Whether we went through a difficult breakup, failed the important test or were fired from the workplace – we all know that chocolate in all its shades is the cure for a broken heart – he was always there for us to comfort, delight and mend the fragments. But is there scientific proof that chocolate is indeed a medicine that, miraculously, eliminates our pain and makes us feel better?
So yes! You might be surprised to hear that several studies suggest that chocolate consumption, especially dark chocolate, may be associated with a decreased likelihood of experiencing depression. In fact, a study of over 13,000 people found that people who ate dark chocolate in a 24-hour period were 70% (!) less likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who did not eat chocolate at all.
How does this happen? Chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, which are known to help relieve pain and produce sensations of pleasure. In addition, some ingredients in chocolate improve mood and others even change brain patterns. These ingredients (and now a bit of biology class) are probably tryptophan – an amino acid found in chocolate that helps the brain produce serotonin – the "happy hormone" that makes us feel happy and satisfied. Phenylalanine – an essential amino acid that has an antidepressant effect that produces the same emotions that can be experienced when falling in love like increased heart rate, alertness and motivation, and theobromine and caffeine that can give us an energy boost and stimulate the brain (feeling ready for a test?)
Further studies suggest that the fact that chocolate is delicious is what makes it a better coping mechanism than other substances. That is, in our society it is common that eating chocolate will make us feel better, and it is this perception that may generate the happy emotions in our brain when we eat chocolate. That is - if we eat chocolate means we must feel better because that is what everyone told us should happen.
In short, chocolate does contain certain ingredients that make us feel elated, but we should not forget the thought itself of the experience of eating chocolate as a coping mechanism and a panacea for a bad mood.
So whether it's a scientifically proven effect or a psychological effect – if eating chocolate makes us in high spirits and we're less likely to feel depressed, maybe we should stock up on chocolate packages for a time of need, or we should make our loved ones happy with chocolate deliveries – because when something works, does it really matter why it works?