CNN HEADLINE NEWS
YOUR HEALTH: CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS

TRT 1:00

Sherry Rauh, Writer/Producer

 

  

          Chocoholics, take heart!  Your insatiable desire is probably not all in your head.  A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests chocolate cravings are real and have a biological basis.

          Researchers at the University of Arizona in Tucson say 40% of women and 15% of men crave chocolate.  While sugar, fat-content and taste are partly responsible, scientists say there’s something more to chocolate – other sweet, fatty foods don’t have the same appeal.

          So what sets this particular indulgence apart?  Certain compounds found in chocolate are also produced in the brain, and are important in regulating mood.  Chocolate is also high in magnesium, and could ease the effects of magnesium deficiency, which may contribute to premenstrual syndrome.

          The study’s authors say chocolate can actually be a form of self-medication for some people, and that, despite being high in fat, it may have a place in a balanced diet.

          For Your Health, Sherry Rauh, CNN Headline News.

 

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