by Hlengiwe Moepe, founder of Marpemed

Have you ever wondered why, when we are stressed (and we know that the entrepreneurial journey can get stressful at times), some of us feel compelled to reach for the chocolate bars for comfort. Here are are a few possible reasons behind those chocolate cravings.

In general, food cravings are most likely to occur when you’re stressed out. Cravings for sweet foods like chocolate are an especial attractive option during this time because they offer a boost of endorphins that you tend to seek out to help cope with stress. Also, people tend to crave chocolate because it makes them happy which, in turn, lowers their levels of stress.

The experience of eating chocolate is what makes you happy. Eating chocolate actually releases Dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, into particular regions of the brain. Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins are the quartet responsible for our happiness. People in general crave chocolate because it tastes good, it smells good and it feels awesome when it melts in your mouth, ohh yummy…

In the case of women, chocolate contains some magnesium which they tend to be deficient in. This explains why women seem to crave chocolate more than men. Some women associate chocolate with a comfort food - they say, “I eat it as a mood booster, when I'm feeling down, or when I just need a spike in my blood sugar mid-day.”

During the exhaustion mode, If you’re overtired you’re more likely to crave energy-dense foods, such as chocolate, to help increase your energy levels.

Preoccupation - the more you try to avoid chocolate, the more your brain is thinking about it and the more likely you are to binge on it when you see it.

Habit - another reason you might crave chocolate might simply be out of habit.

So, now you have a better idea as to why you are craving that tasty morsel of chocolate in whatever form it may take!

Hlengiwe Moepe is founder and Director of MARPEMED (PTY) Ltd, a health and medical solutions company specializing in Digital Healthcare Services, Health and Wellness, and Pharmaceuticals. After 13 years of working for corporate multi-national organisations, Hlengiwe Moepe took the step to establish her own Healthcare Company. Hlengiwe Moepe has started a cooperative called Marpemed Community Healthcare Services Co-Operative (MCHCS) focused on providing Public Healthcare Services, Health Education and Trainings to urban and rural communities in South Africa and across the African continent.