If you crave chocolate, you’re not alone. Craving chocolate is common all around the world. In North America, chocolate is what people crave most frequently. While those who report the most cravings are women, men also express a desire for more chocolatey goodness.
So, why do some people crave chocolate? Turns out, there are plenty of good reasons.
Cravings can come from many different factors, some physical and others emotional.
When your blood sugar is low, you can experience some unwanted symptoms:
If you’re feeling this way most often between meals, it’s a good indicator your blood sugar is getting too low. It might be what causes your chocolate craving! Your body wants some kind of sweet treat to get those blood sugar levels back up to where they need to be.
The next time you experience these symptoms between meals, go ahead and reach for a piece of chocolate. Chocolate contains an effective combination of sugar and caffeine that boosts your blood sugar level. You’ll get the boost of energy and mood you need to be your best you.
Worried about your blood sugar level spiking too much? Reach for the dark chocolate instead. It can help safely stabilize your blood sugar level.
You may crave chocolate all the time if your magnesium level is low. While anyone can suffer from low magnesium levels, women are especially susceptible during their menstrual cycle.
Low levels of magnesium can result in a host of unpleasant symptoms, including:
Chocolate is high in magnesium, which is why you may be craving it. If your magnesium level is low, opt for chocolate that contains nuts, which are also high in magnesium. You’ll get even more bang for your buck!
When serotonin levels drop, this may leave you reaching for some type of mood-boosting food like chocolate. Serotonin can decrease for several reasons, such as:
When you find yourself craving chocolate, go ahead and get a little serotonin boost by eating a piece. Be sure to consider the other factors as well and see if there are any changes you can make to boost your serotonin in multiple ways.
Feeling stressed and anxious is a part of life, but it can sometimes get out of hand. It affects your well-being and the quality of life of those around you.
One of the easiest and quickest ways to get a much-needed mood boost is to eat a piece of chocolate. It increases the level of serotonin in your brain, a key neurotransmitter that increases positive feelings. An increase in serotonin is also linked to a lower level of anxiety.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, take a moment to enjoy a melt-in-your-mouth piece of chocolate.
Your situation may also play a role in your chocolate cravings. When we have experiences outside of our comfort zone, we tend to resort to comfort food to help us find familiarity. If you’ve recently gone through a big change in your life, you may be craving the comfort of chocolate.
You may also have cravings based on context associations. If you always ate chocolate while watching movies when you were a kid, the need for a sweet might kick in when you settle down to watch the latest flick.
If you’re craving chocolate regularly, you may have a chocolate addiction. Chocolate provides many real positive benefits for your mind and body, so it’s no wonder so many people crave it and may become addicted to it. We naturally seek out the things that make us feel happy — especially with food.
The key is moderation. Because it inspires so many feel-good reactions, chocolate can be addictive, causing people to lose control over their consumption habits. It’s perfectly fine to crave a bit of chocolate now and then, but if you find yourself unable to stop eating it, you may want to consider seeking advice from your doctor.
Chocolate also has a few addictive properties that could potentially contribute to its allure. It contains alkaloid compounds that you can find in alcohol, and it has anandamide, which stimulates your brain in a way similar to marijuana. While the jury is still out if chocolate contains enough of these alkaloid compounds and anandamide to have a physically addictive effect, we can all agree that craving chocolate is a real feeling.
We at Warrell Creations know just how great chocolate can be. We have many manufacturing processes to create the delicious chocolatey snacks everyone will drool over — from chocolate panning to chocolate enrobing. To learn more about our chocolate and candy capabilities, contact us online today!