Food & Nutrition

How Chocolate Nourishes the Gut and Mind

The gut-derived benefits of chocolate on mood are being explored by experts.
How Chocolate Nourishes the Gut and Mind
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Zena le Roux
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In 18th-century Europe, doctors sometimes used chocolate as medicine, prescribing it to treat melancholy. Today, science backs up that remedy as compounds in dark chocolate feed gut bacteria that help produce mood-boosting neurotransmitters, making that indulgent bite even more satisfying.
This Valentine’s Day, chocolate could be seen as more than just a sweet and romantic treat—it might also be a gift of health, happiness, and an extra dose of love.

Improved Gut Health

The foods we eat, particularly those rich in prebiotics (which feed beneficial bacteria) and probiotics (which introduce beneficial, live bacteria), can have a considerable impact on the microbiome in our gut, Chantelle van der Merwe, registered dietitian, told The Epoch Times.
Zena le Roux
Zena le Roux
Author
Zena le Roux is a health journalist with a master’s in investigative health journalism and a certified health and wellness coach specializing in functional nutrition. She is trained in sports nutrition, mindful eating, internal family systems, and applied polyvagal theory. She works in private practice and serves as a nutrition educator for a UK-based health school.