While you don’t need an excuse to eat a piece of chocolate, sometimes it’s nice to have one. Especially when you try to eat healthy. If eating chocolate makes you smarter, that’s the perfect reason to eat more of it. These are the types of studies that we find interesting and useful. Does eating dark chocolate make you smarter?
Also read: Is dark chocolate healthy?
Happy with chocolate
If you know the story of Willy Wonka, you know that Willy was always very happy. Was that because of all that chocolate he ate? Probably! It has been proven that chocolate makes many people happy. It doesn’t matter what kind of chocolate it is, dark chocolate or milk. It contains a substance (phenylethylalanine) that makes us feel happy. Do you want to feel a little happier? Then it’s time to consume some chocolate.
Cognitive performance
So we know that chocolate makes us happy. Does chocolate also make you smart? According to science, yes. Researchers at Scientific Reports have found that eating dark chocolate improves your memory. That’s not all. You also process visual information faster after consuming chocolate. Another study shows that cocoa increases your attention span. And last but not least, it is good for your thinking and decision-making skills. Your cognitive performance really gets a boost from dark chocolate.
Morning boost
The cognitive boost you get from dark chocolate ensures that you perform better when you are tired. So you don’t have to have a coffee the morning after a sleepless night. A piece of chocolate might make your day a little more productive. We do not recommend eating a whole bar in the morning. Chocolate also contains other nutrients that are less good for you. When you need a morning boost, a piece of dark chocolate is great and a real stimulant.
How is it possible that dark chocolate makes you smarter?
Chocolate doesn’t teach you a new language or math, but it does in fact make you smarter. How is that possible? This is due to the cocoa. Cocoa beans are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids for example. This ensures a higher oxygen level in the brain, which in turn improves cognitive performance.
What about milk chocolate?
We have less good news for people who don’t like dark chocolate. The positive effects of chocolate come from the flavonoids, which are much lower in milk chocolate. The next time you eat a piece of dark chocolate, you don’t have to feel guilty. You are actually just doing a good job of increasing your cognitive performance.
