Chocolate May Reduce Stress

Dark chocolate may help lower stress hormones, according to a new study published in the Journal of Proteome Research.

In the study, 30 healthy adults ate 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate (daily for two weeks. The participants completed psychological questionnaires to determine their anxiety levels. Urine and blood samples were taken at the beginning, middle and end of the study.

Eating dark chocolate significantly lowered the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines in people who had high anxiety levels.

Additionally, dark chocolate improved metabolism and microbial activity in the gut.

The study was performed by researchers at the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland.

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. It has been suggested that cocoa flavonols may work by increasing the amount of nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessel walls, allowing for better blood circulation.

For more information about chocolate products, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

References

1.Martin FP, Rezzi S, Pere-Trepat E, et al. Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects. J Proteome Res. 2009 Oct 7. View Abstract

2.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/

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