States of anxiety when not eating chocolate
A recent study carried out by the doctor in psychology Sonia RodrÃguez Ruiz (University of Granada), has analyzed the different mechanisms -both psychological and physiological- that are accompanied by an irresistible desire to eat dark chocolate.
According to the investigation, chocolate causes a motivational conflict of approach and rejection, a want and not power, something that would come to be related when a person needs impetuously to eat chocolate.
Various theories point out that cocoa contains a series of addictive substances, acting as a "drug" by making us feel good; in such a way that we will resort to it when we are with low or negative moods, such as anxiety, depression or stress.
According to the researcher, comparing men and women, it is the latter who suffers the greatest attraction for chocolates or chocolates, especially because, at a social level, she is required to be thin. When eating them, he experiences a feeling of guilt that men rarely suffer.
What did the study consist of?
- We selected 72 women, students and healthy women who did not suffer any type of eating disorder.
- Age understood: between 18 and 23 years old.
- They were subjected to consistent tests in the visualization of images of different emotional content, both pleasant and unpleasant.
- Body reactions (blinking, sweating, heart rate and breathing) were studied.
There is no doubt that the chocolate It is an extremely beneficial food for health, especially because it is able to provide us with nutrients that help us maintain an optimal mood, while being rich in antioxidants (its version dark chocolate pure).
Currently you can buy it in a variety of establishments and supermarkets. If you want to enjoy its most important properties, we recommend you buy dark chocolate of at least 70%. The versions with milk have less virtues, and yes more caloric content.
And what are the qualities of chocolate for our emotions?
It is known by all that, almost without any doubt, chocolate is an excellent ally of our emotions, helping us in a certainly positive way when it comes to improving our mood, and gives us the possibility in definitively to feel much better with ourselves.
Chocolate, especially dark chocolate(the purer the better), exercises a interesting action both on the brain and on the mood. Why? Very simple: it has an amino acid known as tryptophan, which stimulates the production of serotonin.
Serotonin, incidentally, is a neurotransmitter that among other important functions is responsible for regulating our mood, so that their low levels are a recognized cause of anxiety.
Chocolate also produces endorphins, which stand out for being substances produced by our hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and are responsible for produce a feeling of well-being and pleasure. In other words, eating chocolate gives us a lot of pleasure.
On the other hand, chocolate provides magnesium, an essential mineral especially useful against anxiety (commonly used in fact in the treatment for anxiety).
But its qualities do not end here, since dark chocolate also provides interesting amounts of antioxidants, especially useful to reduce high levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides, provided that -eso- is consumed in moderation and never in excess. Likewise, a regular consumption of natural antioxidants helps prevent premature aging of the cells, and decrease the risk of cancer.
As we see, There is no doubt that chocolate can become a wonderful complement to any natural anti-anxiety treatment. In any case, it is not the only useful supplement and we must remember that anxiety must always be treated professionally, especially when it extends over time, especially to avoid its most dangerous and serious consequences for health. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Psychologist. We advise you to consult your trusted Psychologist. ThemesChocolate Anxiety
