The “chocolate cure” for emotional stress is getting new support from a clinical trial published online in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research. It found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate per day (40 grams per day) for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly stressed. The dark chocolate also partially corrected other stress-related differences in energy metabolism.

Sunil Kochhar and colleagues note growing scientific evidence that antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark chocolate may reduce risk factors for heart disease and other physical conditions. Studies also suggest that chocolate may ease emotional stress. Until now, however, there was little evidence from research in humans on exactly how dark chocolate might have those stress-busting effects.

In the study, scientists identified reductions in stress hormones and other stress-related biochemical changes in volunteers who rated themselves as highly stressed and ate dark chocolate for two weeks. “The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 grams [1.4 ounces] during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers,” the scientists say. The dark chocolate reduced the amounts of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines excreted in the urine.

“Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects” J. Proteome Res., Publication Date (Web): October 7, 2009 (DOI: 10.1021/pr900607v).

The article is available online free here:

Dark chocolate corrects stress-related metabolic changes