Did you know that chocolate is ideal against stress and anxiety? Its incredible qualities help us feel better and relax. Find out why.
Surely over the last few weeks you have experienced moments of real madness. September is a month where we have to go back to work, get in shape after having taken on a few extra kilos on vacation and also organize the lives of our children with their respective schools and purchase of books.
In short, there are many open fronts that must be addressed in a very short space of time. Faced with this situation, it is very normal for us to suffer from some form of stress and anxiety that in the long run can have a most negative effect on our health.
In fact, it is estimated that about 70% of the population has suffered stress at some point in their lives, demonstrating once again that we are faced with a fairly widespread problem in society.
But be calm. Did you know that chocolate can help you considerably to treat any picture of stress or anxiety?
Why is chocolate beneficial for fighting stress?
As we have already mentioned in other articles, this cocoa sweet provides all kinds of benefits for our health. To all of them we must add a multitude of advantages for our psyche that we will detail along the following lines:
Thanks to chocolate we produce serotonin
Few people can resist the delicious taste of chocolate. It is without a doubt one of the most consumed sweets on the planet. In fact, it is estimated that countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom or Sweden, the consumption of this cocoa mixture can exceed 5kg per person in just one year.
But what exactly happens when we bite into a rich ounce of chocolate? Well, our body produces what is known as serotonin, a natural hormone that simply causes a feeling of well-being to flood our entire body.
In fact, this component has a direct effect on the neutral transmitters in our brain. These are responsible for producing dopamine, also known as the “gland of happiness” that we can also secrete when listening to music or having sex. And obviously when savoring a delicious portion of chocolate.
Sugar also brings pleasure and calms anxiety
Like any sweet, chocolate also contains a good dose of sugars and fats (especially if it is white or with milk) that give it a very sweet taste. These two components can also help us lift our spirits when we feel somewhat down. And therefore they are two powerful allies to combat any anxiety disorder.
This is because when we consume chocolate, carbohydrates are released, a component that triggers blood glucose levels. This whole process causes the secretion of what is known as tryptophan, an amino acid that also makes us feel relaxed and calm, just like serotonin.
And the best of all is that it has the most immediate effect on our body, making us feel better in just a few minutes. That never in your life would you have imagined something like this?
Some tips to enjoy chocolate in a measured way
As with any sweet, chocolate should be taken in a moderate and controlled way, otherwise we want to neglect our line. For this reason, we are going to close this article to tell you some tips in order to combat your stress and anxiety through chocolate:
- 40 grams a day is more than enough. To benefit from all the properties of chocolate without having to take on a few extra kilos. Its consumption should also be regulated for people suffering from diabetes.
- Always bet on dark chocolate. There is no doubt that dark chocolate is an ideal variety because it can contain 70-90% cocoa and therefore it will be more beneficial when it comes to enjoying all its advantages and fighting stress and anxiety more effectively.
On the other hand, the sugar added to give it that characteristic and delicious flavor also increases endorphins and serotonin, which is why chocolate works by changing mood and regulating anxiety levels.
