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The Financial Express

Chocolates and stress: A complicated relationship

| Updated: March 17, 2022 19:56:16


Chocolates and stress: A complicated relationship

Stresses wake up with a person in the morning, stick with him/her the whole day, even at night while sleeping; they simply do not get vanished. People nowadays are so used to it that they wish to stay stress-free, at least for some hours.

You may be surprised to know that an effective way to reduce stress and boost your mood is nothing but consuming some chocolates!

One of the most surprising things about the human body is that the organ that controls it, the brain, takes only 2 per cent of the full body weight. Still, it seizes half of the carbohydrates we consume every day.

Amongst these carbohydrates, glucose is the most important one. However, during a stressful situation, the brain has to consume 12 per cent more carbohydrates than regular time, as they are the fastest way to get energy.

And, it is well-known that chocolate is a massive source of carbohydrate. That is why, many consider taking sugary snacks like chocolate to supply the necessary carbohydrates (glucose sugar) to the brain when stressed out.

At the centre of our brain, there is a particular region called hypothalamus. In this region stays a gatekeeper named nucleus arcuatus (ARH). Whenever it notices that the brain is running at a shortage of glucose, it instantly blocks other information from the body.

And this is the signal for taking carbohydrates. And then, even if the body holds enough carbohydrate, one has to consume some more to keep the brain working. And as an instant solution, chocolate supplies that necessary glucose to the brain and helps to make the brain function back to normal.

Additionally, it has been established through studies that chocolate reduces stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to make the brain function normally.

It can be a matter of question whether eating chocolates has a chance of being a boomerang or not.

Well, during work hours, if you feel stressed and need a mood boost, you can take some chocolates which will not cost you any additional weight.

Because, if you do not eat anything, your brain will start using glucose (for fat cells and muscle cells) from the body, resulting in the emission of more stress hormones.

Besides making the person more stressed, this situation can also lead to an increased risk of a heart attack. Even if the brain does not fetch glucose from other organs’ quota, there happens to be a lack of concentration and performance.

So, rather than facing these types of problems, it is better to grab a chocolate bar, have a bite, let go of the stress and enjoy the time.

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