Chocolate is a popular food among every age group, but due to its high sugar and fat content many people choose to stay away from it. Well, we may have good news. According to the most recent research conducted by University College London (UCL), United Kingdom, it is found that people who eat dark chocolate are less likely to be depressed. The UCL team worked along with the scientists from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Alberta Health Services, Canada to publish their report in the journal of ‘Depression and Anxiety’.
Depression affects more than 300 million people across the world, according to the findings of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the most accepted cure for it is talk therapy or anti-depressant pills. To find a relation between the dietary habits and depression, scientists took chocolate for the study due to the general depiction of ‘feeling of euphoria’ associated with it.
Earlier, the scientists conducted their research by taking any form of chocolate, in consideration. Around 14,000 adults took part in the study. After taking into account the relevant variables such as height, weight, marital status, smoking habits, ethnicity, physical activity and more, the researchers concluded that, overall, there was no association between chocolate consumption and a reduction in depressive symptoms.
However, the story changed when they looked specifically at dark chocolate. It was found that individuals who eat 104 grams of dark chocolate every day have seventy percent lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms than an individual who does not eat chocolates at all.
The compounds found in dark chocolate have a high content of flavonoids and phenylethylamine (PEA) that stimulates the central nervous system, providing an ecstatic effect on the brain. It is the same effect that cannabinoid gives. Along with it, chocolate is palatable and pleasant to eat, which also is an important factor of the mood-enhancing experience.
So, next time when you feel depressed, just grab a bar of dark chocolate and munch on it!
