What does a chocolate craving say about your health?

Possible ailment: Depression, stress, premenstrual tension

So why do you crave the sweet stuff when you’re working on a deadline or feeling down in the dumps?

Well, compounds found in chocolate called alkaloids may help to raise the levels of serotonin - the mood-boosting hormone.

Chocolate is also a source of magnesium and B-vitamins, which are used by the body in energy production, meaning it can help give us energy when we’re under pressure.

A small Swiss study in the Journal of Proteome Research found eating 40g of dark chocolate every day for two weeks reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in people who’d been battling with pressures.

Craving chocolate may also be a sign of premenstrual tension. Some women also find themselves lacking in magnesium at this time, and chocolate is high in the mineral, says Shona Wilkinson.

Magnesium is vital for everything from your nerves to your bones and immune system.

Find out what other food cravings may tell you about your health 

http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/what-food-cravings-say-about-your-health-1.1113243

 

Dark Chocolate in the Top 10 heart-friendly foods

6. Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains the wonderful components of resveratrol and flavonoids to protect your heart. Scientists are particularly excited about resveratrol because animal studies have shown that it can prolong life. In buying chocolate, choose the dark variety, which has 70-percent cocoa content. Yes, it has a slightly bitter taste, but dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

 

See the other 9 heart-healthy foods and full article here 

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=712240&publicationSubCategoryId=80