Chocolate seems to have become quite the panacea these days. It\’s a pick-me-up when we\’re feeling down. Got a special occasion coming up? Don\’t forget to get a supply! And with Christmas right around the corner, my thoughts naturally turn to that delight.

Chocolate doesn\’t have to be unhealthful. Dark varieties are supposed to be quite good for us;  and cyclists can actually benefit from the substances found in this food. Flavanols can enhance performance when taken before a ride. A popular recovery drink among cyclists is chocolate milk. My favorite is whey protein powder — I\’m sure you can guess which flavor! — in skim milk.

Oddly, I wasn\’t very fond of chocolate as a young child. It seemed rather bitter to me, and I preferred the more sugary candies. I\’ve certainly changed! And there are now so many varieties of the stuff that it can be hard to choose one. We can get it plain. We can have it with fruits and/or nuts; or cream-filled. It comes in white, dark, and milk varieties. I could go on and on.

Back in pre-Columbian times, such treats were undreamed of. I wonder what those folks would think if they could know how chocolate has changed over the centuries.