Question

Eating chocolate relieves stress

Comments

I think that moderate consumption of dark chocolate can indeed help relieve stress by boosting mood, lowering cortisol levels, and offering a comforting treat. However, it should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle, as overconsumption or reliance on chocolate for stress management can have the opposite effect.

Answer 1

This is true!

The National Institute of Health wrote an article that studied the effects of a small amount of dark chocolate over 2 weeks can noticeably reduce stress in females. The effects on males aren't as noticeable, but they do affect them in some way. Another source doesn't specify that just females are affected, and it has the same general finding that a small amount of dark chocolate reduces stress.

It is noticeable that the effects are small; the effects may be different for every person, and the events of someone's life that cause stress can change someone's results.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4350893/

https://healthcare-bulletin.co.uk/article/stress-reducing-effect-of-a-single-dose-of-dark-chocolate-in-healthy-individuals-an-assessment-using-heart-rate-variability-2891/

Answer 2

This is true. Or at least partially. Chocolate with a high cacao level can have health benefits, so the claim that it helps with stress did not surprise me. According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, milk and dark chocolate are effective against stress. The study states that “consumption of 40 g of dark and milk chocolate daily during a period of 2 weeks appears to be an effective way to reduce perceived stress in females.” This claim is true, but it is specific to females and does not include white chocolate.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4350893/

Answer 3

Research suggests chocolate — especially dark chocolate — may help lower stress hormones and improve mood. A peer-reviewed study found that consuming dark chocolate daily reduced cortisol and perceived stress in healthy adults over two weeks . Another study cited by medical organizations links chocolate’s effect to flavonoids and mood-boosting compounds like serotonin precursors. While chocolate can support stress reduction, especially in moderation, it’s not a universal or guaranteed solution — so the claim is true with limitations.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4350893/

Answer 4

Yes, the claim that eating chocolate relieves stress is true. The National Institute of Health provided a study of baseline stress levels of participants and the post-intervention stress scores after the consumption of chocolate. The findings showed that participants did, in fact, have a noticeable, measurable decrease in stress after eating chocolate. Another credible source, The Mayo Clinic, lists another study finding that  “those who took the cocoa supplement were 27% less likely to die of heart-related events.” Healthy heart activity is directly proportional to blood pressure, so chocolate (more specifically, dark chocolate) lowers blood pressure levels, and stress hormone cortisol is also reduced. The claim is backed by reputable medical institutions, some of which I gathered my information from, being the National Institute of Health, Johns Hopkins Medical, and The Mayo Clinic, further proving the validity of the claim.   

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4350893/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-benefits-of-having-a-healthy-relationship-with-chocolate

https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/what-science-says-about-the-health-benefits-of-chocolate/

Answer 5

At first glance, I am always quick to assume the worst in any candy or sweet, although in this case, chocolate has been shown in studies to promote stress relief.  An experiment provided by the National Library of Medicine showed, "Mean stress scores decreased, on average, by approximately 2 and 3 points in DC and MC groups, respectively, at a 95% Confidence Interval."(Sunni, 2014). This represents a dramatic decrease in stress levels just from a simple sweet treat.  The reasoning behind the sweets' power lies in the satisfaction.  When indulging in a treat, your brain releases serotonin, the reaction of something that makes you feel much happier. Within this process, stress chemicals like cortisol are countered by the opposing feelings. Creating a stress-relieving effect within the participants. The study does show another major fact, including "The difference was more evident and statistically significant in female students as compared to the males."(Sunni, 2014) This does not mean that the males were not affected; The impact was just not as significant in the experiment on the males as compared to the females.  The only thing I would change about this claim would be the fact that they don't specify the amount.  If eaten in a moderate portion, I believe it is beneficial, but in the other case, if it is over done would it not hurt the consumer more than improve their mental wellbeing?  Similar to the feeling you get when you eat too much and don't feel good after, would be a close example. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4350893/

Al Sunni, Ahmed, and Rabia Latif. “Effects of chocolate intake on Perceived Stress: a Controlled Clinical Study.” International journal of health sciences vol. 8,4 (2014): 393-401.

Answer 6

Yes, chocolate does reduce stress levels. Dark chocolate has been connected with some positive physical health benefits. This sweet treat has been linked with better cardiovascular health, for instance, thanks to the way it improves blood pressure and helps protect blood vessels. 

One of the ways eating chocolate works to lower our stress levels is by affecting our body's release of cortisol. Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone. Among its many functions, it prepares your body to respond when faced you're with a stressful situation. Although this is good if your cortisol levels stay high due to chronic stress because it allows you to remain alert and energetic,3 too much can actually harm your health. Fortunately, chocolate can come in and save the day, and our taste buds!

If you want to try dark chocolate as a stress reliever, the studies above used a daily "dose" of about 1.5 ounces.

Additionally, the higher the cocoa content, the better it is for your health, so aim for dark chocolate with 80% cocoa or higher.7 However, the more cocoa, the more bitter the chocolate. So, try a few and see how high you can go without sacrificing taste.

Dark Chocolate Can *Actually* Lower Our Stress Levels—Here's Why