Remember in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, how all the townspeople were vying for chocolate Wonka bars? Although they only wanted the chocolate bars for the potential golden ticket inside, I wonder if they would have consumed the same amount if they knew that eating chocolate could actually benefit them. Just like the character Augustus Gloop who falls into the chocolate river, I am a chocoholic and am in heaven this time of year. I cannot wait until Valentine’s Day and for the half-off priced chocolate when Valentine’s Day is over. With the amount of chocolate that I eat and that I will be eating, I decided to conduct some research to see if there are any benefits of the chocolate I am consuming.  Here is what I found.
1. Chocolate Makes You HappyÂ
There is actually a scientific reason for this as chocolate contains phenylethylamine. The name sounds scary, but it actually acts as a stimulant for the release of endorphins that help with mood elevation and pain relief. I’m sure at some point we have all heard about the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Phenylethylamine sparks the release of dopamine, helping to increase creativity and sociability.
2. Chocolate Can Improve Your Grades
Containing flavanols, which is a nutrient in foods and drinks, chocolate can boost cognitive function, such as thinking and memory skills. This is conducted by flavonols that increase blood flow to the brain. So next time you have a big exam, be sure to have some chocolate with flavanols nearby.
3. Chocolate Turns a Rough Day into a Good Day
Whenever I have a horrible day all I want to do is go back to my room, sit on my bed, and eat some chocolate. The other day after taking an extremely hard physics test, I went back to my room and ate a couple of KitKat bars. Just like any other day this happens, I immediately felt better and was ready to take on the rest of the day.
4. Chocolate Can Improve Your Overall Health
Dark Chocolate is part of the modern Paleo Diet (Caveman Diet), and contain antioxidants which are found in tea, wine, and fruits and which help prevent diseases. Research shows that dark chocolate that contains 50 to 70 percent cocoa can reduce blood pressure, specifically in those who have hypertension. Dark chocolate has also been proven to reduce stress hormones within the body, making it even better to have around exam time.
After looking into the benefits of chocolate, I think it is safe to say that I will definitely be eating chocolate this weekend. It has been proven to be good for my health and my mood. At least that is what I will be telling myself while indulging in the sweet treat this weekend.Â