A new study by Nestlé researchers suggests that eating a few pieces of dark chocolate (20g of dark chocolate every day for up to 14 days) may improve the metabolic response of people who report feeling highly stressed. Anxiety and stress can cause various changes in physical and emotional states in humans, and in the longer term can also lead to serious health consequences. Diet affects human metabolism through its influence on gut bacteria, and this too can have long term health consequences.

To assess metabolic response, the researchers analyzed urine and blood plasma given by each volunteer during three test days at the beginning, the middle and the end of the 14 day period.

The main measures of metabolic response they looked at were stress-related metabolic changes such as energy metabolism and gut microbial activity.

Dark chocolate reduced the amount of stress hormone cortisol and catecholamines in the urine.

Dark chocolate also partially normalized stress-related differences in energy metabolism (glycine, citrate, trans-aconitate, proline, β-alanine) and gut microbial activities (hippurate and p-cresol sulfate).

The researchers concluded that: "The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 g of dark chocolate during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of free living and healthy human subjects, as per variation of both host and gut microbial metabolism."

Source: www. Medical news today.com

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD