By Jocelyn Ian
Both scientists and nutritionists worldwide support the idea that chocolates have a profound influence on the moods of people. No wonder chocolates are termed as ‘good mood food’ in every part of the world. When those delectable candies and brownies and bars and snacks are dissolved in the stomach, we feel good! And good means, real GOOD!
But why is it so? What has chocolates to do with moods? Let’s shed some light on this along with the other benefits of consuming chocolates.
Dark chocolate increases the production of endorphins
Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that enhances mood and gets rid of depressive feelings. When you devour chocolate, especially dark chocolate, you feel happy. This is because it stimulates the production of endorphins and promotes their release in the body, creating feelings of pleasure. However, it’s not recommended for a chronic depressive person to rely on chocolate every time s/he has a panic attack. If such things are frequent, one should seek proper medical attention.
Now, filled chocolates are equally delicious and craved for. They are mostly produced by filling the empty shells with dark, molten chocolate, which releases serotonin from the brain. But you have to fill them properly using a chocolate depositor machine to enhance the effect. The equipment ensures a clean and hygienic depositing process, which is necessary for the health of the consumer.
Chocolates also improve mental clarity
Some dark chocolates are said to increase the blood flow to the brain, thus enhancing mental clarity and improve memory and focus. These chocolates have flavonoids, which are extremely beneficial for kids, let alone adults. That’s why a lot of energy drinks for kids have dark chocolate as an essential component.
The chocolates also contain antioxidants
Our brains use up about 20% of the oxygen in the body, which makes them vulnerable to free radical damage. Just like the free oxygen molecules attack metals, causing them to rust, the same happens for our brain too. The chocolates made from cocoa powder have a huge chunk of antioxidants that help in reducing this damage and prevent the cells of the brain from premature aging.
Chocolates relieve stress and anxiety
People suffering from hypertension have reported this strange feeling of calm that they enjoy after devouring chocolates, especially dark chocolate. This is because most of these chocolates contain magnesium, which has a positive impact on stress and anxiety. it’s also called Mother Nature’s ‘Valium’ because of this reason. It reduces the production of stress hormones or cortisols in the body, which produces the calming effect.
Can you think of any other effect that chocolates have on you? Let us know in the comments below.
