Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The Chocolate Lover's Dilemma


BBC news reported in April that researchers at The Mind Lab monitored heart rates and brain patterns of couples kissing and eating chocolate. They supposedly discovered that eating chocolate was way more stimulating to head and heart than kissing. The report noted briefly that “The Mind Lab is funded by members of the food industry, although no firm can be linked to any individual study.”
What the astute BBC reporter doesn’t bother to say is that, according to its own website, The Mind Lab was created in response to increasing interest, on the part of [the founder’s] clients, in the use of scientific research projects as a route into the media.” The mission of TML is to do studies “on an extensive range of projects designed to obtain the widest and most positive media coverage for their clients.”
In fact, the fine folks at The Mind Lab tell us, “A major advantage of this approach over the more traditional survey based news stories, is that the results tend to be not only dramatic and newsworthy but also visually exciting, giving the project a far greater chance of obtaining television coverage.” Then comes the final sales pitch: If you would be like to discover how we could help provide the science behind your next set of headlines telephone Dr David Lewis.”
Hmmmmm. So who do you suppose funded the study on chocolate vs. kissing? Cadbury? Nestle? Whoever funded it got their money’s worth. A quick Google search turned up over a million hits referencing this study. Sorta makes you wonder about the claim that dark chocolate is good for you. I love chocolate as much as anyone, but I would eat it even if it weren't good for me, and I don't like being treated like an idiot.
So if you had to choose: Chocolate or kissing?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I HAVE NO TROUBLE BELIEVING THIS STUDY LOL

Trista Ann Michaels said...

I definately prefer kissing, especially when the guy is such a good kisser...:)

Better than chocolate any day of the week.

Now if you want to compare kissing against salty potatoe chips (my weakness) then I might have a slight delema...:)

Trista

Anonymous said...

So, Marcia, are you saying you prefer chocolate?

Trista, I'm with you on chips, girl, though I'd have a tough time giving up chocolate too. Both rank right up there with kissing in my book.

Dragongirl said...

If the guy is a good kisser....mmmmm baby. Kissing every time. Chocolate will wait patiently.

Anny Cook said...

Of course it would depend on the kisser wouldn't it? I mean if we're talking say...Pierce Brosnan or someone like that well of course the chocolate would take a back seat. If it was someone like say Steve Martin, then I've got to go with the chocolate. Not that SM isn't a nice guy. I just don't want to kiss him.

Anonymous said...

Good point, Anny. I'd say he has to be a good kisser though to raise my heartrate.
Even better point, Dragongirl. Chocolate will wait.

Sally Painter said...

Oh... I'm greedy... Double my pleasure with chocolate kisses.

logodisiac said...

The answer is of course to both kiss and eat chocolate at the same time... but I doubt if Cadbury and Nestle are the right people to go to for chocolate worthy of the occasion. Leonidas on the other hand...