Eat More Chocolate

Chocolate. For the most part the marjority of people tend to like chocolate. With its rich smooth flavor who wouldn’t love it. And while it does taste amazing it actually has some health benefits. Who doesn’t love that?

Now to keep in mind that ingesting a lot of chocolate at one given time might make you feel sick to your stomach and that if you are eating chocolate rich in sugar you could be putting on weight if eating a lot of chocolate and constantly. Also keep in mind that the type of chocolate that hold the most benefits in Dark Chocolate. I personally love dark chocolate, unpopular opinion: I hate milk chocolate. Dark chocolate holds the most benefits because it’s the closest to the true form of chocolate which is the cocoa bean. Yes it tends to not be as sweet and a tad bitter but it hold the most benefit. And not the over sugared, high furctose corn syrup version that Hersey makes. No offence Hersey. Real dark chocolate.

With that out of the way here are some health benefits that will make you feel great!

Could improve brain function

Studies have shown that the ingestion of chocolate over a period of time can increase the flow of blood to the brain. This improves brain function as increased blood flow helps the brain work faster and better. It also helps you think more clearly which tends to include more positive thought. The increase brain function also works to make you more productive. Chocolate also contains a stimulant related to caffeine which is also know to improve brain functions for short periods of time.

Lowers blood pressure

Because increases blood flow this also helps to reduce high blood pressure. This is an amazing thing as people tend to get high blood pressure when they are stressed. if you are someone who tends to be under a lot of stress for long periods of time you tend to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause a multitude of health problems, but no need to stress (haha see what I did there) as chocolate can help lower that. As the flavanols in dark chocolate stimulates endothelium in your body. (This is a good thing!)

Antioxidants

I’m sure you’ve heard antioxidants as very good for you. It’s true they are good for you. They eliminate free radicals within your body. Free radicals are a bad thing. I couldn’t tell you exactly what they are but they do cause immune problems and sicknesses. in chocolate there is a loaded organic compound that are biogically active and function as antioxidants. They keep you healthy and if you feel good physically it helps when trying to feel good mentally.

Phenylethylamine

Don’t ask me how to pronounce the word above we I have no clue. But what I do know is that this chemical is also referred to as the love drug. Phenylethylamine is a chemical you brain releases when you are in love and it is a pleasurable endorphin. What does love do? Well it makes you feel all happy and glowing and gooey inside. Good news you don’t have to fall in love to feel such a way. The chemical is found in small doses with in chocolate!

Chocolate has many other benefits such as helping reduce the risk of heart disease as well as protecting your skin from the sun. But I wanted to focus on the ones that can help you feel better mentally.

I’m not telling you to ditch your mental health care routine just to binge eat chocolate. As that won’t do you any good. Chocolate is a small short term little helper. When you’re having a rough day a little chocolate pick me up might just do it for you.

Include chocolate in your mental health care package, when used along with other mental health technique it’s the cherry on top that just makes things a little sweeter.