On May 30th, our class took a trip to Choco-Story where we had a mini-workshop on how to coat and decorate various foods in delicious melted chocolate. We were each given marshmallows, chocolate fudge squares, and candied orange strips to dip into our preferred melted chocolate– milk or dark chocolate. In addition to this, we were also able to fill chocolate bar molds and create–or attempt to create– intricate designs.
In our neuroethics class, we recently discussed cognitive enhancers and their implications. For our reflection, Dr. Rommelfanger asked us the following question: Does coffee count as a cognitive enhancer? Initially, I said that no, coffee is not a cognitive enhancer because it only has short-term effects and its consumption can result in an increased state of anxiousness– an opposite effect. However, I left the discussion with a change of heart. Both coffee and chocolate contain caffeine, which has a tendency to improve alertness and attention which are qualities of a cognitive enhancer.