Dark chocolate 'ultimate stress-relieving food'
Eating a small portion of dark chocolate every day can help to reduce people's stress levels, new research has found.
The study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, found that when a group of men and women ate 20g of dark chocolate in the morning and evening, it had a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.
Scientists monitored stress hormone levels in the sample group, finding that the high rates in people under the most amount of pressure dropped after just two weeks.
In addition to reducing stress hormones, the sweet treat also cuts other stress-related biochemical imbalances.
The Dutch and Swiss scientists behind the research stated: "The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40g during a period of two weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers."
Barry Chung, commercial manager at The Chocolate Society, added that dark chocolate helps to reduce blood pressure and acts as an anti-oxidant in the bloodstream.
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