This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
Published on August 20, 2019, a study by researchers from UCL has shed light on the potential benefits of dark chocolate for mental health.
Researchers analyzed data from 13,626 adults, including their chocolate consumption, depressive symptoms, and other factors such as height, physical activity, and chronic health problems.
The study found that participants who reported eating dark chocolate in two 24-hour periods had 70% lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms than those who didn't eat chocolate at all.
Dr. Sarah Jackson, who led the study, noted that while the findings suggest a link between dark chocolate consumption and reduced depressive symptoms, further research is needed to clarify the direction of causation.
Dark chocolate contains a number of psychoactive ingredients, including phenylethylamine, which is believed to play a role in regulating people's moods.
Additionally, dark chocolate has a higher concentration of flavonoids, antioxidant chemicals with anti-inflammatory effects, which have been shown to delay the onset of depression.
