Without a doubt everyone loves chocolates. There are times when we tell ourselves no more chocolate, but at the end of the day, it is just quite the opposite we end up doing. Craving chocolate can be seen as many things to people today. Some even regard craving chocolate as addiction. But is it truly an addiction? Is it even alright to crave chocolate?
Every one of us must have experienced these cravings at one point or the other in our little journey in life. But really, what should we do when we crave chocolate? Should we just eat it, or should we absolutely avoid it? Some people even experience an intense chocolate craving. The intensity of the craving varies in different individuals. Why do I crave chocolate on my period is the question some people are battling with. For some other set of people, their question is why do I crave chocolate at night?
There are a whole lot of questions to be asked when you think about chocolate and the cravings attached to it. But one thing is for sure for those people who think eating chocolate is not all that healthy for their heart health, and that is that there is a chocolate craving substitute. But whatever is your case, all those questions bothering you about chocolate and the craving attached to it, would all be answered in this post. But first, let us start with why do I experience an intense chocolate craving?
Chocolate Cravings Causes
If you have experienced chocolate cravings before, then you would realize that it is not all that rosy. Basically, anyone who has experienced it would want a way to deal with it before it escalates into something out of control. There are some people that crave chocolate, and they do not even realize that it is becoming an addiction. And yes, chocolates can be very addictive.
The reason why a lot of people crave chocolate is because of the fact that chocolate is a type of carbohydrate that is easily absorbed by the body. Ones chocolate gets into the body, it is easily absorbed by the body and utilized by the body for whatever need the body needs carbohydrate for. The main reason why chocolates are so easily absorbed by the body is because of its structure is very simple.
Now, instead of the body making use of the regular carbohydrate it normally makes use of, the simple carbohydrate – chocolate, is absorbed by the body in place of the regular carbohydrate. There is a hormone in the brain called Dopamine, which is released anytime we feel happy. So, anytime we do anything sensational, like playing our best game, or eating our best food, as long as it makes us happy, Dopamine is being released by the brain. The same principle applies to eat chocolate. And it is the main reason this simple carbohydrate – chocolates, are so addictive.
Ones we eat chocolate, our brain releases the hormone Dopamine which makes us feel happy. So, in a real sense it is not our stomach that craves the chocolate, but our brain. It is our brain that sends signals which makes us feel like eating more chocolate. It does not matter how much chocolate you eat, your brain would keep releasing Dopamine, which would make you feel satisfied and happier. It is more like saying your happiness is dependent on the amount of chocolate you eat.
Why Do I Experience An Intense Chocolate Craving?
Basically, chocolate is made of cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sweeteners, and other ingredients. Now, there are different varies in the amount of each component in chocolate. The dark-colored chocolate is usually the ones with the highest composition of cocoa, and most often contains more sugar and are very addictive.
Generally, cocoa is bitter in nature and in other to make it sweet and pleasing to the tongue, sweeteners are usually added. There is actually a standard amount of sugar that is meant to be consumed by humans and is not meant to be exceeded in other to stay in the safe zone.
The idea of the intense craving you feel when you consume chocolate is because of the amount of sugar in them. Sugars are addictive in nature, and because sugar is a type of carbohydrate that is easily absorbed by the body, the body tends to become more dependent on sugar than it should be on the regular healthy carbohydrate which leads to the intense craving.
Apart from that, the hormone Dopamine that is present in the brain is usually released which makes us feel happy. And be sure that anytime you eat chocolates, more and more Dopamine is being released into the body. The best way to deal with this intense craving is to go for the best substitute from chocolate. And not just any substitutes but make sure the substitutes are health-friendly. Next, we would be discussing briefly some of the best substitutes we can try when we do not want to keep fixing our appetite on just chocolate alone. So, feel free to try any one of the best substitutes for chocolate.
What Are Some Chocolate Cravings Substitute?
When you start to crave intensely for chocolate, there are some substitutes you can try out instead of eating more chocolates. Although if you know how to get the best out of chocolates, there is nothing bad in eating a little bit more of your loved chocolates. But in the absence of none, here are some food items you can take that would help you with the cravings.
- Fresh Fruits
- Greek Yoghurts
- Nut Butters
- Cottage Cheese
- Banana Ice Cream
- A Cup of Hot Tea
- Popcorn
- Vegetable Chips
- Edamame
- Olives
And the list goes on and on. Basically, you can enjoy anything else as long as it is healthy and contains just about the right amount of sugar to reduce the craving for chocolate by the body. So, pick any one of the above food items and enjoy a delightful substitute for chocolates.