I am worried about the reputation of chocolate, one of the basic food groups as far as I am concerned. An article in the WSJ remarked on research that found that people who eat more chocolate are more likely to be depressed than those who eat less of it. The research came from the University of California and was led by associate preofessor of medicine Beatrice Golomb. Golomb commented that chocolate might have antidepressant effects that increase its usage. I knew that already and thought to myself, ask every woman you know!

My first reaction was that it would hurt chocolate’s reputation if it was linked to depression. This would be deadly. Would people not want to be seen buying chocolate or having it at their desks? What would happen to all those lovely chocolate bars in my neighborhood? And would Mother’s Day ever be the same, let alone Valentine’s Day? Would fine hotels stop giving us chocolate on our pillows at night? On second thought, maybe it is okay to admit that things are not perfect all the time and that the world could use is a bite of chocolate. On third thought, we should give chocolates out to our bickering congressional representatives as a way to mellow out their moods and get some bills passed. Clearly all one needs  is cocoa. Maybe not.

Happily, I read to the end of the article because Golomb admitted that she is a chocolate lover and regularly tells people that chocolate is actually a vegetable. Good woman. I am now not going to obsess about chocolate’s reputation.