Is Eating Chocolate in the Morning Healthy?

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Author Name: Beth Rush
Date: Thursday November 14, 2019

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Most people have heard that eating breakfast every morning is great for your health. It helps your body wake up and get the energy it needs to get through the day, but that also depends on what you eat. Is eating chocolate in the morning healthy for you? It depends on the type and amount.

When you’re tired of scrambling eggs or making oatmeal, you may feel tempted to grab a chocolate chip muffin. It’s a sweet treat you’d enjoy, but science has begun to prove that eating chocolate in the morning could be good for your health.

Check out some of the top benefits that come from eating chocolate in the morning. You may feel inspired to look up new recipes and give in to your sweet tooth more often.

It Reduces Cravings

Eating conventional healthy foods can make you feel great, but they get old quickly. When you start getting bored with salads and fruit, you could crave sugary treats like chocolate more than usual. It’s hard to prevent binge eating when the thought of chocolate has been on your mind all day, but you can avoid these cravings if you have a little chocolate with breakfast.

Once you eat a few bites of your favorite candy bar or sip on a chocolate protein shake, your brain can relax. It won’t obsess over the thought of eating chocolate because you’ve already had a little bit before you started your day.

It Makes You Happy

Whenever you eat or do something you love, you feel happier afterward because your brain releases endorphins. The next time you wake up grumpy, snacking on chocolate will increase your endorphin production so you immediately feel happier. When you start your day with positivity, it’ll help you tackle projects and conquer your to-do list. Eating dark chocolate can also lower your stress levels, making it an indispensable treat at any time of the week.

It Improves Your Memory

A recent study from California’s Loma Linda University Health found that dark chocolate improved gamma wave production in the brain, which directly improved memory. The key is to stick with dark chocolate, which has more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate. The cocoa is what influences the brain and results in better memory formation and recall.

It Helps Your Gut Biome

Eating chocolate in the morning can also help anyone who needs to take prebiotics to improve digestion. The University of Ottawa published a study that showed healthier gut biomes in people who ate dark chocolate daily. It had enough healthy fiber to encourage the growth of good bacteria and aid in the breakdown and digestion of nutrients.

Everyone should have a healthy gut biome because it reaps so many health benefits. Your body will enjoy the full nutrition of every meal and function better because it runs on better fuel. You’ll also notice more healthy weight loss and a better metabolism. As long as you don’t overdo it on the sugar treat, chocolate will make your gut and your heart happy at the same time.

It Lowers Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate also has flavanols, which stimulate the body’s endothelium and produce more nitric oxide, which relaxes arteries and reduces blood pressure. Talk with your doctor if you have hypertension and want to use chocolate breakfast recipes to improve your health in addition to medication.

The key to maximizing this benefit is to eat chocolate in moderation, which means sticking with the recommended serving size on the packaging or only eating as much as your doctor advises.

It Sharpens Cognitive Abilities

Do you ever feel like you have brain fog in the morning or struggle with problem-solving skills before lunch? It might be because your mind needs a chocolate jumpstart. The University of Maine discovered that people who ate dark chocolate for breakfast experience better neurocognition symptoms when they completed cognitive tests that focused on memory and reasoning. 

Try Eating Chocolate in the Morning

Anyone can experience these benefits by eating chocolate in the morning, so try new recipes to see how it improves your health. Whether you’re looking for more clarity, happiness or even a better gut biome, chocolate can help with a sweet morning treat every day.

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