Chocolate Offers Comfort For The Lonely
A lot of people crave chocolate when they are depressed, but have you ever wondered why? Studies have shown that chocolate has mood-enhancing effects. Research has indicated that people who are depressed tend to eat more chocolate than those who aren’t.
In a recent study conducted by several West Coast universities, more than 900 men and women were interviewed about their chocolate eating habits. The goal was to determine how much chocolate they eat regularly and how often. None of the participants were using antidepressants.
The researchers assessed the participant’s mood using a widely accepted depression scale. What they found was a definite link between the feelings of depression in men and women and the consumption of chocolate.
The scientists found that on average, those who were depressed ate about eight and a half servings of chocolate per month. By contrast, those who were not depressed only ate about five and a half servings of chocolate in the same time period.
Those participants that were actually clinically depressed ate the most chocolate of all. They were found to consume an average of nearly 12 servings of chocolate monthly. Although, when asked, none of the participants felt that the chocolate positively affected their depression. For the study one serving of chocolate was one ounce or 28 grams.
The study conducted was not designed to determine why people eat more chocolate when they are depressed. Researchers deduced that depression may stimulate a craving for chocolate, making people consume chocolate to treat their condition.
Chocolate helps with depression because it triggers the release of endorphins. However, scientists believe it could also lead to depression because people who consume a lot of it may feel remorseful and depressed afterward.
Through this study and others like it, scientists have learned a lot about chocolate its relationship to depression. Further research will likely help us gain more useful information.
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