Ah, chocolate! There’s nothing like sitting down and slowly unwrapping your favourite chocolate bar. The smell… the texture… the taste…
Did you know that chocolate also has some health-promoting properties? Or that chocolate cravings give you some valuable insight into potential health problems? It’s true!
Let’s take a look…
One study showed that consuming a small piece of chocolate every two weeks may actually help reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, research suggests that the smell of chocolate may actually aid in weight loss. (… You need to somehow make sure you don’t eat it).
But what can chocolate cravings tell you about your health?
There are three significant health reasons why you will crave chocolate…
1) When you are stressed, your body creates a state of insulin resistance. Why? This keeps extra sugar in your blood where it can be used quickly to ‘save you’ from the life-threatening situation it thinks it’s in. Insulin resistance can then lead to sugar and chocolate cravings. Women with PCOS are very commonly insulin-resistant.
2) Chocolate cravings can be a sign of a Magnesium deficiency. Women with PCOS are also more likely to be magnesium-deficient, and this deficiency contributes to insulin resistance.
3) Low dopamine. Dopamine is a key hormone associated with the reward system, contributing to feelings of joy and motivation for specific activities. Drugs, food, sex, for example. Chocolate contains a dopamine precursor, and this may be the reason for your cravings for this lovely sweet.
So, although chocolate – particularly dark, organic chocolate – has some health benefits, if you have intense chocolate cravings, it may be because you have an underlying health challenge that needs to be addressed.
From PCOS to perfect health, with love,
Dr. Rebecca Harwin
The PCOS Expert
Chiropractor & Bestselling Author of
Conquer Your PCOS Naturally
www.ConquerYourPCOSNaturally.com
P.S. For more success strategies and scientific secrets, head to our Facebook page and hit ‘like’. There is so much more I have to share with you to balance your PCOS hormones!
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