Chocolate and Mental Health

Is there a correlation between chocolate and mental health? Studies have done wonders for giving us reasons to eat chocolate for our physical health and the good news is that the same studies also tell us that the information found within them holds true for chocolate’s ability to contribute to our mental wellness. 

When we consume small amounts of chocolate that has been carefully sourced and combined with superior ingredients, we have the opportunity not only to delight the palate, but to enhance our well-being and reap the chocolate mental health benefits.

The mental health benefits of chocolate are shown when we’re stressed out, sometimes we reach for chocolate. It’s “comfort food” after all. There is science behind why it can claim this moniker. Chocolate contains psychoactive ingredients that alter the mood. They calm the mind and bring content. When we reach for foods containing these ingredients, it’s because our brains know that they will help us to settle ourselves and ease our nerves. 

Here's a list of our top chocolate for mental health.

 Vosges caramel marshmallow collection

Nine Piece Caramel Marshmallow Collection

The juxtaposition of a fluffy homemade marshmallow against tongue-coating caramel studded with crunchy nuts is the secret to taking good ingredients and creating greatness. Our handcrafted Marshmallows are an enduring favorite. Fluffy Madagascar bourbon vanilla marshmallow is topped with a chewy square of small-batch caramel, enrobed in 62% cacao dark chocolate and topped with walnuts and pecans; our Caramel Marshmallows bring a luxurious twist to this comfort food classic.

Flavonoids in chocolate also contribute to mental wellness. When consumed in chocolate and other foods, Flavonoids help us to stay sharp, improve memory and retain cognitive function longer. Improvement to blood flow in the brain allows us to have prolonged attention spans, makes us better problem solvers and quicker reaction times. Overall, these nutrients in chocolate are a contributor to mental decline. 

  Vosges pure plant chocolate bar library

Pure Plant Chocolate Bar Library

A pioneering collaboration with Dr. William Li, we bring you Pure Plant. Each of our new Pure Plant bars helps to activate your body’s defenses in powerful ways. They work to address the needs of the body to heal, regenerate, and be nourished. They’re a whole new way to consume chocolate and experience cacao. By incorporating whole cacao in this innovative way Pure Plant takes one of the most nutrient-rich ingredients in nature and charts a new path for how we use it and ultimately, how you taste it.

Need better sleep? Chocolate is your friend for that, too. 

Feeling a tiny bit blue? 

Anandamide in chocolate generates dopamine which releases happy neurotransmitters, endorphins and serotonin. This can encourage feelings of elation and act similarly to a cannabinoid producing euphoria. 

Chocolate has sometimes been called a “love drug” because of these endorphin-producing ingredients. It’s no wonder then that chocolate has become a quintessential gift for expressions of love and commitment.

 Vosges chocolate slab crispy peanut butter

Soiree Smash Love 2.2 pound Chocolate Slab Crispy Peanut Butter

This is a slab that everyone will love! Our proprietary 45% cacao deep milk chocolate emanates aromas of roasted cacao and caramelized grass-fed milk, which pairs beautifully with our special superior sourced peanut butter. This delicious small batch, non-GMO natural peanut butter is crafted with passion and purpose for high-quality nut butters and sustainable practices. To accentuate both the chocolate and the peanut butter we have added Baja gold salt, an extremely high mineral content, to add complexity and wellness benefits to delight your palate and body.

Chocolate can also be used as a tool for encouraging presence.

One of our favorite ways to eat chocolate includes engaging all the senses. We start by looking at the chocolate and taking in its shape, color of the chocolate, and what the topping and inclusions look like. Next, we touch the chocolate and feel the texture on our skin. We smell the chocolate to prepare the palate for the flavors it will soon encounter. Finally, we taste. Slowly. By allowing the chocolate to melt on the tongue and taking the time to experience its texture, concentrating on each parfum, and focusing all of our senses on the chocolate, we slow the rest of our thoughts down and are fully present.

Use this time of presence for meditation, yoga, or journaling. These are all practices that also promote well-being.

 Vosges Ultima Materia collection

Ultima Materia Collection

A box of chocolate magic. This collection of 21 chocolates and a guided tasting book is designed to transform your chocolate into a powerful force. Ultima Materia was known as rich, transformative soils that alchemists searched the world over. This collection is rooted in beautiful chocolate, which from the moment it is seen begins to elicit an unlock of the senses.

 Vosges Chocolate Meditation collection

Chocolate Meditation Collection

This collection is an indulgent way to tap into your intuition and great chocolate for mental health collection. Whether you are searching the spiritual realm or practical day-to-day matters, this deck can assist. As you close your eyes and shuffle the deck, tap into your intuition, thinking carefully about the area in your life in which you'd like more clarity. Then select your card. The card will provide an intention, paired with which chocolate to eat, and the crystal to hold as an aid for achieving your intention. Meditate using this collection daily for 40 days to encourage your manifestation.

Chocolate is certainly not the only food that supports mental health and wellness, but it certainly is high on the list of tastiest. So, indulge and engage in chocolate’s decadence, all the while knowing the pleasure you are deriving from it, might be doing as much for you mentally as it is physically.