A lot of women say that they are craving chocolate before they get their period and they are blaming PMS for this symptom. However, according to one of the latest studies PMS has nothing to do with cocoa cravings and these aren’t supposed to increase before women’s period.Chocolate Cravings

The study

This study was conducted with the help of college students. They claimed that their chocolate cravings didn’t intensify the days before their period and women didn’t eat more chocolate than normally. Besides this the researchers also say that the desire for foods rich in fat felt by women didn’t increase either during these days.

Contradictions

We have to note that the findings of this research are in contradiction with the findings of the earlier studies. These said that women have a higher intake of chocolate the days before their menstrual period. However the previous studies may have been working with women affected by eating disorders like bulimia that could have had an effect on the results of the study.

It is important to note that the latest study didn’t work with women with any kinds of eating disorders. Furthermore, the previous studies asked women to think about their past experience. Instead, this new study focused on the present experience of women without going back in time.

Need for confirmation

Although the results of the study are very interesting and they put things in perspective, we also have to add that this was a small study and only 35 women took part in it. This means that there is need for further studies to be able to draw general conclusions.

The process

During the study women went to the lab twice, once during the late luteal period, that means seven days before their period and in the middle of their cycle, right before the mature egg is released. A woman could participate in the study only if she had regular periods and only if she claimed that she craved chocolate minimum one time during the last six months.

The researchers validated the women’s stage of cycle through measuring their luteinizing hormone levels. This is the hormone that triggers ovulation.

The women were asked whether they have cravings after they saw a bowl of chocolate. This is an important step because it is known that the visual presentation of food to people increases the cravings. The study didn’t take into consideration the mood changes that women had.