There's a reason you reach for that luscious bite of chocolate.
It's not just the sugar, fat, and cocoa!
I even get a leg twitch from the anticipation of chocolate.
That's normal, right??
We hate to take a love affair and break it down into chemistry but that's actually what's needed with chocolate.
The substance in question is called Phenylethylamine (breaks down into PEA) which has appropriately been dubbed "the love drug".
Why?
It elicits feelings similar to when you're in love!
Yes, Please!
Focus, mood, and energy are all affected.
For our chocoholics (hi, my name is Andrea….Hi, Andrea), there's another fat in there of particular interest.
Anandamide, also known as the "bliss" chemical.
So love and bliss...
No wonder we love chocolate!!
Love it too much though and it's a slippery slope to bonbons on the couch.
Is there anything else that can have similar effects without the need to re-shop wardrobes?
We thought you would never ask!
CBD
Remember those chemicals anandamide and PEA above?
Just wait till we tell you the connection between them and CBD.
You're about to have a totally different take on WHY you like chocolate.
And look... if you just don't want to give up your chocolate (we're not!!), how about a batch of fudge or chocolate chip cookies with CBD baked right in!
"Cancel all my appointments!"
Let's look at why CBD is such a better replacement for your chocolate fix.
Why Chocolate, Women?
Yes, chocolate tastes great but we all know it's a little more than that.
If you ask women their take on chocolate and you remove the guilt associated with calories, sugar, etc...it's clearly more than just taste.
It FEELS good!
That's chemistry, ladies!
And yes... the craving for chocolate appears to be different between men and women.
It even seems to be dependent on the monthly cycle.
This could be a form of chocolatey self-medicating for the negative symptoms of the cycle.
Check out CBD and serotonin or CBD and PMS here to learn all about it.
Researchers even found that the part of the brain that controls hunger was slowed down more in women after eating chocolate.
Thus reducing their cravings for food.
This even goes into the animal kingdom down to studies on mice!
We did a deep dive on CBD and hunger.
So what's in that little chocolate square that's helping women feel better?
And what does that have to do with CBD?
Chocolate, The "Love" chemical, and CBD
As we mentioned above, chocolate has phenethylamine.
It's a neurotransmitter that has many positive effects on the body.
Mood, focus, and energy.
A general feeling of happiness.
You don't want too much of it but a little boost is nice.
So the "love" chemical above gets metabolized into PEA.
Guess what PEA is?
Right... a cannabinoid just like CBD.
Hmmmm. The plot thickens.
What's the relationship (dating, flirting, or married) of these two?
It turns out that CBD increases PEA in the body!
So CBD increases the "love" chemical just like chocolate.
Okay...we can put a checkmark next to "love". What about bliss?
We can all use a little more bliss.
Chocolate, The "Bliss" chemical, and CBD
The other chemical in chocolate that we love is anandamide.
It's the "Bliss" chemical.
There's probably no more searched after feeling for women than "bliss".
It's the female holy grail!
The cocoa plant stumbled on that need and voila...you can get fountains of liquid chocolate at parties!
So what is anandamide?
Okay... this is getting ridiculous.
It's a naturally occurring endocannabinoid in the body.
The same "stuff" that CBD is made from (just a different version of it).
In fact, it's the most prominent endocannabinoid in the body!
It does a lot of the heavy lifting for that system.
CBD directly interacts with this same system.
It boosts anandamide in the body when needed!
The "when needed" is important.
That's why there's never been a reported overdose of CBD.
How can we use this knowledge?
Cut out the Middlewoman: Chocolate
Yes, you can still have your chocolate.
We don't want to cause a riot or anything!
But... look at CBD to help with the following:
- Balance mood
- Balance energy
- Help with hormone change symptoms
- Help with hunger and appetite
There's a lot that our endocannabinoid system is responsible for in the body.
It has to bring balance to:
- Neurotransmitters (mood, sleep, etc)
- Hormones (mood, appetite, energy, sleep, etc)
- Immune system (allergies, skin health, brain health, heart health, etc)
CBD just gives it a boost when it falls behind…. which is often these days!
What's the best way to take CBD that doesn't involve a Snickers bar?
Best CBD for Women's Chocolate "Supplementation"
Most women use CBD oil tinctures.
25-30 mgs is a basic wellness dose.
For periods of anxiousness/low mood or during periods, you can definitely go higher.
Test it on your body to see where you start to get relief.
Our goto starter oil is Indigo Naturals Isolate CBD 1000mg.
It's 3rd party tested and pesticide, solvent, THC, mold, and bacteria-free.
It has enough verified CBD to actually be effective (there's a lot of CBD in name only products out there!)
Most importantly, it's Isolate which helps women who may be sensitive to histamines.
If you have any allergies, this is definitely the way to go for you (at least to start).
Let us know your results below.
Let's help our fellow chocolate lovers find bliss and love.
Are bliss and love too much to ask for?
Worst case, let us know your favorite chocolate!
Always work with a doctor or naturopath with any supplement!
The information provided here is not intended to treat an illness or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.
1 comment
Hey I looove your articles! Just wanted to let you know in this one you mention phenylethylamine but then later mistyped it saying “chocolate is high in phenylalamine”. Obviously you can deleter this comment of mine just wanted to help