Is chocolate really a mood-enhancer?

Tweet

When I find myself in a sad or grumpy mood, I sometimes gobble up a piece of dark chocolate from Trader Joe's. I find that it actually does improve my mood most of the time. Is the chocolate/happiness link a myth, or does it exist simply because chocolate is a "comfort food," and high in sugar to boot? I did a little research and found that there really are physiological reasons for chocolate being a moon-enhancer. Here's what I found: chocolate increases the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are our bodies' natural opiates, and reduce pain and the feeling of stress. Chocolate increases the release of serotonin, the same brain chemical increased by antidepressants like Prozac and Celexa. Chocolate increases the release of phenylethylamine, which acts as a mild, non-addictive, stimulant and focus-enhancer. So there you have it. If chocolate improves your mood, it's "all in your head," but it's not "all in your head," if you know what I mean. I also read somewhere about a chemical called anandamide, which is in chocolate and may bind with some of the same receptor sites in the brain as marijuana. But I'm going to research that one further. Happy chocolate eating! I'm going to go get some now, to go with my morning coffee.