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When you're feeling depressed you may be tempted to reach for a piece of chocolate, but have you ever wondered why? Studies indicate that the delicious treat has mood-enhancing effects. Not surprisingly, scientists have found that people who are depressed eat more chocolate than those not suffering from depression.
In a study done by several universities in California, 900 men and women were questioned about their chocolate consumption. None of the participants were on anti-depressants. The goal of the study was to find out how much chocolate the men and women ate on a regular basis and how often they ate the sugary treat.
In the study the scientists used a commonly accepted depression scale to assess the mood of the participants. What they found was a definite relationship between feelings of depression in the men and women and the consumption of chocolate.
The scientists found that on average, those who were depressed ate about eight and a half servings of chocolate per month. By contrast, those who were not depressed only ate about five and a half servings of chocolate in the same time period.
Moreover, participants that were considered clinically depressed consumed an average of about 12 servings of chocolate per month. However, the researchers noted that none of the participants thought the chocolate they ate aided them in treating their depression. For the study, one serving was defined as one ounce of chocolate.
The study conducted was not designed to determine why people eat more chocolate when they are depressed. Researchers deduced that depression may stimulate a craving for chocolate, making people consume chocolate to treat their condition.
Chocolate helps with depression because it triggers the release of endorphins. However, scientists believe it could also lead to depression because people who consume a lot of it may feel remorseful and depressed afterward.
Clearly, there are significant links between chocolate intake and depression. More information is needed to learn how the benefits of eating chocolate can be exploited for good use.
In a study done by several universities in California, 900 men and women were questioned about their chocolate consumption. None of the participants were on anti-depressants. The goal of the study was to find out how much chocolate the men and women ate on a regular basis and how often they ate the sugary treat.
In the study the scientists used a commonly accepted depression scale to assess the mood of the participants. What they found was a definite relationship between feelings of depression in the men and women and the consumption of chocolate.
The scientists found that on average, those who were depressed ate about eight and a half servings of chocolate per month. By contrast, those who were not depressed only ate about five and a half servings of chocolate in the same time period.
Moreover, participants that were considered clinically depressed consumed an average of about 12 servings of chocolate per month. However, the researchers noted that none of the participants thought the chocolate they ate aided them in treating their depression. For the study, one serving was defined as one ounce of chocolate.
The study conducted was not designed to determine why people eat more chocolate when they are depressed. Researchers deduced that depression may stimulate a craving for chocolate, making people consume chocolate to treat their condition.
Chocolate helps with depression because it triggers the release of endorphins. However, scientists believe it could also lead to depression because people who consume a lot of it may feel remorseful and depressed afterward.
Clearly, there are significant links between chocolate intake and depression. More information is needed to learn how the benefits of eating chocolate can be exploited for good use.
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