That craving for chocolate is no coincidence. Just before the menstruation the serotonin levels in your body are lower. The result: you’re feeling like crap.

Chocolate contains tryptophan, which encourages your brain to produce serotonin, making you feel happier. Therefore it seems like a great idea to eat loads of chocolate. Unfortunately this isn’t true…

Apart from fat, chocolate also contains a lot of sugar which creates large fluctuations in your blood sugar level. The result: more chocolate cravings. It’s better to eat food which contains tryptophan as well, but which doesn’t change your blood sugar level too much. Options are milk, cottage cheese, bananas, chicken, wholemeal bread, eggs and pulses (legumes). For the best effect you’ll also need vitamin C (citrus fruits, berries), vitamin B6 (nuts), folic acid (green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach) and zinc.

Last but not least: exercise is also great for your serotonin levels. Do you really need chocolate? Pick extra dark or go for raw chocolate without added sugars, it’s one of the new ‘power foods’.

July the 7th it’s World Chocolate Day, also known as International Chocolate Day.

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