More than 300 different constituent compounds have been identified. Chocolate clearly delivers far more than a brief sugar high. Yet its cocktail of psychochemical effects in the central nervous system are poorly understood. The Psychoactive Cocktail Chocolate contains small quantities of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid found in the brain. It has been speculated that they promote and prolong the feeling of well-being that anandamide can induce.
Chocolate contains caffeine.
But caffeine is present only in modest quantities. It is easily obtained from other sources. Chocolate also contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. Enhanced serotonin function typically diminishes anxiety.