Medical Questions » Female Problems Questions » Question No. 1498
| Question: | Can chocolate help alleviate PMS? |
| Answer: | Yes - but don' t start eyeing up the oversized bars in your local supermarket. Chocolate can in fact ease symptoms of PMS psychologically, arid to a certain extent nutritionally. A good-quality plain chocolate does contain nutrients such as calcium and magnesium (which help to relieve muscle spasms), B6 (which helps to regulate hormone function) and the amino acid tryptophan (which boosts serotonin levels, so reducing anxiety and balancing mood). But unless it' s got very high cocoa content (70 per cent plus), and you eat enough of it, it' s unlikely that you' ll get sufficient quantities of these nutrients to make any real impact. As chocolate also contains sugar and stimulants, eating more than a few squares at a time can affect blood sugar balance and unsettle your energy levels - which will both make PMS worse. |
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