Chocolate Cravings

Many people have an intense love of chocolate, but the female population seems to have a deeper love for it. The reason for this is allegedly connected to blood sugar levels, stress, and hormonal changes brought about by a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Chocolate contains sugar and caffeine and they are known to affect blood sugar levels. One reason behind our chocolate cravings is because the sugar in our blood is low and chocolates are our go-to for a quick sugar fix.

Chocolate always brings a different level of pleasure and this is because of the serotonin content which is a neurotransmitter that can influence the mood, which is the usual reason why chocolate is a well-known comfort food.

Days before menstrual periods, women’s serotonin levels are rather low. Also, hormonal changes that normally occur cause reduction in the minerals found in the blood, such as magnesium, which chocolate also contains. And that adds up to such powerful cravings.

However, some scientists claim that these cravings are merely brought about by cultural factors based on the findings that American women have stronger yearning for chocolate as compared to those of other nationalities, while some say that chocolate cravings are just psychological and that menstruating women feel that they are socially entitled to eat chocolate regardless of the fact that it can be very high in fat.

In addition to that, chocolate is debatably addicting. Research has shown that it contains alkaloid, compounds that make alcohol addictive. Scientists also found that chocolate contains anandamine, a compound that gets marijuana users addicted.

Phenylethylamine is another compound that chocolate contains and this can also be found in the body and its effects are rather similar to that of amphetamine. It can give people feelings such as euphoria and giddiness. These substances supposedly stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain and it peaks during orgasm which is probably the reason why some women prefer chocolate over sex. Interesting it is.

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