There’s no conclusive basis for people to say that you will become an addict if you eat chocolates regularly. History points otherwise as it’s been discovered that chocolates were used by people for various medicinal purposes in the olden days. The Maya and Aztec peoples were drinking chocolate before going into the battlefield to increase vigor, and the Europeans and South Americans used chocolates for diarrhea relief.

It’s still not proven conclusively whether chocolates are wholly beneficial to the health or not. The ingredient that makes people crave them is also not yet known, although the average consumption of an American during a year is 12 pounds of chocolates.

Mental well-being

Chocoholics claim a boost in their energy levels and in their moods when they eat chocolates. This may have a basis in fact because these effects are initially triggered by phenethylamine (PEA) and theobromine, two alkaloids that chocolates have.

In a 1980s book, it was touted that the PEA in chocolates could lend an ecstatic feeling to people that could be equated to the one they felt when falling in love. The media immediately grabbed this observation to proclaim that PEA was the true love chemical and a deficiency of it may cause depression and sadness in people.

Researchers have already found that PEA and theobromine do directly impact heart rates, blood pressure and emotions as used in medical situations. Theobromine, which is available in cocoa beans, the basic material in making chocolate candies, is a caffeine-like stimulant but not as powerfully as caffeine.

Tryptophan, which chocolates have in good measure, also stimulates the formation of serotonin, what is now known as the happy hormone. Serotonin is known for its ability to control appetite, sleep, mood, anger, libido, and a few brain functions like memory and learning. Depression is the consequence of serotonin levels going down.

A heart in good physical shape

Heart functions get a boost due to the theobromine in chocolates and it even widens constricted veins so blood could flow smoothly.

Flavanoids that are present in chocolates have good anti-oxidant qualities and they protect humans from free radicals, similar to how flavanoids protect source plants from toxins. Flavanoids help in producing eiconsanoids, another hormone-like compound that contribute to the health of the heart.

Dark chocolates, with their high levels of epicatechin, are very good anti-oxidants. It is the gallic acid and epicatechin, both flavanoids found in dark chocolates that enhance heart’s health. Blood pressure is kept under control and blood circulation is regulated when regularly eating dark chocolates.

Eating chocolates and in moderate quantities, as can be seen here, helps maintain good mental and physical health.