It's a classic stereotype, that all a woman's ails can be cured by chocolate. How much of this is scientifically true, and how much is culturally formed? This post explores the hormonal drives behind a woman's craving for chocolate, and whether or not she should indulge.

1. Why do
Women Crave
Chocolate?

2. Most women crave chocolate at some point. Certain types
of chocolate can be health-promoting in moderation, but we
typically don’t crave it because of a chocolate deficiency…
So why do want it so bad at times?

3. chocolate cravings seem
especially tied to hormone
changes Like Menstruation
and Pregnancy.
the magnesium in chocolate,
as well as its ability to
affect neurotransmitters, may
be a large part of the reason.

4. Women having chocolate cravings
may also be culturally
conditioned. The trend of craving
chocolate is most pronounced in
the U.S., and men reported the
craving much less than women.
This might stem from the fact
that chocolate is largely marketed
to women as a way to deal with
negative emotions or to “get
away from it all.”

5. Magnesium in Chocolate

6. • Chocolate is the only top-
ten magnesium food that is
known for its ability to
promote neurotransmitter
activity and dopamine
production.
• This combination makes it
especially desirable during
hormone imbalance.

7. • Since experts estimate that 80% of us
are deficient in magnesium, it is
important to find ways to increase
magnesium levels in the body, but
unfortunately, chocolate may not be a
great way to do this.
• Depletion of soil magnesium has led to a
reduction of dietary magnesium and
due to gut issues, many people may
struggle to absorb magnesium through
the digestive system.

8. Chocolate and the Brain

9. • Perhaps the most likely reason that we crave
chocolate and enjoy eating it so much is the way
chocolate affects the brain.
• The basic fact that chocolate tastes good and we
enjoy eating it means that the body releases
dopamine during chocolate consumption.

10. • Chocolate also increases serotonin in the brain, a
neurotransmitter responsible for better mood, sleep, and
reduction of anxiety.
• Women have a natural decrease in serotonin in the brain
in the week before menstruation, so this may partially
explain the specific craving for chocolate during this time.

11. Antioxidants in Chocolate

12. • Chocolate does contain decent
amounts of antioxidants that are
said to be anti-aging and promote
healthy blood flow and blood
pressure.
• The problem? We would need to
consume huge amounts of
chocolate to get enough
antioxidants to see the benefit, and
there are few true studies on the
antioxidant potential of chocolate.

13. The Problem
with Chocolate

14. Now for the bad news…
Chocolate is high in sugar, calories and
(often) unhealthy fats while providing
relatively little nutritional value.

15. Most of us don’t realize while we are boosting our
PMSing serotonin levels with chocolate that we are also
contributing to child slave labor.
It is ironic and sad that the treats that are loved and
consumed by women and children in the United States
are produced with forced child labor and child slavery.

16. So What’s a
Girl to Do?

17. • Chocolate is on the healthy
end of the treat spectrum and
I do enjoy it in moderation.
• I usually stick to homemade
chocolate or Equal Exchange
(a verified child labor free brand).

18. TO Learn more about the
pros and cons of chocolate,
Click Here.

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