When it comes to chocolate, it is common knowledge that the craving signifies a deficiency in magnesium. Since cacao is considered the food with the highest amount of magnesium per gram, it comes as no surprise that chocolate is the first thing we reach for when we encounter such a deficiency.
Intense chocolate cravings can be signs of magnesium deficiency. Eat more leafy green veggies, they're full of magnesium, and can help you fight off stress and discourage intense cravings.
You can beat your chocolate craving by filling up on something else. Once you aren't hungry anymore, the intrusive thoughts about chocolate should subside. Look for foods that are low in sugar and high in protein or whole grains. These foods will keep you full longer and prevent a sugar crash.
Enkephalin: The natural brain chemical enkephalin is heightened when chocolate is consumed. Enkephalin triggers opioid receptors similar to those triggered by heroin and morphine use. This chemical leads the brain to desire more after chocolate is initially consumed, which can lead to addiction.
Cravings for specific foods could be an indication of a deficiency in a micro or macro nutrient. In particular, a craving for chocolate could highlight a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is an essential mineral and is required for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body.
Chocolate Is a Stress Reliever
Because dopamine is released into your brain when you eat chocolate, it can actually lower your levels of stress. This is why people often crave chocolate in stressful situations, or crave it when they are in need of comfort or reassurance.
Go for a dark chocolate or a dark coconut milk chocolate if you're looking to maximize health benefits— it's not just a lower cacao content that makes a milk chocolate less good for you. The proteins in animal milk bind to the antioxidants in chocolate, making them unavailable for your body to use.
You may feel headaches.
Chocolate naturally contains caffeine. And for some people who are used to consuming caffeine regularly, giving it up suddenly can result in a headache. To help reduce the risk of experiencing headaches, make sure you are staying well-hydrated.
Like any other addiction, chocolate addiction has withdrawal symptoms too and the most common are the headaches just like the type you get when you give up caffeine, make sure to drink plenty of water. You may even experience stress and a drop in the blood sugar level which could result in 'the shakes'.
“My study says that sugar can momentarily tap into the same pleasure system as addictive drugs.” Momentarily being the key word. When you eat a piece of chocolate, your brain responds, but the response only lasts for a few minutes. Your brain's response to something like morphine would last for hours.
The symptoms of chocolate addiction include intense cravings for chocolate, continuous consumption of chocolate past the point of fullness, and the inability to control chocolate intake despite health consequences. There are several reasons behind a person's addiction to chocolate.
You may find that a diet abundant in magnesium-rich foods will help keep your chocolate cravings at bay. Of course, you can get magnesium in a supplement form, too.
Chocolate is not a controlled substance, and it cannot be prescribed — meaning for all intents and purposes, it is not a drug. However, for a person who has been struggling with compulsive overeating or any other type of eating disorder, chocolate can act like a drug.
The researchers say that “higher CES-D depression scores were associated with greater chocolate consumption.
Increase Your Protein & Fat Intake
Eggs, peanut butter, beans, legumes, protein smoothies, fatty fish, and nuts are all high in protein. An increase in healthy fat intake also helps in sugar detox.
Traditionally, chocolate has been viewed as a potential trigger for gut symptoms like pain, cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea. This is because chocolate, particularly milk chocolate, contains a lot of sugar, including lactose, milk proteins and fat – all of which can cause symptoms in susceptible persons.
The most common clinical signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting or restlessness, excessive urination, and racing heart rate.
It takes about three to four weeks for your brain and body to eliminate cravings for sweets, and begin craving healthier foods that satisfy more of your actual nutritional needs.
1. Go for chocolate over lollies. Naturally, kids love lollies but nutritionally if you had to choose between lollies and chocolate, chocolate would win simply because it does not have the concentrated sugars that lollies do, plus it tends to be consumed a little more slowly.