Why do some women crave chocolate?
Chocolate cravings have been linked to stress, low blood sugar, and changing hormone levels.
The sugar and caffeine in chocolate raise blood sugar levels. Dark chocolate is low on the glycemic index; therefore it can help stabilize blood sugar levels safely. One reason some women crave chocolate at times is because their blood sugar levels have fallen and chocolate provides a hit of sugar for quick energy. If you find yourself feeling moody, irritable, shaky and fatigued, especially between meals, then your chocolate cravings may be the result of low blood sugar levels.
Eating chocolate makes you feel good, because it increases levels of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of well-being and enhanced mood. Many women experience lowered serotonin levels when their hormone levels are fluctuating.
High levels of stress can also make women and even some men crave chocolate, especially since increasing serotonin levels can help decrease anxiety. Chocolate is a popular comfort food and is often the snack selection of emotional eaters, because eating chocolate can raise serotonin levels and help comfort eaters forget about emotional problems, low self-esteem or mild depression.
Some research has shown that chocolate contains the same alkaloid compounds that make alcohol addictive, so there could be some basis to consider chocolate physiologically addictive. It also contains a compound called anandamine, which, scientists believe, stimulates the brain in the same way as marijuana. However, there remains much debate in the medical community as to whether chocolate contains enough of these compounds to be truly addictive or psychoactive.
Chocolate cravings have been linked to stress, low blood sugar, and changing hormone levels.
The sugar and caffeine in chocolate raise blood sugar levels. Dark chocolate is low on the glycemic index; therefore it can help stabilize blood sugar levels safely. One reason some women crave chocolate at times is because their blood sugar levels have fallen and chocolate provides a hit of sugar for quick energy. If you find yourself feeling moody, irritable, shaky and fatigued, especially between meals, then your chocolate cravings may be the result of low blood sugar levels.
Eating chocolate makes you feel good, because it increases levels of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of well-being and enhanced mood. Many women experience lowered serotonin levels when their hormone levels are fluctuating.
High levels of stress can also make women and even some men crave chocolate, especially since increasing serotonin levels can help decrease anxiety. Chocolate is a popular comfort food and is often the snack selection of emotional eaters, because eating chocolate can raise serotonin levels and help comfort eaters forget about emotional problems, low self-esteem or mild depression.
Some research has shown that chocolate contains the same alkaloid compounds that make alcohol addictive, so there could be some basis to consider chocolate physiologically addictive. It also contains a compound called anandamine, which, scientists believe, stimulates the brain in the same way as marijuana. However, there remains much debate in the medical community as to whether chocolate contains enough of these compounds to be truly addictive or psychoactive.
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