what to eat when craving chocolate on period

What can I replace chocolate with?

Full Answer

Why do I crave chocolate during my periods?

Basically, women may crave chocolate during their periods out of habit because they believe chocolate cravings are normal. In addition, when you’re stressed, anxious, depressed, or uncomfortable, it’s easy to turn toward something that you know will make you feel good. Practicing mindful eating will help you identify habitual cravings.

What to do when you have a chocolate craving?

What to do about it. You can beat your chocolate craving by filling up on something else. Once you aren’t hungry anymore, the intrusive thoughts about chocolate should subside. Look for foods that are low in sugar and high in protein or whole grains. These foods will keep you full longer and prevent a sugar crash.

Why do I crave chocolate when I am hungry?

Chocolate cravings can sometimes be explained by hunger. Your body craves fast carbohydrates like refined sugars when it is hungry. For example, most processed chocolate is high on the glycemic index, so it gives you a quick but temporary sugar rush. If you’re craving some chocolate chip cookies, you’re usually craving the sugar in them.

Can chocolate ease menstrual pain?

Bottom line: Feel free to eat chocolate to ease your menstrual pain, but do so in moderation, and with a grain of salt.

How do I fight chocolate cravings on my period?

Hormonal changes inevitably make you reach for foods that comfort you. To help alleviate chocolate cravings, add more complex carbohydrates to your diet. Not only are they healthier, they also help you to feel fuller, moderate your blood sugar levels and alleviate cramps. Think whole grains and legumes.

What does it mean when you crave chocolate on your period?

Some believe chocolate is the snack of choice due to hormonal imbalances during the menstrual cycle. When estrogen, progesterone and serotonin (the happiness hormone) levels drop, and cortisol (the stress hormone) rises, the result is a sugar craving.

Is it OK to eat chocolate during period?

Dark chocolate appears to live up to the hype when it comes to relieving period cramps. Studies suggest that eating between 40–120 grams of dark chocolate daily during your period may help reduce pain. This is probably because dark chocolate is rich in magnesium, which can relax muscles and ease aches.

What should I eat when I crave chocolate?

Give into it with something healthier and with fewer calories than many chocolate snacks, and mind your portions:A handful of nuts or trail mix.Air-popped popcorn with just a little butter and salt.Nut butters with an apple or celery.Veggies and hummus.A handful of olives.Avocado on toast.

What is your body lacking when you crave chocolate?

For instance, chocolate cravings are often blamed on low magnesium levels, whereas cravings for meat or cheese are often seen as a sign of low iron or calcium levels. Fulfilling your cravings is believed to help your body meet its nutrient needs and correct the nutrient deficiency.

Should you give into period cravings?

Is it OK to indulge? Oh yeah. It's not just OK, but it's important to listen to your body before your period. Certain cravings may be happening for a reason, and your body may need more calories.

Do you gain weight in your period?

It's normal to gain about three to five pounds during your period. Generally, it will go away a few days after your period starts. Period-related weight gain is caused by hormonal fluctuations. It may be the result of water retention, overeating, sugar cravings, and skipping workouts due to cramps.

What should you eat during period?

Foods to eatWater. Drinking a lot of water is always important, and this is especially true during your period. ... Fruit. Water-rich fruits, such as watermelon and cucumber, are great for staying hydrated. ... Leafy green vegetables. ... Ginger. ... Chicken. ... Fish. ... Turmeric. ... Dark chocolate.More items...•

What snacks help period cramps?

9 Foods to Eat on Your Period to Help CrampsDark Chocolate. Now you no longer need an excuse to indulge. ... Peanut Butter. When that sudden hunger strikes, peanut butter is the perfect solution for snacking. ... Eggs. ... Leafy Greens. ... Ginger. ... Pineapple. ... Bananas. ... Salmon.More items...

What can I eat instead of sweets and chocolate?

17 Healthy and Delicious Alternatives to CandyFresh fruit. Fresh fruit is naturally sweet and packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. ... Dried fruit. ... Homemade popsicles. ... 'Nice cream' ... Frozen fruit. ... Fruit and veggie chips. ... Homemade fruit leather. ... Energy balls.More items...•

What tastes like chocolate but is not chocolate?

Carob might seem just like chocolate when processed into powder or chips and packaged just like our favorite cacao products, but carob and chocolate are completely different in terms of origin, taste, and chemical composition.

What to Eat When You're craving sweets?

Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers. "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."

Do you burn more calories on your period?

So does being on your period burn more calories or not? Typically, no. While experts largely agree that resting metabolic rates fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, the change is negligible. Given this minimal difference, most women will not burn many more calories than usual.

When do period cravings start?

When do the cravings happen? The joys of PMS typically begin 5 to 11 days before your period kicks off. Your cravings will prob stop when the crimson wave starts or shortly after that.

Why do females like chocolate so much?

Female reproductive hormones, Estrogen and Progesterone may be responsible for more women craving chocolate than men. These hormones are vital in women's menstrual cycles leading to physical and more commonly psychological changes during their periods. It is normal to see women get more emotional in these periods.

Does chocolate help cramps?

Certain foods can help with period pain by reducing the inflammation and muscle contractions associated with cramps, including one of the world's fave treats. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can help ease cramps.

What To Eat On Your Period To Help Cramps?

Here is a simple list of top healthy foods to eat to help relieve cramps.

Why do girls crave chocolate during their period?

This explains why you could find a bunch of sweets, cakes and chocolates around. During this time, progesterone and estrogen levels drop considerably. These female hormones are really essential for the overall function of the female body, especially for reproduction.

What Are Good Foods To Eat When On Your Period?

Now that you know that negative and positive effects of chocolate, what are good foods to eat when on your period?

What foods help with yeast infections?

Fruits are packed full with rich vitamins, minerals and lots of nutrients which are great for periods. Yoghurt. Youghurt is rich in calcium and magnesium which help to fight yeast infections during your period and provide you with many other health benefits. Nuts and seeds.

What is the best way to regulate blood flow during a period?

Remember that dieting, exercise and rest and sleep ate really essential for a healthy period and regulating blood flow.

What teas are good for period flow?

Teas are very vital for a healthy period flow. Ginger tea, green tea and peppermint tea serve best for this purpose.

Is chocolate cravings a biological phenomenon?

Surprisingly, studies have proven that chocolate cravings during menstruation is not completely biological but majorly stirred by psychological and cultural factors.

How long does it take for chocolate to turn your mood around?

In fact, research shows that chocolate can turn around your bad mood in as little as three minutes, which is as good a reason as any to keep some stowed away in your car (and your bag, and your bedside table drawer) at all times.

Does dark chocolate help with mood?

This type of chocolate will relax your muscles, and it also contains magnesium, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids. These will all help to boost your mood without giving you that deceptive sugar high followed by the resulting crash. Oh, and dark chocolate makes you live longer, too, so there's that.

Can chocolate help with cramps?

Submit. Well, yes and no. Basically, you're right that your body is craving something like chocolate when you're PMSing, or in the middle of a super bad cramp session, but that doesn't necessarily mean that chocolate will "heal" you, so to speak.

Can you take calcium instead of chocolate?

Instead of eating chocolate, LIVESTRONG advise s you to take a calcium supplement instead, which gives you all of the nutritional benefits without any of the aggravation found within some of chocolate's ingredients.

What to eat when craving chocolate?

You should find out why you crave something else when you want to eat something other than chocolate.

Why do I crave chocolate?

First, chocolate may provide the nutrients you need if you are hungry or lacking nutrients. Whatever the reason is, knowing it would give you a better idea of responding to your craving.

Why am I craving chocolate all of a sudden?

There are some essential nutrients you are lacking if you suddenly crave chocolate. Our bodies cannot produce essential vitamins and minerals, so we must obtain them from food.

Can you eat too much chocolate?

There is such a thing as too much chocolate, and it isn’t good for you. While chocolate is healthy and beneficial, consuming too much of it can be harmful. Additionally, excessive consumption of any substance, even as healthy as chocolate, is harmful.

Can you have a chocolate addiction?

Chocolate is unlikely to be an addiction for you. Despite this, there is a possibility that you may feel tempted to eat more chocolate than usual. This is because the consumption of too much chocolate may harm your health, even though chocolate contains some nutrients.

Why do women crave chocolate during their periods?

Basically, women may crave chocolate during their periods out of habit because they believe chocolate cravings are normal. In addition, when you’re stressed, anxious, depressed, or uncomfortable, it’s easy to turn toward something that you know will make you feel good. What to do about it.

Why do women crave chocolate?

About 50 percent of American women crave chocolate around the time their period starts. Researchers have been unable to find a biological explanation for this phenomenon. Among women born outside of the United States, in countries where chocolate isn’t habitually associated with PMS, chocolate cravings are far more unusual.

What is chocolate made of?

Share on Pinterest. Chocolates are made by combining cocoa powder and cocoa butter with sweeteners and other ingredients. Cocoa butter accounts for most of the fat in chocolate. Different types of chocolate have varying concentrations of cocoa powder (often called the cacao percentage). Dark chocolate has the highest concentration ...

How to reduce sugar intake?

You may be able to reduce your sugar intake by eating chocolate with a high cacao percentage. If you’re concerned about the sugar content, you can also try this simple three-step plan to curb your sugar cravings. 2. Because you’re hungry. Share on Pinterest.

How much sugar is in a Hershey's milk chocolate bar?

Most research, however, suggests that it’s the combination of fat and sugar that make certain foods so addictive. A plain Hershey’s milk chocolate bar has 24 grams of sugar. Other chocolate bars that contain caramel, nougat, and marshmallow may have even more sugar. For example, a Snickers bar has 27 grams of sugar.

Which chocolate has the highest concentration of cocoa powder?

Dark chocolate has the highest concentration of cocoa powder and white chocolate the lowest. Chocolate also contains a variety of other ingredients like sugars, milk powders, and nuts. Cocoa is naturally bitter. To improve the taste of chocolate, processors add plenty of sugar.

Where is cacao grown?

Nearly 60 percent of the world’s cacao is currently grown in West African nations that tend to rely on child labor. Research funded by the U.S. Department of Labor found over 1.75 million children worked on cacao farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana between 2008 and 2009.

What is the most common food that people crave before their period?

Chocolate is one of the most common foods craved by people before their periods. Lucky for me — er — you, there are benefits to chocolate.

What does it mean when you have a craving for food before your period?

Compulsive eating and food cravings before a period may also be signs of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which is a more severe form of PMS.

How early can you start cravings?

How early can the cravings start? Period-related cravings usually start around 7 to 10 days before your period starts. This is also when other PMS symptoms tend to start, like changes to your bowel habits ( hellooo period poop and farts ), headaches, acne, and bloating.

How to get rid of cravings without feeling worse?

Swapping out what you’re craving for healthier alternatives or limiting portions of those crave-able items can help give your body what it’s screaming for without making you feel worse.

What are some ways to increase serotonin?

Instead of simple carbs, like chips, bread, or pasta, choose complex carbs that increase serotonin but make you feel better longer. These include things like beans and lentils, brown rice, and oats.

What are the symptoms of a period?

Sadness, mood swings, and weepiness are common symptoms that can extend a few days into your period. Instead of trying to stuff all the feelings down with a fistful of gummy bears, try activities that have been proven to increase your body’s happy hormones: endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine.

What are some good ways to satisfy a sugar craving?

Some sweet and healthy ideas: smoothies. fruit and yogurt. apple slices drizzled with honey. energy bites. trail mix.

How much weight do women put on before their period?

The study, published in the journal Annals of Endocrinology, monitored 30 women and found they put on an average of 0.3kg weight in the days before their period. It also determined that those extra calories women crave tend to be from carbohydrates, such as big bowls of pasta or sugary foods like cakes and chocolate.

Why do women hanker after food?

As carbohydrates are known to promote serotonin release, women can often hanker after foods which will make them feel better.

Is chocolate a sign of period?

By Katie Frost. Nov 3, 2016. Getty Images. A craving for chocolate is often a sign that our period is on the way, and a new study suggests there's a scientific reason behind it. According to The Telegraph, researchers from the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology in Tunisia have discovered that food cravings before menstruation are ...