One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is eat. And one of my favorite things to eat in the whole world is chocolate. Therefore, I consider myself somewhat of a chocolate connoisseur; I know which brands are the best and which countries produce the finest quality in chocolate. My mother often tells me that I should be healthier with my eating habits, especially when it comes to chocolate and other foods typically associated with being bad for you. Growing up, I always wished that fruits and vegetables were considered unhealthy and junk food and candy were considered good for you. Therefore, I have decided to research if chocolate is actually good for you, mainly so I can call my mom and tell her she was wrong all this time.
Many people have remarked that chocolate is good for the soul, however, is it good for the body? After doing some research, I discovered that scientifically, chocolate is indeed good for not only the body, but the mind as well. Chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, which are natural hormones produced by the brain, and they create feelings of happiness. “Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an amino acid needed by the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a mood-modulating neurotransmitter, which produces feelings of happiness.” There are other ingredients included, such as the “neurotransmitter anandamide (affects same brain structure as THC).” This is one of the reasons why people feel better when eating chocolate and when they need comforting, since it actually has the power to elevate a person’s mood.
There have been some studies that suggest that cocoa has a very positive impact on test taking. “Northumbria University conducted the study, in which volunteers were asked to drink either two variations of a chocolate drink with different dosages, or they were given a placebo, and they were asked to take a math exam after.” Both groups who drank the chocolate drinks did much better, and reported feeling less fatigued. They accomplished the calculations more quickly and more accurately than the group who were given the placebo drink. Therefore, the study shows that students who eat a proper amount of chocolate while studying might actually benefit and do better.
Chocolate benefits other parts of the body as well, such as the heart. “The University of Utah conducted a study in which patients ate unprocessed cocoa for two weeks, and later on experienced a decrease in their blood pressure.” Apparently, doing this achieves the same results you would experience by dieting or taking some blood pressure medicine. Lowered blood pressure reduces the chances of other medical complications, such as heart attacks or heart conditions and diseases.
My final takeaway on this topic is that chocolate is indeed very good for the body. However, my research also showed that it’s only good under moderation, since eating too much might lead to other health problems, such as obesity. The benefits clearly outweigh the negatives, though, so happy eating!
Picture sources:
http://www.healthyfellow.com/images/2009/chocolate-health.jpg
http://www.charterfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/172824-chocolate-heart-of-chocolate.jpg
In my life I’ve learned that most things can be good, or not as harmful, in moderation. Chocolate, however, I binge on. I consider myself addicted to the stuff. I have also heard that dark chocolate can be beneficial in many ways. During my second time taking the SATs, I ate a little bit of chocolate and scored much better than the first time. This could have been a coincidence, but it is consistent with the study in your blog post.