No one likes to be hungry. But people rarely eat chocolate to ease hungry pains. Chocolate is usually eaten as a tasty snack or desert for those who are craving something sweet. But what is it about chocolate that we crave and desire so much?
Chocolate contains several compounds that react with the brain’s chemistry and receptors in such a way that it results in a feeling of pure pleasure. And in general, when we eat chocolate, we gain feelings of content, comfort, and gratification from it. This is why people love to eat chocolate, and in large amounts too. I don’t think anyone would object to the statement that chocolate makes us feel good and happy.
Now the question is, is there any scientific evidence that chocolate does cause happiness? We would need to experiment on the chemical relationship in the brain that causes us to be happy, and compare it with the chemical components of chocolate. Unfortunately, scientists have yet to discover what causes the relationship between chocolate and happiness, but studies have managed to put together some correlations. An observational study done in 2007 surveyed 1,367 respondents. This was a controlled group of all men in their 70s with similar socioeconomic backgrounds. The scientists asked the men questions about their health, satisfaction in life and emotions like happiness and loneliness. A key question was snuck in there that asked what kind of candy they preferred. When compared to the men who chose a fruity candy, those who preferred chocolate showed lower frequencies of depression and loneliness and had a more optimistic outlook on life. This result agrees with the hypothesis that chocolate does make people happy. However, it does not prove that chocolate causes happiness, it only shows that there is a correlation between people who eat chocolate, and them being happy.
Even if science never quite figures out what chocolate does to our moods, does it really matter? Just because it is not proven that chocolate causes happiness, does not mean that it may not be correlated with it. So if you feel that eating chocolate makes you happy, go for it.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/chocolate-high.htm
Hey Aleksandra, interesting topic personally I love chocolate and am always in a better mood when eating it. Chocolate doesn’t make me happy for a long period of time but while I am eating it I am genuinely more happy. This is one of my favorite foods and usually as sad as it is food is a huge part of my happiness. Heres a link to how chocolate affects emotion http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/chocolate-high3.htm