If stressful situations have you reaching for chocolate, congratulations! You're making a wise dietary choice, as long as you choose the right type of chocolate and keep your consumption to a reasonable level. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, antioxidants that reduce cell damage and may protect against disorders such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Consuming a small amount of dark chocolate daily may not only help relieve stress but may also decrease your chances of developing serious illness.
Types
All chocolate is not equal when it comes to stress reduction and other health benefits. Dark chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cocoa solids contains the highest amount of flavanols. Milk chocolate contains less cocoa, and the milk binds to antioxidants, making them less available, according to the University of Michigan. White chocolate, despite the name, contains cocoa butter and sugar and doesn't have the same health benefits as dark chocolate.
Components
The flavonoids that give dark chocolate its health benefits are called flavanols. The strong, bitter taste of dark chocolate comes from flavanols. Processing chocolate to reduce the pungent taste also reduces the amount of flavanols it contains. Dutch chocolate, which is treated to reduce its natural acidity with alkali products, contains fewer flavanols. The substances in dark chocolate may increase pleasurable sensations by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain, which could reduce stress.
Studies
A study published by researchers from the Swiss Nestle Research Center -- admittedly an organization not without bias on the benefits of chocolate -- in the October 2009 issue of the "Journal of Proteome Research" looked at the benefits of dark chocolate on stress. Thirty people classified as having high or low anxiety traits ate 40 g of dark chocolate for up to 14 days. After two weeks, subjects had decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol and catecholamines, hormones produced as part of the "fight or flight" reaction produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress.
Doses
You don't need to eat large amounts of dark chocolate to get the health benefits. The 40-g serving used in the Nestle study equals 1.4 oz. A 1- to 2-oz. serving per day may help keep the doctor away without adding a large number of extra calories and fat to your daily dietary intake, reports registered dietitian Shirley Perryman of Colorado State University Extension. As little as 0.75 oz. of dark chocolate contains the same amount of antioxidants as a glass of red wine, another substance known for its heart-healthy benefits, according to nutrition specialist Janis G. Hunter of Clemson University Cooperative Extension.
References
- Colorado State University Extension; Will Dark Chocolate Every Day Keep the Doctor Away?; Shirley Perryman, M.S., R.D.; February 2010
- Nestle Research Center; Article Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects; Francois-Pierre J. Martin, et al.; October 2009
- Cleveland Clinic: The Sweet Truth About Chocolate and Your Heart
- Clemson University Cooperative Extension; When it Comes to Chocolate, Choose Dark; Janis G. Hunter, et al.
