Roses and chocolates, sounds like the idyllic thing to give to the loved ones, but is Valentine’s Day, worth it or is it pointless?Valentine’s Day is very controversial, with many different opinions, but you might be wondering, who started Valentine’s Day? Well, according to The Telegraph News, back in the third century AD., Emperor Claudius II banned marriages because he believed single men were better soldiers, however St Valentine, a Roman Priest, arranged marriages in secret but when the emperor found out, he imprisoned St Valentine and sentenced him to death. On the day of his execution, February 14th, St Valentine wrote and sent a love letter signed “from your Valentine” to the jailer’s daughter, whom he had fell in love with. Since then, Valentine’s Day is celebrated every January 14th, in many countries like Canada, Mexico, France, United Kingdom, Australia and the U.S., but is it even good/worth it to celebrate Valentine’s Day? It certainly is good to celebrate. Chocolates don’t only satisfied taste but in moderation it can help for a better, healthier heart. According to Susan Moores, RD spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, flavonoids, a cocoa component, are antioxidants that protect against free radicals in the body, which this free radicals can damage the blood flow “Free radicals are suspected of damaging arteries and triggering buildup of plaque (fatty substances) in the wall of blood vessels, which can lead to atherosclerosis”(WebMD, Susan Moores). Flavonoids in dark chocolate can also help lower bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol. Flavonoids also improve the health of endothelium, the lining in arteries and veins, says Joe Vinson, professor of Chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Valentine’s Day doesn’t only help for a healthier heart but make people happier and thankful. By giving and receiving flowers, chocolates, special dinner, and presents, or even a simple hug, people feel vehement for their friends and family. Even though Valentine’s Day is a cheerful day, that makes many happy and thankful for their loved ones, others believe Valentine’s Day is fruitless, egregious and only done for business. According to HISTORY, on Valentine’s Day, “one billion cards are sent each year”, “35 million heart shaped boxes of chocolates are sold”, “more than 220 million roses are produced for the holiday” and “all together, Americans spend almost 20 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day”. However even though some believe Valentine’s Day is only a waste of money, it engenders a better and fruition economy. In aggregate Valentine’s Day should be kept as a special day.
http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-valentines-day http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/valentines-day-good-for-heart#1 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/st-valentines-day-love-lovers-chocolates-roses-romance/