That women are passionate about chocolate is no secret. It is enough to watch any movie to find a scene in which a woman, especially after a sentimental disappointment, devotes herself to eating chocolates or chocolate ice cream. The reason for this is not that women have a sweet tooth than men, but that, according to Anthony Auger, professor of Psychology at the University of Madison dedicated to the study of differences in the brain between men and women, the chocolate affects women's brains differently than that of men.
This is because chocolate not only tastes good to us, but is also made up of substances such as theobromine, which have a direct action on the brain, to which women seem to be much more sensitive.
To study this, Auger performed MRI scans on men and women after eating chocolate, and found that the hypothalamus is less active in women after having eaten chocolate, inactivity being greater the more chocolate has been ingested.
Since this gland regulates moods, the biggest influence that chocolate has on her is what drives women to consume it, especially when they feel sad or down. The hypothalamus also regulates appetite, and when you relax, the feeling of satiety is less, which, according to Auger, could be the cause that normally the amounts that are consumed of chocolate in emotional moments are quite large.
Auger also found that a greater decrease in amygdala activity occurs in women than in men. The amygdala regulates primary emotions, both positive and negative, so its influence on them is greater, helping to mitigate especially the negative ones.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
