Chocolate addiction good for your mind but bad for your weight.

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Many people love chocolate and some even to the point of being addicted to it. Many possible explanations for this addictive property of chocolate exists. Unfortunately chocolate contains a lot of fat and sugar which is not very helpful if you are trying to loose weight.

Chocolate comes from the cacao tree native to Central America. The Maya people ate it long before Europeans discovered it. The Spanish explorer Cortez brought chocolate to Europe in the 16th century as well as the methods of preparing it. Unprocessed cocoa beans are very bitter and therefor need to be prepared with cocoa oil and sugar to obtain the taste that you are used to. The cocoa comes from seeds that grow in pods. These seeds are fermented, dried and roasted before being ground into a paste. Cocoa oil and sugar is then added to this paste to form the well known chocolate bar.

Chocolate was a luxury for the Mayas and the early Europeans and therefor only very rich people could afford it. Nowadays everyone can afford chocolate in the western societies, but it's now becoming a health risk because of its high fat and sugar content. The obesity epidemic that is sweeping the western societies is an epidemic of excess. Chocolate is one of the things that should only be consumed sparingly but some people are unable to restrain themselves.

Chocolate promotes a sensation of well being, a pure bliss for some people. Some people are unable to help themselves and therefor the term Chocoholic has been coined. There are literary thousands of chemically active substances in chocolate that are just now being unraveled. Substances that have antidepressant effects, induce a sense of well being, alleviate premenstrual syndrome, and there are even substances that have Cannabis like effects. The exact mechanism that causes some to get addicted to chocolates and not others is not known. The reported rate of "Chocoholism" is much higher in women than men and this gives a whole new meaning to the phrase " The way to a woman's heart is through chocolate".

Some of the more notable pharmacological components in chocolate are Biogenic Amins, Methylxanthines, Cannabinoid like substances and brain peptides. Even if these substances are present in chocolate it's questionable if they actually are in high enough concentration to have any substantial effect. The cheaper chocolates that are available today contain very little cacao and a lot more fat and sugar. So if you want the effect of chocolate but with less fat and sugar you should choose chocolates with more cacao, which unfortunately usually cost a bit more.

Several Biogenic amins are found in chocolate including Tyramine and Phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA in particular has several stimulant effects on your brain. It has an antidepressant effect and also has amphetamine like qualities. The Methylxanthine group which caffeine is a part of has well known addictive and stimulant effects. But if you are a coffee drinker eating chocolate would hardly effect your daily intake of caffeine. Chocolate also contains the group of substances N-Acetylethanolamines which are related to cannabis and therefor could have the well known effects of this substance. These are only some of the more well known substances in cacao and chocolate.

One very interesting aspect of this topic is the theory why women are more addicted to chocolate then men. This theory is based on the hormone fluctuations that women have with their periods. Chocolate eating in women may be an attempt to self medicate to keep hormone levels more steady. Women report that they have a an increased frequency of craving for high fat, pleasant tasting food incl. chocolate around their menses. This may be due to the higher levels of Progesterone at this time. Progesterone is a female hormone that is important in ovulation and in the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is thought to induce fat storage and a drop of the level of fat in your blood thereby promoting a craving for fat.

In conclusion new and interesting facts are now being learnt about chocolate, a very old substance. Many may feel addicted to this substance. But is it because it contains a lot of active substances or is it just because it tastes nice? In any case if you are trying to loose weight the best thing is to stay away from this tasty, high fat and sugar treat as it will certainly set you back in your efforts. 

Dr. Bernard Beldholm

1. Bruinsma, Taren,"Chocolate: Food or Drug?", Journal of the American Dietetic Association,99(10) 1249-1256 Press here to send a question/comment