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A State University of New York team quizzed over 1,000 students, finding women place a big emphasis on kissing.

They use kissing as a way of assessing the recipient as a potential partner, and later to maintain intimacy and to check the status of a relationship.

But men placed less importance on it, using it to increase the likelihood of sex, Evolutionary Psychology reported.

The questionnaires revealed men were less discriminating when it came to deciding who to kiss or who to have sex with.

They were more willing to have sex with someone without kissing, to have sex with someone they are not attracted to and agree to have sex with someone they considered to be a bad kisser.

But kissing was more important as a bonding mechanism to women.

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Couples in their 20s had their heart rates and brains monitored whilst they first melted chocolate in their mouths and then kissed.

Chocolate caused a more intense and longer lasting “buzz” than kissing, and doubled volunteers’ heart rates.

The research was carried out by Dr David Lewis, formerly of the University of Sussex, and now of the Mind Lab.

Experts, concerned at growing levels of obesity throughout the developed world, warn that chocolate should only be consumed in moderation.

Dr Lewis said: “There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz.

“A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss.”