Healthy Mood Lifestyle  Mood & Food

Some Foods Alter Mood,
So Go Easy On The Chocolate!

The long-established connection between special holidays and giving loved ones chocolate goes beyond being some candy-maker's brilliant scheme to move a lot of inventory during events such as Easter, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and others. There's a proven connection between the heavenly confectionery and human mood, and that more than anything may explain why it is the number one gift for these holidays. As with anything that alters one's mood, however, a certain degree of caution should be exercised.

That's the message Dr. Eric R. Braverman wants to get across. The director of PATH Medical (Place for Achieving Total Health), Dr. Braverman's work involves the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of all aspects of brain chemical disorders, with specific focus on the impact of brain illness on overall health. Not surprisingly, this makes him an expert on the matter of addictions and mood alteration. In the case of chocolate, it all comes down to two difficult-to-pronounce yet important words: phenylethylamine (PEA) and theobromine.

"Phenylethylamine can cause emotional highs, but unfortunately, emotional lows, too," explained Dr. Braverman. Theobromine is somewhat different. A type of caffeine, it works as a natural antidepressant, which would seem to be great. However, its long-term effect is where the problem comes in."

Theobromine works as an antidepressant by triggering the release of endorphins in the brain. With continued intake, this can probably deplete endorphins without leading to their restoration. So the Catch-22 of the situation lies in the addiction it produces: chocolate eaters crave more chocolate for the "endorphin rush" it produces, yet every time they indulge, they reduce the amount of endorphins available for future use.

Dr. Braverman's advice: Enjoy the velvety sweets in moderation, and always maintain control of how much you consume.

Source: PATH Medical