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Ho:    How often do you eat chocolate?

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Kao:   Every day!

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Ho:    You may be addicted to chocolate, but is this addiction damaging to your health?  

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Kao:   I can¡¦t see it.

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Ho:    Eating too much chocolate is often thought to be the cause of tooth decay, weight gain, headaches, and skin problems such as acne.

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Kao:   Don¡¦t scare me!

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Ho:    I don¡¦t do that if I were you. On the other hand, chocolate is known to make people feel happier. That¡¦s why you eat it every day.

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Kao:   Yes, you¡¦re right. Besides, eating chocolate releases a distinctive flavor that gives us a pleasant positive feeling.

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Ho:    What is it that causes this feeling?

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Kao:   I have to look into the book¡K I got it! Chocolate contains over three hundred known chemicals. Like a drug, these chemicals stimulate areas of the brain that enable us to feel pleasure.

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Ho:    Oh! I see. Anything else?

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Kao:   Yes! The most well known chemical is caffeine, which is also found in coffee, tea, and some types of soda.  Theo bromine, a weak stimulant, is present in higher amounts than caffeine. It is believed that the combination of these two chemicals causes the temporary ¡¥life¡¦ we experience after eating chocolate. 

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Ho:    Ha-ha! Do you want to eat chocolate now?

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Kao:   I think I will eat moderately.

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Ho:    However, does eating too much chocolate cause any real health risks?

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Kao:   Wait a moment¡K. The popular opinion of chocolate is that it is a fattening food that puts on weight on you, and contains no nutritional qualities.

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Ho:    And then¡K

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Kao:   The fact is chocolate does contain saturated fat. This type of fat can contribute to heart disease by increasing level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

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Ho:    Wow! It¡¦s lucky for you to know its danger early.

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Kao:   Yes, we must take care of our body.

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Ho:    Few days ago, I read from magazine that scientists at the University of California have discovered that chocolate also contains high levels of chemicals called phenolics, which is also found in red wine, coffee, and tea. If phenolics is consumed in small amounts, it is believed to lower the risk of heart disease. The new finding is just the opposite of the conventional idea about its negative point.

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Kao:  How wonderful! I can¡¦t wait to read the article. Can you borrow the magazine from you?

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By ¦ó°ò¥ô, °ª±R²@

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