:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-841457170-2a467fa5172b4649a86917673d327b0f.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "Want chocolate? Here is what your body could tell you")
Chocolate thirst can occur for many reasons, such as being dehydrated, stressed or tired.
Jump at the main dishes to remember.
1. You are dehydrated
You may want chocolate because you are dehydrated. Dehydration is when your body does not have enough liquid, either not to drink enough or lose liquid by sweat.
Being dehydrated can make you hungry, especially for sweet foods like chocolate, because it is more difficult for your body to access the stored glucose (sugar) in dehydrated condition. Eating chocolate that contains added sugars can give you a quick blow of sugar that reconstitutes your energy.
2. You are stressed
Feeling stressed can make chocolate want. Chocolate is tasteful, and for many people, it is a “comfort” food associated with good memories and pleasure.
You can reach chocolate when you are stressed because you have linked chocolate psychologically (something that makes you feel good) as a solution to feel bad.
As you can imagine how good you feel good, you create a desire in relation to the gravity of you. Scientists call this the theory of the elaborate intrusions of desire.
3. Your senses are stimulated
For some people, a desire for chocolate is activated by external clues, such as going through a bakery or seeing an advertisement for chocolate.
External signals can trigger intrusive thoughts on chocolate, which you could develop using your senses of sight, taste and smell. For example, when you go through a bakery, you could involuntarily imagine how much the chocolate has the taste or the feeling of biting in a chocolate bar.
Combined with real and imaginary senses, these thoughts can cause a desire for chocolate.
4. You really want sugar
Chocolate – especially milk and white chocolate – contains high levels of sugar. Scientists do not agree to find out if sugar creates an addiction, but they know that it activates the brain reward routes, which can trigger desires.
In other words, you might want chocolate because you associate it with sugar.
Consider the quantities of sugar in the following chocolate bars:
- Kit Kit (2.8 oz): 42.7 grams (G)
- Snickers (2 oz): 28.8 g
- Fourth (2 8): 27.5 g
- 70 to 85% dark chocolate (3.5 oz): 24.2 g
If you have trouble with the desires of chocolate, remember to eat dark chocolate or choose alternatives with low sugar or sugar content to help brake the desires.
5. You are tired
Chocolate contains caffeine, so there is a chance that you can want it because of the energy you generally get food and caffein drinks.
Milk chocolate and white chocolate contain relatively low levels of caffeine compared to dark chocolate.
See the table below to understand how Dark Chocolate Caffeine compares to current caffeinated drinks.
| Article | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| A bar from 70 to 85% dark chocolate | 80.0 milligrams (MG) |
| An 8 ounce energy drink | 70–100 mg |
| A 12 ounce soda | 35-45 mg |
| A coffee of 8 ounces | 95–200 mg |
6. You are influenced by your culture
You’ve probably heard stereotype on women who want chocolate on their rules (or you have experienced it yourself). Although this stereotype is common in the United States, it is rare elsewhere.
Some scientists believe that this desire is not due to biological reasons (theories on hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies have been refuted), but is rather something rooted in culture.
In a study, women of significantly more American American origin (32.7%) than women born abroad (17.3%) experienced menstrual chocolate desires. A larger association with American culture was also linked to higher rates of chocolate envy. Researchers have theorized that the thirst for chocolate during your period is linked to cultural stories and expectations.
Chocolate nutrition
Chocolate is available in different percentages, depending on the amount of cocoa present. A lower percentage of chocolate contains higher amounts of milk and sugar, which makes it less healthy.
Dark chocolate contains 50% cocoa and more, offering slightly more nutritional advantages.
You will find the following nutrients in a 3.5 ounce bar from 70 to 85% dark chocolate:
- Calories: 604 kilocalories (Kcal)
- Fat: 43 grams (G)
- Protein: 7.87 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.4 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Sugar: 24.2 g
- Iron: 12 mg
- Magnesium: 230 mg
- Potassium: 722 mg
- Phosphorus: 311 mg
- Manganese: 1.97 mg
- Copper: 1.79 mg
- Caffeine: 80.8 mg
How to stop the desires of chocolate
It can be frustrating to want chocolate, especially if you want to lose weight or eat a healthier diet. Here are some ways to brake your chocolate desires:
- Practice mindfulness: Try to practice mindfulness by focusing on how your body feels in the moment. Are you really hungry or are you thirsty? Do you need chocolate or something else?
- Distract you: Try to distract yourself with another activity to fade.
- Drink a lot of water: Dehydration can make you want sweet foods like chocolate, so drink a lot of water.
- Cut high sugar food: Although it is not clear if the sugar creates an addiction, it does not hurt to avoid sweet foods, such as candies and sodas, to help deactivate your sugar desires.
- Go to dark chocolate: Aim at 50% dark chocolate and more, with a higher cocoa content and less sugar and milk.
- Use aromatherapy: Sweet smells can make you want chocolate, while fresh or savory odors can help compose your desire for chocolate. Try to wear a dropper or aromatherapy roll to use when a desire strikes.
Main to remember
- Dehydration can cause chocolate desires because your body needs to access sugar.
- Feeling stressed, tired or feeling something sweet can also make you want chocolate.
- Some desires for chocolate, in particular classic pre-menstrual thirst, can actually be due to culture rather than biology.
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