I love to eat chocolate. My partner says it's a drug and addictive. I say it's just an enjoyable food. What do you think?

Chocolate, for most people, is neither. It is loaded with sugar and fat. That combination makes its flavor feel so wonderful that people crave it, often confusing this desire based on pleasure with something more.

Chocolate does contain small amounts of chemicals that do have psychological and behavioral effects similar to other addictive drugs. This makes chocolate appealing and even irresistible for certain, susceptible individuals. Many women seem to crave chocolate around the time of menstruation, suggesting a certain hormonal relationship to chocolate cravings. According to the American Dietetics Association, professionals making recommendations to clients must realize that chocolate cravings may have biochemical roots that should be taken into consideration.

The theory that chocolate probably raises brain serotonin levels (the feel-good neurotransmitter) is inaccurate because the level of protein (10 percent) in a typical chocolate candy bar is enough to interfere with those levels rising.

Chocolate also contains small amounts of both caffeine and a related substance called theobromine. These two chemicals are nervous system stimulants and can cause an increase in heart rate. The presence of these chemicals does not make chocolate a drug, nor are they addictive in the true sense of the word. There is often controversy over the addictive power of caffeine, however an addiction means that progressively increasing amounts of the compound are needed to get the same effect. This is not true for caffeine.

A word of caution is necessary for those looking for solace in chocolate. Those individuals on antidepressant medications containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors, must avoid tyramines, the chemicals found in chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, yogurt, aged cheeses and canned food. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors allow tyramine levels to rise, which can increase blood pressure.