Feeling Stressed? Have Some Chocolate!

There have been quite a few reports on the health benefits of chocolate in recent years.  The latest one provides findings suggesting that chocolate can have a variety of anti-stress changes – in metabolism, energy consumption, and intestinal microflora.  It’s posted online in the Journal of Proteome Research.    

Thirty volunteers, who were classified as having low or high anxiety traits using a validated questionnaire technique, ate 40 grams (about an ounce and a half) of dark chocolate daily, for up to 14 days.  Blood and urine samples were collected from them at baseline, and at 7 and 14 days. 

The subjects with higher anxiety scores had, at baseline, a distinct metabolic profile that covered hormone metabolism and intestinal microbial activity.  In the dark chocolate eaters, there was reduced urinary excretion of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines (epinephrine and nor-epinephrine), together with partial normalization of stress-related markers for energy metabolism and gut microbial activity.  The researchers conclude that this is strong evidence that 40 grams of dark chocolate daily is sufficient to modify the metabolism in an anti-stress direction. 

This is a small study using a simple design and measures that are insufficient to support a relevant “medicinal” effect of chocolate.  However, it provides another instance of possible health benefits of your favorite treat that can help you rationalize your next indulgence.