Chocolate and happiness: what’s the connection?

There are hundreds of natural chemicals in chocolate and they affect our brain by emitting neurotransmitters. These can affect our feelings and make us feel happy. The raw, unprocessed beans of the cacao tree are one of the so-called ‘superfoods’, so they fall into the same category as the humble broccoli florets that many kids hate.

Cocoa beans contain more powerful antioxidants than those found in green tea or red wine. Antioxidants are simply compounds, whether artificial or in this case natural, that act to prevent or delay oxidation and therefore help fight the aging process and free radicals in the body, which can cause Cancer.

Researchers believe that the antioxidants found in cocoa beans may help reduce the risks of stroke, lower blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as prevent, or at least delay, prostate cancer.

Dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate is better for our health because it contains more cocoa beans than white chocolate. Researchers believe that the flavonoids present in dark chocolate stimulate the endothelium (the lining of the arteries), thus producing nitric oxide (NO3). This, in turn, transmits messages to the arteries, telling them to relax, thereby lowering blood pressure.

A 100 gram bar of dark chocolate containing 70 to 85% cocoa contains several minerals, including selenium, which improve mood. It has 98% of the RDA for manganese, 67% of the RDA for iron, 58% of the RDA for magnesium, 89% of the RDA for copper, and a whopping 98% for manganese. It also has zinc, phosphorus, and potassium. In other words, dark chocolate is good for us! Another plus point is that it contains less sugar than milk chocolate.

Caffeine and theobromine are also found in dark chocolate, but small amounts of these stimulants are highly unlikely to keep you awake at night. You can’t compare eating dark chocolate to drinking caffeinated coffee.

What is the connection between chocolate and happiness? Well, if you have never experienced the pleasant sensation that you get when you eat chocolate, maybe you should try eating a small amount of dark chocolate. The smooth texture and delicious taste, along with the feeling of well-being you get, will probably make you a complete fan of chocolate!

To make you feel better when you are depressed, there is nothing better than chocolate!