Why Does Chocolate Make You Happy?

There are many reasons for the happiness that comes together with chocolate. Let us reminisce about the last time we had a bite from a piece of chocolate. Did that bring happiness to you? The answer to that might be a yes and a no.

Chocolate makes you happy due to its sweet taste and at that first bite, you simply forget all your surroundings and the busy life around you. But the true explanation of why chocolate makes us happy is due to a chemical compound found in chocolate.

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There are more than 300 natural chemicals in chocolate and some of them can give an effect on our brains by releasing certain neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters can be seen as signals are that sent through and back from neurons.

Neurotransmitters can influence our emotions and how we feel about something. If we eat chocolates, will release several neurotransmitters that have a positive effect on human feelings.

One example will be phenylethylamine which increases intelligence and fun level, increasing the pulse rate and ultimately making us happy. Phenylethylamine is sometimes known as a love drug since it raises the feeling as if the person is in love.

Another neurotransmitter, serotonin plays a role in increasing our curiosity. One chemical that causes the release of serotonin in the brain will be tryptophan which is found in chocolate.

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One of the fat in chocolate is anandamide which is named from the Sanskrit word meaning happiness. Anandamide activates the receptor that causes the release of dopamine, Dopamine is what makes a person happy.

Finally speaking eating chocolate will release the hormone, endorphin in the brain. Endorphin helps us in alleviating stress and also pain. All these chemicals found in chocolate work together to make us one happy person.

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