Chocolate can make you happy

Researchers are on the track of the mechanism of action of chocolate

05/12/2013

Chocolate makes happy. This is proven by a computer model of a Jena scientist. Thus, an amino acid contained in cocoa is responsible for causing the formation of serotonin in the body. But chocolate does not only improve mood, it also has positive effects on blood pressure. Researchers are still working to scientifically explain the different mechanisms of action of chocolate.

Chocolate looks like a firework in your head
When looking at the ingredients of chocolate, it is striking that, in addition to cacao contents of varying levels, it mainly contains carbohydrates in the form of sugar and fats. This energy-rich combination has already caused many a "chocolate" for unwanted hip gold. According to statistics, every German eats an average of ten kilos of chocolate per year. Especially during the Christmas season, chocolate treats enjoy great popularity. Professor Swen Hesse from the University of Leipzig investigated the effect of chocolate on the brain. He came to the conclusion that chocolate and sugar cause a "light orgasm" in the brain, which can act as a kind of substitute for daylight, especially in the dark season. Based on images of the brain, the nuclear medicine doctor was able to observe a true fireworks display in the head, which has a mood-enhancing effect.

Amino acid in chocolate promotes serotonin release in the body
According to a new study by Professor Stefan Schuster of the University of Jena and his team, the feelings of happiness that chocolate triggers are based on the amino acid tryptophan, which is responsible for the formation of serotonin. Serotonin has a positive effect on mood in the brain. Tryptophan can not be produced by the body and therefore needs to be ingested with food. The amino acid is included in chocolate, bananas, soybeans, dairy products, fish, eggs and poultry, among others. Schuster developed a computer model for the tryptophan metabolism, as the scientist and his colleagues presented in the journal in the "Journal of Biological Chemistry".

But chocolate does not only have a mood-enhancing effect. The ingredients of the treat have numerous other effects. This is how the theobromine from the cocoa bean stimulates. While the amount contained in chocolate is harmless to humans, the substance poses a great danger to dogs and cats. You can even die from it. Veterinarians warn pet owners against rewarding their pets with chocolate.

A 2010 study by scientists at the German Institute for Human Nutrition has shown that eating about six grams of chocolate daily can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, by almost 40 percent. The scientists suspect that the positive effect is due to so-called flavanols, which increase the elasticity of the blood vessels and influence the blood pressure.

Chocolate can encourage cravings
Chocolate is not only extremely delicious, it also has an unexpected addictive potential, as researchers reported in 2012 in the journal Current Biology ". As part of their study on rats, they found out why sacrificing chocolate is so difficult. According to this, the sight of the treat causes an opium-like substance, the so-called enkephalin, to be released in the brain. In animal experiments, the neuropeptide caused unbridled feeding attacks. According to the researchers, the substance in the brain triggers the command "Eat now" and "Eat more". Very likely, Enkephalin causes a similar effect in humans. (Ag)