Dark Chocolate May Improve Metabolic Stress Response

A study conducted by Nestlé researchers say that eating a few pieces of dark chocolate every day improves the metabolic response of people who feel highly stressed.

Anxiety and stress can cause various changes in physical and emotional states in humans, and in the longer term can also lead to serious health consequences.

The results showed that:

• Dark chocolate reduced the amount of stress hormone cortisol and catecholamines in the urine.
• Dark chocolate also partially normalized stress-related differences in energy metabolism.

The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 g of dark chocolate during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the stress metabolism of human beings.
"Consuming dark chocolate daily can positively impact the metabolism of people that report having high-stress levels."
To make the most of chocolate’s health promoting properties, remember to buy dark.
For a beneficial dose of flavonoids, which are part of a family of chemically-related antioxidants, make sure it has at least 60 percent cocoa content.