I’m a fan!
What would America do without coffee? The average American drinks two and a half cups of coffee each day. (Oddly enough, we are still not the country that consumes the most coffee—the average Swede consumes almost thirty pounds of coffee per year!) Coffee drinking has been shown to provide a memory boost, prevent fatigue, and calm the nerves, which is undoubtedly why so many of us reach for it in the morning. Studies have shown that coffee consumed in moderation (up to four or five cups a day) actually has some positive health benefits. Coffee is also thought to be associated with lowering the risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancers of the liver, bladder, pancreas, and colon. Studies have shown that asthma symptoms could be reduced by 29% if the sufferer drinks coffee. As I take a healthy swig of my 32-ounce iced mocha, I say to you: who knew?
