Scientists theorize that it is situations, like PMS and stress, in which women tend to crave chocolate that trigger migraines, not the chocolate itself. Stir some chocolate into your glass and chug away. Chocolate may improve your ability to digest milk by stimulating the enzyme that breaks down lactose. They neutralize those nasty free radicals that cause damage to your cells and tissues and contribute to aging. Chocolate contains both phenols, the antioxidants believed to lower the risk of heart disease, and catechins.
Catechins are potent antioxidants that can also be found in tea.
The good news for chocoholics is that solid dark chocolate has four times as many catechins as brewed tea. Eat some chocolate. Phenylethylamine is an amino acid found in chocolate that acts as a painkiller and antidepressant. Both the phenylethylamine and anandamide in chocolate trigger the release of endorphins, the chemicals in our brains that make us feel good. Carbohydrates in chocolate stimulate the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which produces feelings of calmness and well-being.