Can a Person Be Addicted to Chocolate? Symptoms and How to Stop It

Chocolate is one of the most commonly loved foods around the world and is always on the list of popular food cravings. If you are experiencing a bad chocolate addiction, consult your doctor.

Chocolate is one of the most commonly loved foods around the world and is always on the list of popular food cravings. People love its flavor, texture, and smell. It helps reduce tension, makes you feel pleasant, and improves your mood. This is why people can get addicted to chocolate.

Eating too much chocolate can turn you into a chocoholic. Regarded by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans as the food of the gods, it is not surprising that people can get addicted to chocolate.

Have you ever wondered if you have a chocolate addiction? Where do you draw the line between addiction and ordinary love for chocolate? Read on to find out.

There are many types of chocolates, and each type has its own unique ingredients. But most share common ingredients like cocoa beans, cocoa butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla. 

Cocoa beans form chocolate liquor that's solid at room temperature but liquid when exposed to heat. This is the rawest form of chocolate. The fat content taken from the cocoa beans is your cocoa butter.

Sugar is also a key ingredient in chocolate and is used in different types and amounts. Milk and vanilla are often added for creaminess and flavor.

Dark chocolates have flavonols that help prevent diabetes, improve brain function, and boost your immune system. Chocolates also contain stimulants like theobromine that boost your energy.  

The making of chocolate is a complex process that involves different chemical reactions. Several methods are applied to achieve the chocolate flavor you’ve come to love. 

Fermentation of cocoa beans is important to achieve the chemical reactions in the next steps of chocolate production. Cocoa beans are also dried and roasted. Roasting is essential because it creates the aroma of the chocolate. Then there is also the process of chocolate conching, where a mixer spreads the cocoa butter evenly.

Due to its high sugar and fat content, chocolate — like any other addictive food — can cause a withdrawal-like response when you stop eating it. High-sugar foods are on top of the list of commonly-craved foods among Americans, with the average American taking in about 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily.

For a condition to be considered an addiction, three elements must exist:

• an immense craving
• no control over the cause of the craving
• nonstop consumption despite knowledge of its negative consequences

Research shows that the patterns of brain activities when eating chocolate are similar to that of being addicted to drugs. Approximately 45% of women in the U.S. have experienced chocolate cravings. And about 91% of female college students have regular cravings for chocolate.

Eating chocolate has psychoactive effects on people, which means it affects your brain and behavior. One study shows that ingredients like cocoa and sugar contribute to the need to eat more chocolate. Another study shows that as the sugar content in chocolate increases, the psychoactive effects also increase, which could lead to addiction. 

In a study where participants were given chocolate milkshakes, their brain scans showed a surge of activity in the part of the brain responsible for rewards and cravings. Conversely, brain activity declined in the area that controls impulses — a pattern similar to that of people addicted to drugs.

The symptoms of chocolate addiction are similar to that of other food addictions, such as:

• eating large amounts of chocolate in a short time
• eating when not hungry
• eating in secret
• eating rapidly (when binging)
• feeling out of control 
• feeling guilty, disgusted, or depressed after eating

The rise of obesity in adults and children in the U.S. and other countries has been a cause of alarm in recent years. People even call it an obesity epidemic. Stress eating further shows how food and addictive behaviors are closely linked.  

People who are overweight may find it hard to control their cravings and may resort to eating junk food. Aside from junk food, chocolate can also contribute to obesity because of its fat and sugar content, which makes it addictive. 

Having a healthy relationship with chocolate is key to avoiding a chocolate addiction. A study showed that women who associated eating chocolate with celebration or reward are more successful in maintaining their weight. But, women who associate it with guilt can experience the following issues:

• problems with body image
• loss of control or having guilty feelings
• unhealthy eating habits
• unable to maintain a healthy weight
• poor quality of life

You should not feel guilty about having food cravings. The key to avoiding the harmful effects of craving chocolate is to stop viewing it as something forbidden. Like any other food, eat chocolate in moderation. 

The next time you feel the urgent need to eat chocolate, contemplate if you need it instead of immediately grabbing your Snickers or Häagen-Dazs ice cream. If so, eat small portions and focus on each bite to extend your enjoyment.  

If you are experiencing a bad chocolate addiction, consult your doctor. Doctors can create a treatment program for you to cure your chocolate addiction. 

A drug that’s used to treat alcoholics could be an option to help you reduce your cravings or binge eating. Naltrexone is an FDA-approved drug for alcoholism and treats addiction by blocking your brain from experiencing the pleasurable effects of eating chocolate.  

Although it’s a promising solution, more studies are needed to confirm the drug's efficacy in chocolate addiction. Remember that this is not a quick fix for your chocolate addiction, especially since it has some adverse side effects.