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Dark chocolate, quarantine and emotions

Jun. 2020

Eating dark chocolate is a sensory experience that provides different benefits at the neurological and emotional levels.

Due to the pandemic, one of the measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat the threat of the coronavirus has been confining people to their homes. Could dark chocolate contribute to your health and well-being during this unprecedented time?

Being "lock-in" for a long time could have consequences on our emotions when abrupt changes in the routines occur. In this article, we will give you some facts about how dark chocolate can help you during the quarantine.

According to several studies and publications confinement can bring consequences such as acute stress, frustration, boredom, insomnia Irritability and other emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety.

But, if you ever heard that chocolate is happiness, it's not a loose idea. This phrase has a real foundation that can help you:

Dark chocolate reduces stress levels: According to a study published on the website of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), eating 40 grams of dark chocolate a day for two weeks helps to reduce stress levels. One of the factors that could be caused by quarantine is the development of acute stress because of uncertainty and the sense of loss of freedom.

Dark chocolate has several components that act on our body: Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used by the brain to create serotonin, a "neurotransmitter that can produce feelings of happiness".

Another component is theobromine, an alkaloid very similar to caffeine. It has a slightly stimulating effect and a longer-lasting action. Therefore, by eating dark chocolate, you generate a feeling of well-being and pleasure.

Flavonoids are pigments that have an antioxidant function and help to preserve vascular health. Of course, they are present in dark chocolate.

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