Hi Fiona,

Yes, I believe you are right about the addictive nature of chocolate. This has always seemed to me its greatest danger. In that respect, it is essentially no different from any other carbohydrate: anything containing starch or sugar can be addictive. Look, for example at the marketing strategy of "Pringles", which actively flaunt the fact with their slogan "We bet you can't eat just one". However, the fascination I have with chocolate specifically is that it bucks the theoretical trend. Let me explain. For the amount of carbohydrate in a 200g bar of chocolate, taken in any other form, I would be in trouble. For some reason, it has no effect whatsoever on my weight-loss programme. One week I did the experiment of eating a 200g bar of chocolate every day. No effect. And this was not instead of some other meal, but as well as all my usual meals. However, something definitely was happening, because I have a nose that glows red like Rudolph the reindeer when I eat carbohydrates. After 2 or 3 days, my nose started going red. I felt no other ill-effects, and there was no interruption to my weight-loss. Weird. Luckily for me, I felt no particular attachment to the chocolate, so I was not addicted, and had no trouble cutting out the chocolate at the end of the experiment. But I can quite see how you have built up a mistrust for chocolate. I am not in any way trying to contradict your assertions, especially as they have the feel of being based on experience. All I am saying is there is an anomaly here, which I do not understand.

Regards.