Chocolate makes me happy! If you feel that way too, you’re not alone.
In a recent survey of 2,000 American women, 85% reported that chocolate makes them happy, too. Another important study of 72 healthy adults conducted at Swinburne University revealed that daily consumption of a chocolate drink containing 500mg of cocoa flavanol antioxidants increased their calm and contentedness relative to a placebo group. * And in a review of 8 scientific studies assessing chocolate’s effects, 5 showed an improvement in mood! **
So it’s true…your favorite indulgence may also lift your spirits!
At FlavaNaturals, we’re all about the science, so we wanted to know…how does chocolate enhance mood? We researched the researchers and learned that, in addition to the positive cocoa flavanol impact on circulation and blood flow, eating chocolate releases neurotransmitters such as phenylethlyamine which positively effect human feelings (aka, make people happy!) Chocolate also contains tryptophan, a chemical that causes the release of serotonin, another neurotransmitter strongly associated with boosting mood. And did you know, eating chocolate releases endorphins (yup, the same ones released when we exercise), which are known to decrease levels of stress and pain?
Just in case you needed another reason to enjoy more great tasting, better-for-you, dark chocolate ☺ we’re here for you!