Chocolate as an herb?

[zionwood]

I was just thinking about and researching herbs and their magical or medicinal purposes and thought--why don't i see chocolate on here? Does chocolate have such a purpose? I mean, i see vanilla and strawberry on these lists of herbs--why not chocolate?
(i remember reading that unsweetened chocolate might be good for your teeth.)
(and i have seen a pagan "Chocolate ritual" which was probably just humourous.)
anyone else know about/have thoughts on this?

[MoonDragn]

hmmm good question, I guess it's a has-bean...

[zionwood]

haha, good one! :)

[Sage Rainsong]

I heard that real chocolate is loaded with antioxidants so it can help with cancer prevention. I probably would use chocolate in love and lust spells. hmm lets see.. You could use cocoa powder with cinnimon and maybe basil and charge it with lust energy, sprinkle it around your bedroom and see what happens. Or you could use the same blend in a love spell bag. Thats all that I can think of off the top of my head.

[Teresa]

Chocolate is great for PMS !

[cheddarsox]

Technically, chocolate is not an herb, because it is not a leaf, but is made from the seeds. It is either a spice, or a food, depending on how you use it.

OK, scientist hat off now...

I love the stuff, I actually have it as part of my religious practice! I kid you not. I believe it to be a gift from the Divine and enjoy and prepare it ritualistically.

cheddar

[Romani Vixen]

Chocolate is technically not an herb. BUT... niether is orange, etc.

Do some research on the properties of the plant and fruit (nut) and go with it. :)

Then you can join my religion of Chocolatism!!! :D

[Zephyrstorm]

Then you can join my religion of Chocolatism!!! :D

aka: the worship of Bast.

mmmmm....dark chocolate.

[Romani Vixen]

aka: the worship of Bast.

mmmmm....dark chocolate.

:P

[fangedeshana]

Chocolate is wonderful. I use it as the cake in my cake and ale a lot lol.

I've also known people who've used it in sex magic, however I don't think it would be as appropriate in love magic.

[Romani Vixen]

You might not initially think of it as appropriate to love magic... but with some research you can discover a few things....

A number of chemicals in chocolate are also present in the brain during the love state.

Interestingly enough... (I would have to double check the research) Those chemicals are also produced after sex.


Chocolate... it's the looooove drug....

But... when it comes to magical associations, it's all about how *you* see the thing that you're trying to use.

Oh... found this here... http://www.xocoatl.org/science.htm#chem
"Cacao has never been proven to be an aphrodisiac, however
Theobromide is proven to cause both physical and mental relaxation, a sense of well-being and alertness which could certainly promote sexual interest.
Chocolate is a "treat"; something most people enjoy and cherish. This feeling has proven aphrodisiac effects.
For many centuries, Chocolate has been identified with love, and yes, with sex -- we can react to social identifications, whether there is a basis in science or not.


:D

[Little Billy]

I was just thinking about and researching herbs and their magical or medicinal purposes and thought--why don't i see chocolate on here?

Because it comes from a bean, not an herb.

For Chrissakes.

[zionwood]

Ok, maybe "herb" wasn't the exactly correct word. The lists had stuff like vanilla (comes from a bean, i'm pretty sure) and strawberry (comes from a fruit.) i said this in my first post.

Thanks for the website, by the way, Romani Vixen.

[LadyCelt]

I think its an aphrodesiac. I also think it helps elevate and maybe also stabilize moods. I think this is why women crave it during that time of the month.

[Tahlea]

i would say because chocolate itself is a mixture of ingredients.

the cacao bean itself (an ingredient of chocolate) could indeed have medicinal/magickal purposes. i know it sure makes me happy, and absolutely works in the bedroom department!

From http://www.livingrainforest.org/lib/pdf/rainforest_medicines_notes.pdf
Medicinal use of the cocoa plant dates back thousands of years to the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec civilisations. Anxiety, fever, fatigue and coughs were all treated with preparations made from parts of the cocoa plant.Many plant remedies tasted very bitter (and still do!) so chocolate paste was used to help the medicine godown. Its medicinal use in Europe can be traced to roughly 500 years ago when it was first brought over from the Americas, and was used to treat, amongst other things, anaemia, emaciation, kidney stones and cuts and burns.Today, cocoa trees are grown in tropical countries all over the world and recent research has confirmed that chocolate can be very beneficial to health and well-being. Chocolate is rich in polyphenols, the same anti-oxidants found in red wine, which have been shown to help protect against heart disease, as well as improving our immune system and affording protection against cancer. The darker the chocolate the more anti-oxidants itcontains. The saturated fats found in cocoa beans, unlike saturated animal fats, can also help lower total bloodcholesterol, and actually raise good cholesterol levels. All good news for chocolate lovers!

[Shanti]

Ok, maybe "herb" wasn't the exactly correct word. The lists had stuff like vanilla (comes from a bean, i'm pretty sure) and strawberry (comes from a fruit.) i said this in my first post.

Thanks for the website, by the way, Romani Vixen.

I havent seen vanilla or strawberry listed as an herb like ginseng is. Although, I am always researching herbs for medicinal purposes and not for cooking.

When I have come across vaniila, strawberry and chocolate for cooking, I usually see it listed as a flavoring, or spice. I have never seen them listed as a cooking 'herb'. I also find them listed as scents, perfumes, etc.

But if your using vanilla, strawberry or chocolate like its an herb, I dont see what the prob would be in calling it an herb. We call tomatoes (and some other things) a vegetable and they are fruits!:ballonsmi

[fangedeshana]

You might not initially think of it as appropriate to love magic... but with some research you can discover a few things....

A number of chemicals in chocolate are also present in the brain during the love state.

Interestingly enough... (I would have to double check the research) Those chemicals are also produced after sex.


Chocolate... it's the looooove drug....

:D

However, love and sex aren't always two parts of the same whole. Pagan's aren't exceptions for that, either. That why I catagorized 'sex' and 'love' as two different types of magic, and it being more appropriate in my opinion, for sex, or lust magic.

[MysticWitch]

Then you can join my religion of Chocolatism!!! :D

Take me to your Goddess :D