Chocolate Relieves Stress




(Lausanne, Switzerland) Researchers have published the results of a study which indicate that chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, has medicinal applications. Eating about one-and-one-half ounce of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduces levels of stress hormones in highly-stressed people.

Sunil Kochhar of the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, conducted a clinical trial involving 30 human subjects, who were classified in low and high anxiety traits using validated psychological questionnaires.

Urine and blood plasma were collected during three test days at the beginning, mid-time and at the end of a two-week study.

Interesting enough, however, it's worth mentioning that the research was performed by the Nestle Company, a manufacturer and distributor of chocolate products. A skeptic might contend that the study was biased.

The study is published in the online Journal of Proteome Research of the American Chemical Society.