HEALTH

When you're on your period, it seems like the one thing you *always* crave is chocolate (believe me, we've all been there). We all know how fun it is to indulge in something sweet, but we wanted to investigate another theory: could chocolate do more than just satisfy your sweet tooth while you're on your period? Science says yes, chocolate—*especially* dark chocolate—can help by alleviating PMS, such as cramps and even mood swings. 

While all chocolate can help PMS, dark chocolate is the most effective at soothing your not-so-fun period symptoms. According to an article from huffpost.com, dark chocolate contains antioxidants, and is full of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, omega-3 and omega-6, which are proven to relax your muscles and reduce inflammation, and can reduce the severity of period cramps. 

Dark chocolate can also help your PMS in more ways than one. In addition to containing healthy minerals, it also contains endorphins and seratonin (horomones that boost your mood), which can make you feel better when you're dealing with mood swings. Dark chocolate also has a higher cocoa level than milk chocolate (which means it contains more caffeine), and helps to increase your energy levels if your period makes you feel sluggish and tired. 

Sounds great, right? While chocolate isn't the cure for period cramps and PMS, it can definetly help lessen the severity of your symptoms—and it tastes *really* good, too! So the next time you're craving chocolate on your period, feel free to indulge and experience its many health benefits. 

We want to hear from you! Send us your weirdest body questions here (seriously, we'll answer anything!) and it just might get featured.

by Maya Camu | 8/9/2020