Surely on more than one occasion we have heard that the chocolate ends the depression and therefore in situations of low or emotional weakness we take this food because we consider that it upsets our spirits . Is this really true? For this reason we will see what causes us to eat chocolate and if it really is effective when we are bad.
The need we have to consume chocolate fully responds to a chemical phenomenon ] that occurs in the body, specifically is due to a decrease in the body's serotonin, something that we will replace with the intake of foods such as chocolate.
The reasons why serotonin decreases in the body are several. On the one hand we must emphasize the situations of stress in which the pressure is so high that it generates in the organism a situation in which serotonin decreases to unsuspected levels. Another situation is usually the malnutrition or lack of nutrients in the body, another cause that helps us to decrease serotonin and need to replace it.
The body generates serotonin from an amino acid called tryptophan . Under normal conditions it is found in the body at normal levels, but when we go through a situation of stress or poor diet we stop supplying this amino acid, which makes it necessary for the body to generate serotonin. The fastest way to achieve this is by eating sweets, and chocolate is a clear example of this.
By increasing the body's serotonin the body experiences a feeling of relief and well-being that makes us feel good and happy For this reason we have a constant need to maintain adequate levels. The intake of chocolate is somewhat recurrent, because it helps us maintain that well-being, since it manages to keep the serotonin levels of the body at bay.
Throughout the day the serotonin levels suffer different ascents and descents hence the need to eat chocolate occurs at certain times of the day and not in others. Normally when we get up we have more serotonin, something that changes throughout the day, as levels decrease, causing us to increase these levels in the afternoon. These are the reasons that lead us to have desire to eat chocolate late in the day.
It is important that we take this into account when eating chocolate compulsively, because this situation can hide behind a hidden picture of depression or stress which is a direct cause of serotonin decrease. That is why we should not trust the moments when the body asks us for chocolate often.
Source
Vitonica.com