# The Great Chocolate Debate - friend or foe?



## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

*Chocolate's Potential Health Benefits ï¿½ and its Effect on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients by Patti Schmidt* http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showa...e/1/T/CFIDS_FM/ I've always had trouble reconilling myself to chocolate.







As the article says,


> quote:Chocolate gives you an energy lift, less anxiety, a reduction in pain-who wouldn't recommend something that did all that?


but then again for those of us with hypoglycemia


> quote:These items are not tolerated well," he said. "PWCs tend to have hypoglycemia, and eating refined sugar - like chocolate candy - triggers reactive hypoglycemia, or a 'let down' in energy a couple hours later. And the cocoa used in cake, for example, doesn't contain refined sugar, but has a caffeine-like effect


I must say, I do feel a lot better with the hypoglycemia which worsen CFS symptoms (fatigue, slurred speach, poor cognitive function) better controlled by not eating any sugar or refined carbohydrates at all (ok, just during the day - I'm afraid I'm not that strict with myself). I am a total convert to the protein & complex carb approach to managing hypoglycemia. But when I have a huge blood sugar drop, sugar's the only thing to get me out of it, and chocolate is definately the best







Guess you could say it's a love-hate relationship







Tom, this article talks about oxidants too:


> quote:In different terms, a 40-gram serving of milk chocolate contains about 400 milligrams of antioxidants, the same as a glass of red wine





> quote: I knew it all along: Those of us who've been self-medicating ourselves with a few chosen chocolate candies were simply ahead of our time.


What do you all think...?P.S For the chocoholics amongst us, there are some great chocolate links at the end of the article


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

As an experienced, and determined, chocoholic, I must concur that chocolate does lift my mood and make me feel a little better. Sometimes I just feel that my body needs chocolate, and when it gets chocolate it's much happier. Yep, the way to my heart is through chocolate


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Oh gosh, I can't be without SOMETHING CHOCOLATE almost everyday!!














I crave it, but try to keep it to a minimum. Somedays the chocolate just gives me that lift and then there are others when the migraine takes over and I question---did it cause it or didn't. It's a running debate among Doctors about chocolate giving people migraines. So..........I experimented several years ago. For 6 long, rugged months I did not have one single little piece of chocolate. I kept a daily diary and guess what? It made no difference in the pattern of my migraines or the Fibro.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

That must have been an awful 6 months!!!







Glad you're back on your chocolate! I couldn't live without it either


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

every now and then it makes me sick to my stomach,but i try not to think about thoses times.after all,chocolate it my mana from heaven.oh glorious chocolate.i just knew it wasnt bad.


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