Dark chocolate and mood have been studied for years and it appears that chocolate contains stimulant, euphoriant, aphrodisiac, relaxant, and antidepressant properties, according to the study found in the June 2006 issue of the "Journal of Affective Disorders." Consuming chocolate can be associated with feelings of joy, pleasure and guilt and can both negatively and positively affect your mood, depending on the situation and the amount that person consumes.
Ingredients
Dark chocolate contains cacao beans, soy lecithin, sugar and some form of flavoring that may include vanilla or sea salt. Dark chocolate is defined by the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar ranging from 30 percent to over 90 percent. The higher the percentage, the more bitter the chocolate will taste and the more health benefits it will provide. According to the website, PsychCentral.com, dark chocolate contains antioxidants such as resveratrol, serotonin which acts as a mood-altering chemical and other compounds that act as natural opiates that increase the brain levels of endorphins. Eating just 1 oz. of dark chocolate a day could positively impact mood, reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and possibly reduce the chance of a blood clot. However, if too much dark chocolate is consumed, it can negatively impact mood and the body, causing weight gain, migraine headaches, heartburn, kidney stones and digestive issues including severe diarrhea.
Depression
Consuming chocolate, whether it be dark or milk, is directly linked to depression. In a study published in the April 2010 issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine," researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that both women and men ate more chocolate as their depression symptoms increased, confirming the hypothesis that overeating chocolate is something people do when they are feeling down in the dumps. During this study, participants who were severely depressed ate at least 12 servings or 12 oz. of chocolate per month, whereas mildly depressed individuals only consumed about 8 oz. and those who did not suffer from depression at all, consumed 5 or less servings per month. This study was not conclusive as to whether or not the chocolate itself made the depression worse.
Joy vs. Guilt
Dark chocolate has the power to induce feelings of joy and guilt, depending on the emotional state of the individual. In a study published in the February 1995 issue of the "British Journal of Clinical Psychology," scientists found that those individuals who were self-proclaimed chocolate addicts, not only consumed large amounts of chocolate but often associated deeper with feelings of depression and guilt. Eating chocolate appeared to make these feelings worse and any joy felt was short-lived and occurred right after consumption. In another study published in the May 2006 issue of "Appetites," researchers found a slightly different outcome by using participants who appeared healthy, were at a normal weight and not obsessed with chocolate. During this study, participants were given either chocolate or an apple and then were tested for hunger and emotional response after 5, 30, 60 and 90 minutes of eating. The results showed those who ate the chocolate had a stronger reduction in hunger, more intense feelings of joy and overall more positive emotions. However, a few participants who initially felt joy after eating the chocolate also felt guilty, which the scientists believed to be attributed to negative food-related cognitions.
Other Scientific Evidence
There are a number of studies that prove mood is directly affected by consuming dark chocolate. Some scientists believe that dark chocolate can induce an emotion when an intention is placed on it such as in the study published in the September/October issue of "Explore." During this double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment, participants were either assigned to plain dark chocolate or chocolate that would provide the experience of an enhanced sense of energy, vigor, or well-being. After three days, those who ate the chocolate with intentions, found their moods to be significantly higher and much more positive than those who just ate the plain chocolate. It is also been hypothesized that eating palatable and unpalatable chocolate can positively or negatively affect mood, as reported in the study published in the November 2007 issue of "Appetites." During this study, researchers showed that those who were in a bad mood felt more positive after eating palatable chocolate compared to eating unpalatable chocolate or nothing at all. However, the effect was short-lived and disappeared within 3 minutes but could be recreated if another piece of palatable chocolate was consumed.
References
- "Explore"; Effects of Intentionally Enhanced Chocolate on Mood; D. Radin, et al.; September/October 2007
- "Appetite"; Everyday Mood and Emotions After Eating a Chocolate Bar or an Apple; M. Macht, et al.; May 2006
- "Appetite"; Immediate Effects of Chocolate on Experimentally Induced Mood States; . Macht, et al.; November 2007
- "Journal of Effective Disorders"; Mood State Effects of Chocolate; G. Parker, et al.; June 2006
- "The British Journal of Clinical Psychology"; Mood Modulation By Food: An Exploration of Affect and Cravings in 'Chocolate Addicts'; J.I. Macdiarmid, et al.; February 2005
- PsychCentral: Chocolate and Mood Disorders
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