Dark Chocolate Battles Depression

Chris Aiken, MD- Dark chocolate lowers the risk of depression, according to a cross‐sectional survey of over 13,000 US adults.¹ The study compared self-reported chocolate consumption with self-reported depressive symptoms, as measured by the PHQ-9. People who ate dark chocolate in the past 24 hours were 70% less likely to report depression.

The same effects were not seen with milk chocolate, suggesting that the benefits were not simply due to the pleasures of the food. Indeed, most people rate milk chocolate as the more pleasurable of the two. There is also the possibility that people who strive for a healthy lifestyle are more likely to consume dark chocolate.