Chocolate: The New Antidepressant?
Prone to irritability and worrying about rejection? If so, new research suggests a bar of chocolate could lift your mood and calm you down.
While you may be using chocolate as an energy booster, a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has found a link between chocolate cravings and personality.
Results suggest certain personality types are not only more likely to crave chocolate, but it may also improve their mood.
Researchers from the Black Dog Institute correlated results from an online survey completed by nearly 3,000 people. Of the respondees, 54 percent reported food cravings when depressed, of which 45 percent specifically wanted chocolate and 61 percent of these said chocolate improved their mood.
Who are the chocolate cravers?
Answers to a temperament and personality questionnaire showed chocolate cravers scored particularly high on two scales: irritability and those who feared social rejection.
Women were more likely to crave chocolate than men. In contrast, there was no association between chocolate cravings and introverted, extroverted or perfectionist personality types.
“ The result suggests that people with certain personality styles crave chocolate, not only when they are depressed, but also when they are anxious and irritable and that eating chocolate improves their mood.” - from study author
How does it work?
It's believed substances in chocolate called endorphins and opoids, may be responsible for the mood enhancing effect. These compounds may make you feel more relaxed, thereby reducing stress and anxiety and improving mood.
The potential health benefit of chocolate is a popular area of study. Previous research has shown dark chocolate may be good for cardiovascular health. It's even one of the foods featured in the poly-meal, which some scientists recommend for reducing heart disease risk. We love the idea that treat foods may be good for us.
The down-side is of course the calories. Chocolate is full of fat and sugar. While small amounts can be beneficial to your health, larger quantities are not so good. When using chocolate, even as medicine, moderation is the key.
More
See the Black Dog Institute, and you can also complete their online personality and temperament questionnaire for yourself.
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Well, it dosn't have to have sugar to be good. I've been really enjoying the ChocoPerfection brand. Doesn't give me the gastric ickies like some other sugar-free types (like, say, Atkins chocolate.)
I still keep some Valrhona Caraibe (probably my fave chocolate bar in the world) around, but I don't have it every day. I do have chocolate nearly EVERY day--either in cocoa form with skim milk and Splenda (love this in the evening while watching television) or in a protein shake or in a sugar-free bar or a pudding or yogurt. Chocolate makes my world go round, baby!
Hubby has his piece of Brazilian Garroto chocolate just about every night (he's lost 35 pounds and is sleek and gorgeous beyond words!) as his special treat. He eats that now in place of the bags of M&Ms and other candies he used to have when he weighed more. So, a solid eating plan can have room for chocolatey joy.
The Princess
ReplyI'm definitely a girl who craves chocolate. I have it nearly every day, usually just a square or two of good quality dark chocolate which keep the cravings at bay. I don't think I could ever go cold-turkey on chocolate as this would probably cause me to binge on it eventually.
As I only have it in small quantities, the benefits to my general wellbeing and mental health definitely outweight the extra few calories, and my weight is currently very stable so it has not caused me any problems in that department.
ReplyI absolutely LOVE milk chocolate of any kind, although Green & Blacks organic is probably my favorite. I always say everything in moderation.... and that doesn't exclude chocolate. :)
ReplyDoesn't this just prove that chocolate is a popular treat, and that some people overcome anxieties by putting things in their mouth?
Until they show a clear neurological pathway, this article is just speculation.
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However, I do know that when I have low blood sugar, I sometimes become stressed. I believe this is the brain starved for glucose, going generally frantic. We might then attribute our frantic mood to an external factor, while it is simply that we need to eat.
Some people reach for chocolate, but not me. I just eat a little meal, and will soon feel better.
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BTW: Endorphins are not found in chocolate. They are made within the human body. Therefore, Endo (within) orphin (opioid). Endorphins are the opiates made within, which bond to the same receptor sites as heroin or morphine, thus reducing mental or physical pain.
An interesting sidenote: Endorphins have long been considered responsible for the Runner's High, but new research shows that it is the Endocannibinoid known as anandamide which causes this effect. So runners haven't been getting high off the body's own morphine, but on the body's own marijuana.
ReplyI guess I don't have the requisite personality style. I've always been mystified by people who call themselves "chocoholics" and the like. Chocolate is nice as a treat, like cake and ice cream are nice, but do I crave it? No.
ReplyI like chocolate, especially dark chocolate, as a treat. I don't eat it all the time or anything and I don't necessarily "crave" it. I don't know if it improves my mood or not, but I like the taste of it and I guess eating anything you like would make you happier.
ReplyI have one or two squares of very good quality dark chocolate ( 70% is my absolute minimum) almost every day and if I don't, I definitely crave it. I'm fairly sure it's not when I'm depressed, or feel anxious or anything like that. I'm quite comfortable with the thought that I simply like it and choose to enjoy it every day. All the news regarding it's health?...Mostly a moot point for me. I like it, I enjoy having my daily piece and that's that.
ReplyI'll put my hand up and say I do crave chocolate on a weekly basis. Whether that's good or bad, there's no point trying to deny it. But I don't wear it like a badge or boast about it. Big freakin deal.
Yeah,
I do that. So shoot me. It's taking me months working out how I can stop it but I will do it. I'm trying to kick a pattern where I would eat perfectly 80-90% of the week, then one day eat four chocolate bars amongst other crap. So my trainer got me to put fun size bars in the freezer and I'm allowed one when I'm tempted to binge.
It might work, it might not.
As for the article, I think Kailash is right to feel sceptical. I've learnt that chocolate will make me happy for a moment but that feeling is short lived. Even exercise doesn't ease stress.
ReplyChocolate gives a feel good feeling which is why most of us love to eat them. Apart from the high sugar content, the cocoa in the chocolate contains catechins (also found in green tea) known to lower blood pressure and improve the cells lining the blood vessels. Eat once in a while is no problem.
ReplyFish oil is a better anti-depressant and tastes better too!
ReplyThanks Kathryn, Great information! However for all you chocolate lovers it's here HEALTHY CHOCOLATE. MXI Corp is the only company in the world that cold processes our chocolate.
ReplyTake a few moments and visit our site click on take the chocolate tour.