Turns out chocolate is good for your health! Find out why. How to get rid of addiction to chocolate? What's in chocolate that lifts your spirits?

Many people know the amazing effect of such a product as chocolate: it is worth eating a piece, as the world around blooms with new colors, problems become less, and joys more. Such a reaction is associated not only with the sweet tooth's addiction to their favorite delicacy.

Chocolate contains a complex of useful substances that in a certain way affect the biochemical processes in the brain.

Of course, sweet treats also have contraindications, and first of all, this is obesity, since the product is very high in calories. But, for example, dark chocolate, contains little or no refined sugar, which means it is safe for diabetics who cannot have a lot of sweets, and for those who are overweight.

It is also interesting that it is almost impossible to overeat dark chocolate: having a pronounced taste, it quickly saturates and “bores”, and therefore There are almost no side effects from eating too much., which cannot be said, for example, about alcohol or coffee. Their overabundance immediately affects health.

What is the name of the "happy hormone" found in chocolate?

There is an opinion that chocolate contains the so-called hormone of happiness. This is not entirely true.

Firstly, cocoa beans, from which chocolate is prepared, have specific taste and aroma of cocoa butter. They already give pleasure in themselves, acting on the sense of smell and taste buds.

Secondly, chocolate does not contain the hormone of joy, but an amino acid called tryptophan. This amino acid is also found in meat, chicken eggs, mushrooms, cheese and other dairy products. Tryptophan just stimulates the production of the hormone of happiness in the brain.

Thirdly, in addition to tryptophan, there are many other substances in the delicacy beloved by everyone, which favorably and rather quickly affect well-being.

1. Caffeine. Quickly invigorates and tones, and physical strength. Helps to respond quickly in difficult situations, reduces fatigue, eliminates drowsiness.
2. Theobromine. An alkaloid similar in action to caffeine, but milder.
3. Phenylethylamine. This chemical compound is a natural neurotransmitter that is synthesized in the body, such as dopamine.
4. Cannabinoids. These are substances that can be called stimulants of the psycho-physical state. They are found even in marijuana, but they cannot cause any dependence, since they are contained in cocoa beans in small quantities.
5. Catechins, flavonoids and phenols. These are antioxidants that improve the condition of the body as a whole, produce endorphins and serotonin, slow down the aging process in the body, protect it from stress at all levels.
6. Natural flavors. They are similar in action to valproic acid, a drug used in the treatment of epilepsy. These cocoa butter flavors have a sedative effect, relieve excessive excitability.

Serotonin is needed not only for. This is the most important neurotransmitter, without which even normal interaction between the neurons of the brain and the muscles of the body is impossible. And since serotonin is constantly consumed, especially in stressful situations, it is necessary to periodically replenish its reserves in the body.

What kind is better to use?

Chocolate comes in several forms. They differ in the percentage of cocoa beans in it:

1. White does not include masses of cocoa beans at all: it contains only cocoa butter, so its action as an antidepressant can be attributed mainly to the placebo effect;
2. lactic has about 65% grated cocoa beans;
3. dark or black chocolate has a rich taste and contains up to 75% cocoa mass;
4. bitter may include up to 99% cocoa beans.

Until recently, it was believed that the more cocoa beans in chocolate, the faster and better it works on the mood. It's true. But, rather, in the event that a person eats such a product not because he needs it, but because he himself prefers it.

If milk chocolate is a priority, then it will bring much more pleasure than the unloved dark or bitter.

This is due to the fact that tryptophan, which is responsible for mood, is absorbed and acts far from immediately. Otherwise, an eaten egg or cutlet would also have an instant effect as antidepressants.

All stimulating substances in the complex act faster on the neuropsychic state. AND a special role belongs to the aroma of cocoa butter: olfactory receptors are also primarily involved in the mechanism of improving mood.

Studies have shown that chocolate improves mood faster, the more depressed the person was before he consumed the treat. In an even mood, such a noticeable effect is not observed.

7 more useful products

Chocolate is far from the only factor in improving mood. There are other antidepressant products, too. They must be in the diet of every person, since the supply of hormones responsible for a good mood tend to run out.

1. Natural yogurt. It contains the amino acid tyrosine, which, like tryptophan, increases serotonin levels. In addition, milk proteins, together with serotonin, calm the nervous system.
2. Whole grain cereals. The whole complex of B vitamins, minerals support a stable and calm state of the nervous system.
3. Citrus. The high content of vitamin C, as well as fructose, cheer up and relieve stress.
4. Almond nut. Vitamins E, group B, zinc and magnesium are required to maintain good spirits and tone.
5. Oily sea fish. Vitamins B6 and B12, as well as fatty acids, are great for fighting stress and relieving feelings of anxiety. Salmon is especially rich in these anti-stress substances. Read more about the brain in a separate article.
6. Broccoli. The amino acids in its composition and folic acid are a real salvation for those who are familiar with panic attacks. It relieves anxiety, improves the psycho-emotional state and.
7. Seeds and nuts. A tablespoon of sunflower seeds or 40 g of any nuts have an antidepressant effect. Vitamins E, group B, folic acid help the production of dopamine, which is responsible for the feeling of happiness.

You can enhance the effect of food that helps to be in a good mood. Simple rules can become a habit and can be a good help to chocolate and other foods in maintaining high spirits.

1. Hobby, hobby. You don't have to spend a lot of time on it. People are usually very happy even just knowing that certain days and hours will be devoted to their favorite work.
2. Walk. The abundance of details of the outside world distracts from pressing problems. And the combination of walking with looking at pictures of nature or just passers-by sometimes creates real miracles with the mood.
3. Physical activity. This is not about sports, but about any physical action: putting things in their places, washing floors or dishes, dancing, just walking or even kneading anti-stress toys with your hands noticeably relax and ultimately bring peace.
4. Dream. The amount of sleep hormone melatonin produced during a night's rest is directly proportional to the amount of serotonin produced in the brain.
5. Cold shower. This method can be used, of course, only if health is in order. Cold water, splashing with strong thin streams, activates all skin receptors, from which an instant impulse goes to the brain. There is a physical and mental reboot of the body and improves mood.
6. Animals. Communication, and especially with animals, sometimes gives positive emotions no less than communication with people. And in some cases, only contact with the natural world can pull a person out of a depressive state.
7. Care. Emotions of depression are well replaced by a state of satisfaction and even joy when a person takes care of others. Giving love and attention is the easiest way to get positive emotional nourishment.

Now let's take a look at the video:

The psychological state is a subtle substance: it is far from always possible to influence the state of happiness. But the biochemical processes in the brain that occur when eating food that is good for mood are quite understandable and controllable. And such an effective way as eating chocolate is deservedly popular and loved by many.

Can a person really develop an addiction to chocolate?
Studies conducted by scientists have shown that it has several characteristics in common with alcoholism and drug addiction: the majority of those who are aware of their addiction to chocolate, noted that they eat too much of it, and this creates certain difficulties for them. At the same time, chocolate addicts do not experience withdrawal or withdrawal symptoms when they are deprived of chocolate. Therefore, some experts argue that chocolate addiction cannot be considered a true addiction. They think it can't be an addiction, even if it's not uncommon for you to have an irresistible desire to eat chocolate.

Why do we love chocolate?

The older you are, the more likely this advice is for you. As it turned out, it is easier for people over sixty to replace chocolate with other products than for younger people. However, some people can't replace chocolate. The addiction to chocolate does not disappear, even considering that others are also eaten.

Eat a little

If you want to get rid of chocolate cravings now, not when you retire, or know from experience that no substitute will work for you, still allow yourself to eat some chocolate. In order to satisfy this strong desire, it will be enough for you to eat only 15 g (that's about two squares of milk chocolate). They contain approximately 75 kilocalories and 4.6 g of fat. A little, isn't it? But you will not harm your health and figure, and the desire will be quenched.

Out of sight, out of mind

Sometimes we start eating chocolate "out of nothing to do." You enter the room, look for something to do with yourself, and as a result, you begin to absorb the chocolate lying on the table. Enthusiastically talking on the phone with a friend and eating chocolate candies accidentally at hand. You won't have time to blink before the box turns out to be empty, but you didn't plan to eat every last piece of candy.

The only way to kick this habit is to keep chocolate away from you. Craving a piece? Remove one tile from the cabinet, and immediately put the rest back into place.

Allow yourself to eat a small piece of chocolate? Now immediately take your mind off the next bite. Go for a walk in the park, talk to a friend on the phone, go to the movies, read a fascinating book, solve a crossword puzzle - in short, do everything that can distract you from thinking about chocolate.

More favorite and different activities

If chocolate is a source of pleasure for you, try to convince yourself that there are many other sources of joy in your life, such as true friends, favorite sports or other activities. Life can be made interesting without constantly eating chocolate.

Chocolate is a little feminine joy. But is it worth sacrificing your health and beauty for it? With these tips, you will surely be able to kick your chocolate cravings. And the next time you want to eat a piece, you will not scold yourself for it, but you will know for sure that your desires are under control.

There are many different myths about how certain products improve our lives. Say, honey helps to lose weight, carrots improve eyesight, and so on. Probably, there is a certain grain in this, but even having eaten a kilogram of blueberries in one sitting, the blind will not begin to see: all these gastromedical things work gradually, and do not give an instant effect.

Whether it's chocolate.

When they say that chocolate improves mood, I happily agree: I know this feeling of euphoria that comes just a couple of minutes after I eat chocolate. And after all, you don’t need much, just a couple of slices, the main thing is that it’s not some dull milk chocolate stuffed to the eyeballs with soy, but good dark chocolate, from 70% and above. This observation suggests that this happiness effect is not the result of a sharp jump in blood sugar from the intake of carbohydrates (which are smaller, the higher the percentage of cocoa content), but the work of the cocoa beans themselves.

And most importantly, how fast! Chocolate lifts your mood in minutes, acting even faster than alcohol - and without the unpleasant consequences that the latter is fraught with.

Of course, I became interested in why this is happening, and I began to understand.

The answer came pretty quickly: tryptophan. This amino acid is found in almost all dietary proteins, but some foods are especially rich in tryptophan. Among them are cheese and dairy products, nuts and mushrooms, and, of course, chocolate. Once in the body, tryptophan is converted into serotonin - one of the most important hormones and the most active neurotransmitters, that is, substances by which nerve cells transmit impulses, "communicating" with each other and with muscle tissue. Excess or lack of such substances just leads to various special effects like mood swings - for example, it is the drop in serotonin levels that makes smokers reach for a cigarette, and its excess can even lead to hallucinations.

Okay, I told myself. Let's say tryptophan is to blame. However, why, in this case, cheese or meat, in which its high content is also noted, do not give such a powerful and, most importantly, instant surge of happiness?

Here the English-language Internet came to the rescue, where I read about the study conducted by Michael Macht and Jochen Müller. In the first phase of the study, they showed three groups of volunteers small clips — roughly speaking, sad, happy, or neutral — and then gave half of each group a piece of chocolate, the other half a glass of water, and asked them to rate changes in their mood.

It turned out the following. Those of the subjects who watched the sad clip experienced the most severe mood swings - at first it worsened, then improved significantly, but only for those who ate chocolate. At the same time, the difference between chocolate and water was insignificant for viewers of joyful and neutral clips. Output? Chocolate works especially well when you are really sad and want a holiday. If everything is so wonderful, it is unlikely to add to your happiness.

Macht and Müller then went one step further by recruiting new volunteers and asking them whether they preferred milk or dark chocolate 75%, 86%, and 99%. After that, they were again divided into three groups: the first were treated to their favorite chocolate, the second - unloved, and the third were left with nothing at all. And what happened?

The mood of the first ones improved significantly literally a minute after they ate their favorite chocolate. The mood of the latter did not change at all at first, but after three minutes it almost equaled the mood of the former. As for the third, at first their mood improved slightly (apparently from the realization of the importance of the study in which they are participating), but after that it did not change.

Macht and Müller came to an important conclusion for us: the effect of happiness that chocolate causes is caused by several factors. Serotonin is one of them, however, it does not act instantly, and therefore turkey or mushrooms do not give a quick injection of endorphins into the brain. Another factor is the taste of chocolate - and when we eat chocolate that we like, our mood immediately rises, and after that, serotonin takes over.

It seems that my belief that dark chocolate works better than milk chocolate in the field of raising mood is based only on the fact that I like dark chocolate more. However, there is nothing to worry about, and for those who prefer milk chocolate, it means good news: eat your favorite chocolate and you will be happy!