Chocolate is a popular food that provides certain health benefits. However, many people are concerned whether eating chocolate can cause insomnia because it contains a substance that may cause sleeplessness. So, what is the truth? Let’s find out the answer below.
Does Eating Chocolate Cause Insomnia? Specific Answer
Chocolate is a food produced mainly from cocoa, milk, butter, sugar, and some other additives. When these ingredients are mixed in different proportions, they create different flavors. This food also comes in various forms such as bars, cakes, tablets, seeds, or processed into delicious and nutritious drinks.
Chocolate is a popular food item nowadays, and when used correctly, it can bring many health benefits such as promoting creativity and providing energy to the body.
However, many people wonder if eating chocolate can cause insomnia. According to studies, chocolate is good for health, but if used excessively, it can also cause insomnia. The reason is that chocolate contains a lot of tyrosine amino acid. This is a substance that can increase excitement, make users alert, and cause insomnia.
Not only chocolate, other foods and beverages that contain caffeine – a component found in cocoa – also cause insomnia. Therefore, regularly consuming foods that contain high levels of chocolate can increase the risk of insomnia.
Especially when supplementing this food for people who regularly experience sleep disorders or chronic insomnia, it will make the condition worse. Therefore, you should use chocolate in moderation to avoid adverse effects on health.
Does Eating Chocolate Cause Insomnia?
Benefits and Risks of Eating Chocolate
Chocolate is a popular food that has many health benefits, but there are also risks associated with consuming it too frequently.
Benefits of Chocolate
When consumed in moderation and with the appropriate amount, chocolate can be very beneficial to one’s health. It is recommended to choose chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa and low sugar content. These types of chocolate can provide the following benefits:
- Reduces cholesterol levels: Eating chocolate regularly in moderate amounts can effectively reduce cholesterol levels. This is because chocolate contains compounds such as sterols and flavonoids that inhibit the production of bad cholesterol. As a result, it can decrease the amount of fat in the blood and improve cardiovascular function.
- Improves memory: Consuming chocolate once a week can help improve brain function, increase mood, and reduce the risk of memory loss in older people. This is due to the presence of lavado in chocolate, which can enhance blood flow to the brain and reduce nerve damage.
- Significantly reduces the risk of stroke: According to research, people who consume chocolate regularly can prevent the risk of stroke by 22% compared to those who do not consume this type of food.
- Reduces stress: The phenylethylamine compound in dark chocolate helps create feelings of relaxation and happiness for the user. It can significantly increase mood, improve the condition of stress, and reduce fatigue.
The drawbacks of chocolate
The common drawbacks of chocolate when consumed excessively include:
- The risk of weight gain and obesity: When consuming chocolate with high amounts of butter, sugar, and milk, it can result in a significant amount of fat and calorie intake into the body. This can lead to weight gain and obesity.
- Harmful to oral health: This issue is often seen in children when the sugar in chocolate can damage tooth enamel, causing tooth decay and gum disease.
- The risk of diabetes: This complication can occur when consuming chocolate types that are high in sugar and additives.
- Causes rickets in young children: The presence of oxalic acid in chocolate can react with calcium in a baby’s milk, reducing calcium absorption and causing rickets.
Caffeine in chocolate can cause restlessness and insomnia.
How to eat chocolate without losing sleep?
Whether or not eating chocolate causes insomnia depends on the type and amount consumed. To prevent sleeplessness when eating chocolate, you should follow these guidelines:
- Balance your energy intake: You need to know how many calories are in the chocolate you consume so that you can calculate the physical activity required to burn any excess calories. Additionally, if you eat chocolate, you should limit your intake of sweet foods and fast food.
- Use dark chocolate: This type of chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa, contains less sugar, milk, and butter, and fewer additives. Dark chocolate can also protect the heart, prevent diabetes, and reduce the risk of insomnia.
- Don’t eat chocolate in the evening: To get a good night’s sleep, you need to avoid eating chocolate in the evening. Consuming chocolate at this time makes you feel more alert and awake, making it difficult to fall asleep. The best time to eat chocolate is in the morning.
- Consume in moderation: You should consume no more than 30 grams of chocolate per week.
- Don’t mix chocolate with milk or orange juice: Mixing chocolate with milk or orange juice can cause the chocolate to spoil, which is not good for your health. You should consume these foods at least 2 hours apart. In reality, whether eating chocolate causes insomnia depends on how each individual consumes it.
How to eat chocolate without losing sleep?
You should pay attention to the above information to know how to use chocolate most effectively and avoid negative effects on your health.
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
