Dark Chocolate and Depression

It has been reported that chocolate can have mood-enhancing properties. In order to test this theory, researchers from UCL and scientists from the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services Canada worked together to make a study about chocolate and depression. In the study, the chocolate consumption of the participants was compared to their scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire, which assesses depressive symptoms. In this study, it was found that the participants who reported consuming any dark chocolate within two 24-hour periods had 70 percent lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms than the participants who reported not consuming any chocolate at all. It was also found that 25 percent of the chocolate consumers in the study that ate the most chocolate were less likely to report depressive symptoms than those who did not eat chocolate. Even though these were both great findings from the study, there was no significant link between non-consumption of dark chocolate and depressive symptoms in the participants. This study supports the idea that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may be able to reduce depressive symptoms; however, further studies need to be done in order to fully understand this relationship. Further studies should work to help find the biological mechanism that would determine the type and amount of chocolate consumption that would prevent and manage depression. While the association between chocolate and depression still needs further analyzation, this study supports the claim that dark chocolate has a high concentration of flavonoids and antioxidant chemicals that may be able to play a role in the onset of depression. 

For more information regarding this study, visit: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190802145458.htm