Dark Chocolate Increases Calmness and Contentedness: Study

For all you chocolate lovers, here is another reason to dive into that irresistible bar of dark chocolate. A recent study highlights a very interesting fact: the presence of polyphenols in dark chocolate increases one's calmness and contentedness, according to a news release.

One of the basic components of human diet is polyphenols, naturally found in plants. These compounds are known to lower the levels of oxidative stress, which are linked to several diseases. Apart from this, they have several beneficial psychological effects.

"Anecdotally, chocolate is often linked to mood enhancement," Swinburne PhD candidate and lead author of the study Matthew Pase said in a press statement. "This clinical trial is perhaps the first to scientifically demonstrate the positive effects of cocoa polyphenols on mood."

To prove the hypothesis, a study was conducted on 72 healthy men and women belonging to the age group of 40-65. Participants received a dark chocolate drink mix standardized to contain either 500 mg of cocoa polyphenols, 250 mg of cocoa polyphenols or 0 mg of cocoa polyphenols. The drink mixes were served in identical packaging. This way, both the participants and investigators were unaware of the treatment they were receiving. The participants were required to have this drink once a day for 30 days.

After 30 days, the researchers noticed that those who drank a high-dose concentration of cocoa polyphenols had greater calmness and contentedness when compared to those who drank either of the other drink mixes.

Participants who consumed a moderate amount did not report any significant effects. Researchers also failed to find a link between cocoa polyphenols and improved cognitive performance.

The study was published in the Journal of Pschychopharmacology.