The Reason Chocolate Makes You Happy is Actually Scientific
Chocolate truly does have the power to turn your day around and lift your mood but there are actually scientific reasons why chocolate makes you happy and we’re going to explore those today.
Chocolate is great, we all know that. Whether it’s a classic bar of milk chocolate or something a little more fun like our selection of retro chocolates, this particular sweet treat is very popular and we can understand why.
Chocolate truly does have the power to turn your day around and lift your mood but there are actually scientific reasons why chocolate makes you happy and we’re going to explore those today.
The Simpler Reasons Why Chocolate Makes You Happy
Before we delve into all the scientific reasons why chocolate can turn your frown upside down, there are a few simpler, more self-explanatory reasons why chocolate puts a ‘pep in your step’.
- It tastes GREAT – it takes having some chocolate you don’t love so much to realise that one of the main reasons chocolate makes you happy is quite simply because it tastes so good. Eating something you enjoy is bound to put you in a good mood and we know that because when we eat something we don’t like, it makes us feel a little deflated, so if you want chocolate to work its powers, just embrace how tasty it is!
- Chocolate is an affordable treat – nothing will put you in a good mood quite like getting yourself a little treat but when we treat ourselves to things that leave our pockets feeling a little light, this can be slightly bittersweet, ruining that excitement. Chocolate is an affordable treat, so you get something to cheer you up and it didn’t break the bank… it’s a ‘win-win’ situation!
- Most chocolate contains sugar – sugar is known for lifting your spirits and giving you an energy boost and this is one of the simplest reason why chocolate makes you feel good.
The Scientific Reasons Why Chocolate Makes You Happy
It may just seem like a commonly known thing that chocolate makes you happy but aside from the simple reasons, there are actually a lot of scientific reasons why this sweet treat puts a smile on your face.
- Tryptophan and Serotonin – one of the first scientific reasons why chocolate is capable of improving your mood is an amino acid found in small quantities in chocolate called ‘tryptophan’ which is used by our brains to make a neurotransmitter called ‘serotonin’, this is what sends a message to your brain to make you feel happy.
- Phenylethylalanine – another chemical found in chocolate, ‘phenylethylalanine’ makes you feel attracted and excited by things and is often associated with the neurological process of falling in love. When combined with a chemical called ‘dopamine’ that is naturally present in the brain, the two come together to act as an anti-depressant, another reason chocolate makes everything seem a little better.
- Theobromine – many people describe feeling ‘high’ with excitement and happiness after enjoying chocolate and according to a report by Science Focus, scientists believe this could be down to a stimulant called ‘theobromine’ combining with caffeine in your system and creating that joyous feeling.
We don’t often think about the chemical makeup of our chocolate, just the great taste, so we think it’s fascinating to know there are actual scientific reasons we feel so good after this tasty treat!
Do you know of any other proven reasons why chocolate lifts our moods? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram!
