Chocoholics rejoice! Science has revealed chocolate can reduce stress levels
![Chocolate can reduce stress levels [Photo: Pixaby via Pexels]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/h0uCvdMqPzxu19b_UGrt4w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03MzE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/eee7f56c221067a595cb5745404032cb)
Scientists have confirmed what we’ve long suspected: chowing down on chocolate can help relieve stress.
New research, analysing previous studies, from Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Centre in California has revealed that eating dark chocolate can actually help lower your stress levels.
The study found that in addition to giving you a happy high from the sugar, dark chocolate can have a positive impact on brain health.
And as if you needed further incentive to tuck right in, researchers also found that dark chocolate can also have an effect on improving your mood, memory and immunity levels.
But don’t be thinking you now have an excuse to eat all the creme eggs because when it comes to giving your mood a boost not all chocolate is created equal.
Only dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa will cut the stress-relieving mustard, so we’re talking about the good quality stuff here.
Previous studies have already revealed that cacao is packed with flavonoids – antioxidants. But this is the first study to look at the impact of cacao flavonoids on the human brain.
“For years, we have looked at the influence of dark chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content — the more sugar, the happier we are, says lead researcher Lee S. Berk
“This is the first time that we have looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time, and are encouraged by the findings.”
![Another excuse to tuck into the brown stuff [Photo: Lisa Fotios via Pexels]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/cS7tm0wgfGonmbrqQ46adA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/e368aa2eecc08ef8ff54d371db0ffd4f)
And the good news doesn’t end there, as it turns out that the higher the cacao consumption, the happier you become and the greater the effect on your brain health.
What a time to be alive!
The news will be particularly welcomed by us Brits as it was recently revealed that British people eat more chocolate than anyone else in Europe.
A new report by Mintel found that in 2017, the average Brit ate 8.4kg of chocolate.
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