Chocolate during menstruation: how to explain these cravings ?

During menstruation, women have strong cravings for sugar and sweet food. Especially for foods containing chocolate. No worries, all women have these needs and desires. But why this need to eat chocolate during menstruation ? What explains this attraction for chocolate?

When the menstruation come, women control less what they eat. The diet is left out because the body changes temporarily during this week. Belly and chest swell, some pimples may appear. Hormones can also affect the mood. So you have to let go and have fun.

Craving and desire for chocolate during menstruation

1. Pre-Menstrual Syndrome

The menstruation doesn’t appear overnight. During some days, the body of the woman is preparing for this week of menstruation. At this point, the first signs appear. They can be physical, but also psychological with jumps of moods due to hormones. This goes through low morale, blues, chest and belly swelling but also headaches.

These symptoms occur every month. They may be different, more or less strong, but they appear in all the cases. That’s why we talk about pre-menstrual syndrome. During this body preparation, you will begin to feel this need for chocolate.

2. The need for serotonin

During menstruation, the production of estrogen and progesterone increases. To counterbalance these hormones, the woman’s body needs serotonin. This element is present in the chocolate. For this reason, you will feel a big desire of chocolate. You have the right to cede to your desire of eating a chocolate cake. This natural need is almost considered a biological need.

To balance the production of hormones during periods, give yourself these little pleasures.

3. The impact on mood

We all know the ideas about women having their menstruation who get angry for nothing, or cry in front of the pictures of little cats. These are not just ideas. With excess hormones during menstruation, women can be overwhelmed emotionally.

Chocolate is a food that helps manage these morale break downs. We don’t consume it only when we have heartbreaks. During menstruation, chocolate boosts and helps to fight against morale downs. It’s the best medicine especially during this phase of the month because it releases hormones of happiness.

4. The power of chocolate during menstruation

Beyond the happiness hormones that help the psychological side during menstruation, chocolate is a food rich in magnesium. This component is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. During this week, the ovaries are working. Lower abdominal pain and pain in the kidneys can make the woman suffer. The benefits of chocolate reduce or relieve menstrual cramps and pain that occur as a result of contractions of the uterus.

It’s therefore beneficial for your physical condition and mental state to indulge and cede to your cravings for chocolate. Whether at 15H or 22H, forget the fact that you are nibbling. It’s not because you do it once a month that it will become a daily habit.

5. Chocolate does not make you fat

All women, and sometimes men, are vigilant about their weight and food. This is the reason why when we have a desire to eat or to nibble, we struggle. But sometimes it’s good to have fun and not to put barriers. Especially during periods, women are more fragile ans sensitive. And many have made a cross on chocolate.

But, it’s important to know that dark chocolate doesn’t make you fat. If you eat a few squares of dark chocolate, you will enjoy its benefits: rich in magnesium, release the hormones of happiness and above all don’t get fat.

This is another story for white chocolate or milk chocolate which are two types of very sweet chocolate. For dark chocolate, don’t worry, you can consume it. You don’t need to control your cravings.