When do women eat chocolates

However, they are not the only factor that leaves us craving chocolate. When you are PMSing, or even if you are just experiencing a bad cramp, your body wants calcium, sugar, and carbs. Those three ingredients are usually combined in chocolate. Almost half of American women experience an intensified craving for chocolate during their perimenstrual days, so you are not alone.

Chocolate is often paired with the feeling of bliss, so we are already prone to crave it when we are seeking emotional benefits as well. Unfortunately, it may not be best to reach for chocolate every time those period cravings hit. While you can certainly enjoy chocolate in proper moderation, overindulging is never a good thing. The stimulant in chocolate, called theobromine, can cause additional pain and make you uncomfortable.

Instead of simple carbs, like chips, bread, or pasta, choose complex carbs that increase serotonin but make you feel better longer. These include things like beans and lentils, brown rice, and oats. Tempting as it may be to eat an entire bag of Oreos when your sweet tooth is begging for satisfaction, too much sugar usually leads to a pretty unpleasant crash.

Go ahead and have a cookie or two if you feel inclined. However, there are other ways to satisfy a sugar craving. Some sweet and healthy ideas:. Consider these 19 foods that fight sugar cravings. Chocolate is one of the most common foods craved by people before their periods.

Lucky for me — er — you, there are benefits to chocolate. Stick to dark chocolate if you want to reap the health benefits of this craving. Sadness, mood swings , and weepiness are common symptoms that can extend a few days into your period.

Wanting to eat more than usual before your period and having cravings is pretty common and not usually anything to worry about. Pica is more common in pregnant people and children but can also develop in people with certain conditions. Cravings for nonfood items, such as ice, clay, dirt, or paper, could result from an iron deficiency , which is especially common in people with heavy periods and worth following up about with your doctor.

Instead of beating yourself up over your cravings, listen to your body and give it what it needs. However, this body hormone is also responsible for various body functions. Some of these include 9 :. When you believe you are in danger, your brain tends to release a powerful chemical known as adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH 8.

The hormone triggers the adrenal gland located above your kidneys to release cortisol. The release of this hormone causes various emotional arousal symptoms 8. During PMS, women will release more cortisol, which affects their appetite and cravings.

Increased stress hormone levels will make you crave more sugary foods, which might explain the chocolate craving. However, for some women, their food desires are not limited to chocolate. Others may be craving ice cream, a vanilla cake, or any other sugary food.

If you tend to let yourself off the hook, raise the white flag when things get tougher than you expected, send yourself on an unconscious binge-eating trip — BetterMe app is here to help you leave all of these sabotaging habits in the past! We have verified that during that time of the month, you will experience various hormonal changes. These changes will impact not only your cravings but also your mood and appetite.

There is no need to worry about such cravings during this time of the month because they are normal. What you need to focus on is exercising moderation when it comes to chocolate consumption.

Have some chocolate, but do not use this period as an excuse to overindulge in this food. Remember that it contains calories, and they will affect your overall body weight. Try to stay on the safe side by eating small portions or sticking to the recommended daily intake. You can always talk to your dietitian or nutritionist if you are unsure of such recommendations.

Similarly, if you lack control, you can speak to them to recommend other healthy snacks that are pretty identical in taste to the chocolate. A lot of notions have been developed to help justify this food urge. One of them is that chocolate helps relieve cramps. It does not, and this is not the reason why women crave these sugary treats.

These food urges are caused by changes in your serotonin and cortisol levels. They may be caused by the desire to indulge in regulated foods, which are often considered taboo. Talk to your nutritionist to help determine a safe and healthy daily chocolate intake.

Do you know that your body needs some exercise in addition to a proper diet? Check out this min Full Body Workout at Home. This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances.

It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

Rodah is a competent and skilful writer with a deep interest in nutrition and healthy living. Another possible explanation for food cravings suggests that women intentionally turn to food for physical and psychological comfort. Food can play a sensory role, eliminating any uncomfortable feeling of hunger while tasting good and feeling pleasant to eat. Women also usually reported specific triggers for thinking of comforting food , like boredom or stress, further promoting the idea that the comfort of food helps mitigate unpleasant feelings — as one might experience with PMS.

Other researchers suggest that these food cravings are regulated by hormones. Scientists have observed that women tend to eat more when estrogen levels are low and progesterone levels are high — as occurs during the luteal phase. The reverse pattern is seen in rats during the follicular phase, when estrogen levels are high and progesterone levels are low. The fact that progesterone-only forms of contraception like Depo Provera are associated with weight gain , likely due to increased appetite, supports this theory as well.

My general advice to women: be knowledgeable about your own body and how it changes in response to your monthly cycle. If you feel unsure, ask your gynecologist. Lifestyle changes can help balance and minimize unwanted symptoms related to your menstrual cycle.