全通翻譯/翻譯社

Chocolate market grows despite sluggish economy (2012/11/02)

巧克力指數 

最近經濟環境差，很多民眾都會用吃，來紓解壓力，超商業者就公佈一份'巧克力指數'，發現市場比去年逆勢成長了6.7%，預估今年全台商機，將突破50億元，更令人意外的是，男性購買比例，竟然還高於女性顧客。

巧克力，是許多人的最愛，很難抵抗的了巧克力的誘惑。
“每天都會吃啊，不一定是那種純的巧克力，可能是巧克力餅乾”

知名超商就公佈"巧克力指數"今年1到9月的巧克力市場，比去年逆勢成長了6.7%，全台商機更從2009年的45億元，一路攀升，去年已經到48億元，今年更突破五十億元。

但出乎一般人的想像，男生買巧克力比率為53.9%，竟然大於女生的46.1%，這可能跟送禮有關。

[[精神科醫師 江漢光]]
“巧克力帶給人們一些想法，就是說是甜蜜的(禮物) ，男生當然也因為女生(開心) 男生容易連帶會被傳染，這種很愉悅興奮的感覺”

只不過一條重量45公克的巧克力條，熱量就高達220~260大卡，等同於一碗白飯，如果不多加節制，吃進太多熱量，對健康而言，可是得不償失。

Sales of many goods have fallen during the economic downturn. But in hard times, some people turn to food to relieve stress. This may be the reason for Taiwan’s growing chocolate market, the subject of a recent survey. 

Chocolate is a favorite of many. People find it hard to resist the temptation.

“I eat it every day. And it doesn’t have to be pure chocolate. It could be a chocolate biscuit.”

A convenience store chain recently published a survey of the domestic chocolate market. From January to September, the chocolate market grew 6.7 percent when compared to the same period a year ago. The total chocolate market was worth NT$4.5 billion in 2009 and continues to soar.

Last year the market was worth NT$4.8 billion. This year it is expected to be pass NT$5 billion.

The survey also found that men buy more chocolate than women. The account for 53.9 purchase of chocolate purchases, versus 46.1 percent for women. This may be skewed by the fact that more men send chocolates as gifts than women.

Chiang Han-kuang
Psychiatrist 
Some people believe chocolate is a sweet gift. Men give it to women because it is associated with a feeling of pleasure and excitement.

A chocolate bar weighing 45 grams has 220 to 260 calories, which is the equivalent of a bowl of rice. When eating, one has to be careful not to consume too many calories.