As females, we have all had that moment where we grab a chocolate bar from the store on our period. Myself included. I have vivid memories from my freshman year of high school when I would grab 2 bags of peanut M&Ms from WaWa and curl up under my heating pad, just to finish both of them in 10 minutes. All of us have had THAT moment, but have any of us wondered…what causes this?
We usually chalk it up to “hormones” or “Emotions” causing us to crave this sugary yet creamy candy but there is much more science behind it.
Many people don’t realize the benefits that chocolate holds, especially dark chocolate. Not only does chocolate contain high levels of magnesium and healthy fats, it’s surprisingly high in iron. From my years of intuitive eating as well as experience with PMS/periods, I’ve learned that our bodies crave what we need. Whether we realize it or not, our bodies crave the nutrients and vitamins we are lacking and will soon be lacking.
Gearing up for our periods, our bodies know what we need to sustain ourselves as well as heal ourselves. During our periods we lose a decent amount of iron and magnesium. According to Nutritionist Samantha Gemmel, she states “that we also crave magnesium on our period, which is ALSO in chocolate.” https://healthymummywellness.com/why-crave-chocolate-period-what-to-eat-instead/
To prepare for this loss of minerals our body craves chocolate as a way to put back in what is being put out. Now chocolate isn’t the only food source of iron and magnesium, so why is it that we crave chocolate?
As we approach our period, we also deal with the dreaded but expected PMS symptoms. This makes our serotonin drop creating lots of negative emotions, and what do we want in times when all we want to do is cry and curl up in a ball? Comfort. Chocolate has been a comfort for generations, and it just so happens that it can also help with our PMS and period symptoms. When I thought about why I always go for a reliable yellow pack of peanut M&M’s I’m brought to the memory of my aunt and I sharing a pack when we were PMSing.
Chocolate on our periods isn’t something to be ashamed of or feel guilty for. It’s something that should be empowered, that our bodies work hard to not only replenish itself but to also comfort itself. So, the next time you’re craving that sweet chocolaty treat, get 2 instead of one.You Deserve it .
Some of the Best Chocolate Recommendations:
-Ferrero Rocher- Chocolate and hazelnut for when you’re wanting something with a little crunch with a nutty undertone
-Brownies, amazing for when you want something soft and chewy but still sweet with a little crunch if you like the end pieces. My recommendation is adding chocolate chips on the top for extra sweetness
-Peanut M&M’s. Recent bias purposes but you really can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanuts together.
-Twix, which was always my moms favorite. If you want caramel this is definitely your best bet. The thick cookie layer with caramel on top covered in sweet chocolate is sure to do the job.
-Hershey kisses for when you dont want alot but just the perfect little drop of creaminess
-Chocolate Chip cookies. Ooey Gooey, warm, soft, and customizable to fit your chocolate fix needs.
-Dark Chocolate which would be the best for replenishing the minerals you’re losing and best if you want a more bitter less creamy chocolate