Feeling under the weather? Eat chocolate! Seriously. There is one catch. It has to be dark chocolate.
In a new report, researchers have discovered that people who eat dark chocolate showed fewer symptoms of depression compared to those who did not eat chocolate at all. In fact, dark chocolate eaters were four times less likely to be depressed.
This study found that if an individual was in a depressed state and then ate chocolate the symptoms disappeared or lessened for the next 24 hours. And being in a depressed state could mean this person is possibly feeling restless, down, empty, numb, or hopeless. Of course, scientists are still conducting research and looking into the eating habits of depressed people. Perhaps people who were already depressed just didn’t like to eat chocolate. Or could it be that people who preferred dark chocolate are generally concerned about personal health and probably less likely to be depressed? More research still has to be done. But either way, there is still a strong association between chocolate lovers and happiness.
According to this report, chocolate contains ingredients that are psychoactive that will induce a feeling of euphoria and regulate moods.
Is possibly that the ads for Snicker’s were on to something? (You’re not yourself when your are hungry?)
The next time you in line at a grocery store, you have a science-backed excuse to indulge in chocolate. You are preserving your mental health.