When you think of cheese, do you you think happy thoughts? A strange question, I know, but I promise that the apparent oddness of my question will fade after hearing why I asked it.

Here's why: the Journal of Food Science reports that phenylethylamine (PEA) -- a chemical found in cheese (that also happens to be related to amphetamines) -- causes the release of mood-enhancing hormones.

While chocolate has long been considered to be among the top "happy foods," cheese, especially cheddar, contains ten times more PEA, according to a report from the British Cheese Board. What's more, cheese is also purported to help reduce pain and beat stress and anxiety by increasing the release of endorphins.

Hopefully my question doesn't seem so strange anymore.