The Magick in... Chocolate? šŸ«

Witchy Wisdom
1

After talking about light and dark chocolate in this discussion here, I was curious! Chocolate is delicious and seems to help cheer us up when we are downā€¦ but does it actually have any medicinal benefits? How about magickal benefits?

Letā€™s find out! :face_with_monocle:

chocolate-183543_1920
chocolate-183543_19201920Ɨ1280 591 KB

Picture from Pixabay

Chocolate: Medicinal Properties

There are a plethora of articles, studies, and discussions out there breaking down the potential harm vs. gain when it comes to the health benefits of chocolate.

Most studies conclude what most of us already know:

  • Milk chocolate contains more sugar and fat than dark chocolate. As a general rule, the more sugar and fat something has, the less healthy it is.
  • A bit of chocolate (of any kind) here and there as part of a healthy lifestyle is a-okay! :ok_hand:

But what sets chocolate apart from the other snacks in the junk food aisle? How is chocolate different from a bag of chips or gummy bears? :thinking:

The article Health Benefits and Risks of Chocolate in Medical News Today shares a few other medicinal benefits that set chocolate apart from other snack competitors:

  • Chocolate is high in antioxidants, which are associated with health benefits
  • Eating chocolate may help to lower LDL (ā€œbadā€) cholesterol and prevent cognitive decline
  • One study showed that chocolate may have the ability to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke

Information from Health Benefits and Risks of Chocolate

Have you ever felt sad, had a few bites of chocolate, and felt your mood increase? This is another benefit of chocolate- it can also help to improve your mood! :smiley:

The article Why Does Chocolate Make Us Happy? from the University of California: Berkleyā€™s Safer Health site breaks it down:

The Center for Human Pharmacology at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia performed a study in which it was determined that certain components of chocolate improved mood and others altered brain patterns. These components is likely tryptophan, which is an amino acid found in chocolate that helps the brain make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy and satisfied.

Other components of chocolate that may contribute to a burst of happiness are phenylethylalanine and theobromine. Phenylethylalanine is a natural acting antidepressant and produces the same feelings one may experience when falling in love, such as increased heart rate, alertness, and motivation. Theobromine simulates a high, like that of cannabis, but at a much lower level, thereby producing a relaxing effect and relieving stress.

From the article Why Does Chocolate Make Us Happy? from the University of California: Safer Health Site

There are chemical components in chocolate that help to make us feel better. So whether you are suffering from menstrual cramps, had a bad day, or are feeling stressed- you might consider a little chocolate to cheer you up! :chocolate_bar:

The Magick of Chocolate

It addition to its potential medicinal and mood-affecting benefits, chocolate also has magickal properties :sparkles:

  • White Chocolate : Friendship, Self-love, Fun
  • Milk Chocolate : Friendship, Self-love, Nurturing, Love, Balance, Fun, Raises emotional energy
  • Dark Chocolate : Love, Romance, Grounding, Prosperity
  • Cacao Nibs : Grounding, Prosperity, Ancestors

From the article Magickal Properties of Chocolate from Plentiful Earth

The above article also notes that White, Milk, and Dark Chocolate are tied to the heart chakra.

Chocolate is a sweetening agent and can be used in many sweetening spells. While honey is perhaps the most common sweetening agent, if you donā€™t have any on hand chocolate is a great substitute.

:chocolate_bar: Looking for chocolate magick? Here are a few ideas:

Have you ever used chocolate for magick? :sparkles:

  • Yes!
  • No, but Iā€™d like to try
  • No, and itā€™s not for me
0 voters

Whether you love chocolate for its medicinal, magickal, or just plain tasty delights- enjoy! :chocolate_bar:

Blessed be and happy snacking :yum:

20 Likes
2

I know chocolate makes me feel better! I almost ate an entire bag of musketeers last night after my ritual. I donā€™t care, I needed that! :face_with_hand_over_mouth: But I have used chocolate before in spells. And I liked the outcome!! Thanks for making this beautiful, chocolatey post!

11 Likes
3

Love this post! So far the closest Iā€™ve come to using chocolate in my witchcraft is drinking chocolate pu erh tea! (Delicious, highly recommend) but watch this spaceā€¦ chocolate kitchen witchery is now on my list :smirk::chocolate_bar::heart:

7 Likes
4

I wonder if there are any good homemade hot chocolate recipes. That might be good for Thursdays and with cinnamon added or other spices, I bet that would be very magical. :sparkles: :chocolate_bar:

5 Likes
5

Okay, so I found a great recipe for hot chocolate that can be made with water or milk. Itā€™s got Cayenne which is good for banishing negativity and for love spells to bring on the spice and warmth. Of course, you can find the property of cinnamon here on site. Here ya go:

Cinnamon Spiced Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1Ā½ Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Cup Dry Milk Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Cup [Dark Chocolate Chips]
  • 1 teaspoon [Cinnamon]
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne optional

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients in food processor and pulse until chocolate chips are completely processed.

  • Transfer to clean airtight container.

  • To make hot cocoa: Heat 8 ounces milk or water. Add 3-4 Tablespoons hot cocoa mix. Stir and serve.

Enjoy!

8 Likes
6

Thank you! Very Interesting article! I love chocolate! Only candy family I consume here and there! Especially if it has nuts or almonds with it!

6 Likes
7

Thanks for sharing my recipe :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :brown_heart: :chocolate_bar:

6 Likes
8

Sorry, I didnā€™t know it was yours. I found it on a website. It looks good though! Nice and spicy!

5 Likes
9

@BryWisteria Thanks for sharing this. Itā€™s super cool. I love chocolate! Unfortunately, it no longer loves me. I still keep a little around for the kids and the occasional offering. I use it in spells and offerings every year at Samhain. Itā€™s perfect for dumb suppers, offerings to ancestors, and I have used it in the past for self-love spells.

4 Likes
10

Chocolate is the best pick-me-up food! :grinning: Ohhhh what kind of spells did you use chocolate in? If you have any recommendations youā€™re comfortable sharing, feel free to add them here! :blush: It looks like there are quite a few chocolate-loving witches in the forums! :chocolate_bar::laughing:

I donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever tried chocolate pu erh tea! :heart_eyes: Ohhhh it sounds amazing- is the chocolate flavor very strong (like hot cocoa) or more subtle? I really want it to try it sometime! :laughing:

This is amazing!!! Ahhhh thanks so much for sharing, @Amethyst! :heart_eyes: The recipe has common and easy-to-find ingredients that also have some lovely magickal properties :sparkles: We are definitely heading into hot chocolate season here in the Northern Hemisphere- Iā€™m bookmarking this to give it a try! :grin:

Ohhhh very delicious! Are you a fan of hazelnuts, Dee? Iā€™ve been having a phase with hazelnut/nutella lately- itā€™s so delicious :yum::chocolate_bar:

You are very welcome, Laura! Thank you for sharing it with everyone :chocolate_bar::blush:

Sorry to hear you canā€™t eat chocolate anymore- but it looks like it still has an important place in your home life and practice! Chocolate would make a lovely offering at Samhain, thatā€™s a great idea :chocolate_bar::candle: And self-love spells are a wonderful use for chocolate too! :two_hearts:

8 Likes
11

Glad you liked! It looked easy yet magickal to me too!

5 Likes
12

It is amazing! Itā€™s not as chocolatey as hot cocoa but you definitely get a good choco flavour! I add a little honey to sweeten it.

20200921_174146
20200921_1741461798Ɨ2917 2.93 MB
Pretty box :heart_eyes:

7 Likes
13

Ohhhhh it looks amazing! :heart_eyes: And yes, the box is lovely too! Chocolate and tea- two of the best things in life! :heart: Iā€™ll have to keep an eye out and maybe check some of the local tea shops to see if they have it. Thanks for the chocolately recomendation, @Limeberry! :yum::chocolate_bar:

8 Likes
14

I got this recipe from a book ā€œFeitiƧos de amarraĆ§Ć£oā€. I didnā€™t mention the author before her name is Maria Helena Farelli. She is a Brazilian witch the ā€œmĆ£e de santoā€ and this book you would have to import to your country. The language is only in Portuguese and here at this coven mostly are Americans. I purchased at a local shop from my city Sao Paulo. The origins of this recipe are from the Afro-Brazilian religion Quimbanda. Itā€™s not something I created. I also use for my witchcraft studies and experimental spellcast the Afro-Brazilian religionā€™s traditional recipes.

5 Likes
15

I wonder how it got out into the internet? I guess weā€™ll never know. Looks like an interesting book though! :smiley:

4 Likes
16

This is awesome! I will definitely have to try chocolate in some of my practice.

6 Likes
17

With Valentineā€™s Day coming up fast, I figured it was a good time to bring back this discussion about the magickal benefits of chocolate! :chocolate_bar: :sparkles:

For anyone interested in a little chocolate magick, youā€™re invited to this weekā€™s group ritual (housed in A Sacred Space- you need an active account to access this part of the forum!) We are doing a Chocolate Love Blessing that draws on the properties of chocolate in combination with a pink or red candle in a simple love spell :heart::chocolate_bar:

Hooray for chocolate magick! :tada:

4 Likes