Did Somebody Say Chocolate?

Everyone loves chocolate!! I am not sure I have ever met a woman who does not at least like chocolate. Many of us love chocolate to the point of not being able to go a day without at least a little taste. Some of us only really crave it once a month.

Ever wonder why women have an intense craving for chocolate around the time of their menstural cycle? There has not been alot of research on this but what I did learn was:

Chocolate is very high in magnesium. A Magnesium deficiency can exacerbate PMS. PMS for most women start 7-14 days prior to their period. It is not really known what exactly causes PMS but there is much known about helping to control the symptoms of PMS. Some of those include staying away from caffeine, taking B6, calcium and magnesium supplements, among other things.

Here is how it relates to chocolate. Before menstruation the levels of the hormone progesterone are high. This promotes fat storage preventing its use as fuel. This in turn may cause a craving for fatty foods. One study stated that 91% of chocolate cravings that were associated with the menstrual cycle occured between the time of ovulation and the actual start of menstruation. These cravings were most intense in the late afternoon and early evening.

This timing made sense to me because if it is a craving for those fatty foods, those are the times when your body would be needing more energy to get through the rest of the day.

Chocolate also generally makes us feel good. Especially if you are a "chocolate person" to begin with. You crave chocolate when you are depressed, lonely, feeling blue, etc. The sugar in chocolate causes a release of serotonin. The brain uses serotonin to reduce depressive or anxious feelings. Chocolate also causes a release of several other chemicals (tryptophan, anandamide, phenylethylamine) in the brain that can give a person a mental boost, increase the heart rate, stimulate the nervous system and produce feelings of euphoria. These chemicals effect serotonin as well as dopamine in the brain. Both serotonin and dopamine are used in antidepressants and antianxiety medications that help make us feel "happy" and/or "relaxed".

So, now you know! When you are feeling blue. . . take the plunge. Eat a piece of chocolate maybe eat two. But remember, all things are good in moderation!! Don't overindulge, you will be more blue later if you do. Especially after you step on the scale and see that extra pound or two because you ate a whole box of chocolates!