The nutrients in chocolate make it stand out as a top food to help with cramps. First, chocolate is a source of magnesium, which helps with muscle relaxation.
The incidence of muscle cramp. As an ingredient of coffee, tea, chocolate, and other dietary products, caffeine is the world's most widely consumed drug. In vitro, caffeine has a well-established stimulant activity and is able to induce muscle contraction.
Dark Chocolate
Rich in magnesium, dark chocolate helps in improving muscle function. Magnesium aids in the contraction and relaxation of muscles and in maintaining electrolytic balance.
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.
Eating large amounts might cause caffeine-related side effects such as nervousness, increased urination, sleeplessness, and a fast heartbeat. Cocoa can cause allergic skin reactions, constipation and might trigger migraine headaches.
Not enough minerals.
Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.
Drink plenty of fluids. You can also drink an electrolyte replacement drink or sports drink, such as Gatorade, after exercise. Walk around, or jiggle your leg.
Milk chocolate contains high levels of milk solids, and milk solids contain fats. Eating foods with lots of fats can release prostaglandins that actually worsen cramps. As such, it's best to opt for an alternative to milk chocolate while menstruating - like dark chocolate.
Foods to avoid
These include meat, oil, sugars, and salts. In addition, coffee was found to increase cramps. “Refined sugar, common cooking oils, trans fats, dairy products, processed and red meat, refined grains, and alcohol are considered highly inflammatory foods.
Bananas. It is most commonly said that bananas are good for leg cramps. They can provide you with potassium, promotes muscular function, but potassium also protects our nervous system. You can additionally get this from certain types of citrus fruits and melons.
You should seek immediate medical help if: The cramps last longer than 10 minutes and fail to improve, despite exercise.
In general, they're likely the result of tired muscles and nerve problems. The risk of having night leg cramps increases with age. Pregnant people also are more likely to have night leg cramps. Kidney failure, diabetic nerve damage and problems with blood flow are known to cause night leg cramps.
Ask the doctor
Q. It's been suggested that drinking 2 to 3 ounces of tonic water before bedtime can prevent leg cramps at night.
Dark, Leafy Greens
They're rich in calcium and magnesium. So adding kale, spinach, or broccoli to your plate may help prevent muscle cramps.
These cramps may be caused by stress, not stressing enough, overworking your muscles, or not drinking enough water. Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a form of peripheral vascular disease (PVD).
It's known that some athletes who lose lots of salt in their sweat when they exercise are more likely to get cramps.
While eating sugar does not cause diabetes, a diet high in sugar is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and can contribute to elevated blood sugars. Elevated blood sugars also result in polyuria (excessive urination), a contributor to dehydration, which can cause cramping in the legs.