The magazine ‘Archives of Internal Medicine’ published a study about the habits of chocolate consumption by 931 subjects. None of them took antidepressants or presented cardiovascular problems, diabetes or disorders in the cholesterol levels.
In addition to report on the frequency, weekly and monthly, with the eating chocolate, participants were subjected to a test to assess your mood through the scale of depression developed by the Center of Epidemiological Studies.
As indicated by the responsible for the research, from the University of California (USA), “those who tested positive in the proof of depression consumed more chocolate that those who gave negative”. Who were sadder consumed approximately 11.8 rations per month compared to 5.4 of those who were not more cheerful.
Until now, most of the studies had focused on knowing this effect on women. However, the test also focuses on them. It is more; the men were higher in number (a 70.1%). In this sense, experts emphasize that the relationship between the cocoa and depressive symptomatology was detected in a similar way in both sexes.
The document does not dare to advance a direct explanation of the possible benefit and/or need to eat chocolate during a depressive state. Other possible reasons for this greater use could be that, in effect, the chocolate rejoice; or that, although it does not produce a profit, the brain changes produced when you depressed increase the desire to consuming. Nor is ruled out that, in some way, this ingredient may encourage a slump in the spirit.
Although joined in the evidence in this field, it should qualify that the results of this investigation are not highly extrapolate owing to some limitations of the same. For example, was not designed to draw conclusions on the specific issue and is based on information provided by the participants, without having weighed with another type of data less subjective.
“We need future studies that elucidated in what is based this partnership and to determine whether the chocolate plays a role in the depression, either as a cause or as a cure,” concludes the signatories, led by Beatrice A. Golomb.

The scientists at the University of East Anglia are looking for volunteers to eat chocolate every day, during a year in the name of science.

Some 150 volunteers, who participated in the study of the first round of tests last year, will soon be evaluated in terms of the benefits for health, dark chocolate could have provided.

Dr. Peter Curtis, of the UEA Faculty of Medicine, said: “Our first round of volunteers is about to return to his last visit, in which an evaluation of the markers level health cardiac, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

“A good result could be the first step in the development of new ways to improve the lives of people before the increased risk of heart disease”

The researchers believe that the chocolate and its wealth of flavonoides or compounds that are in the plant of cocoa and soya beans could help the postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes and avoid the heart disease, etc. (more…)