Chocolate is an addictive food and targets the same area of your brain as heroin does. According to Dr Neal Barnard, in Breaking the Food Seduction, Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that chocolate’s appeal was dramatically reduced when volunteers were given an opiate blocker called naxolone. Researchers gave volunteers naxolone and then presented them with a snack tray. Naxolone didn’t affect volunteers tastes for crackers or breadsticks, but when it came to chocolate the naxolone decreased snacking on snickers and m&ms by half (compared to control group) and Oreos by 90%.

Although chocolate doesn’t stimulate opiate receptors to the degree heroin or other narcotics do, it is addictive and does affect your brain. Its also probably not helping you stay on a healthier diet!

So how to stop chocolate cravings? Well there are two things that need to be addressed when it comes to chocolate cravings. The physical craving as described above and also the emotional craving. Chocolate can also be an emotional comfort and many of us, especially women, use it in that way.

First to overcome physical cravings, one needs to nourish the body properly. You need to make sure you are starting your day with a nutrient rich breakfast. Breakfast WILL help overcome cravings in the afternoon. I know if I don’t have a decent breakfast, I can get intense cravings later on in the day. You can also help cravings but eating plenty of fruit before meals. Learn about nutrition and what other things you need to do to overcome food addiction.

Second you need to overcome your emotional attachment to food, if you have one. When you get the physical addiction of chocolate out of the way by providing the body with the proper nutrients, then you can focus on just the emotional addiction you have. Observe yourself through the day and see what triggers your cravings for chocolate. If an emotion like boredom or stress triggers your cravings, note it down. When you know what triggers your cravings for chocolate you can better equip yourself. You can start making a list of things that you can do instead of eat chocolate and that will better nurture you and your feelings. Sometimes giving yourself the time to feel is enough.

These are the two key steps to overcoming chocolate cravings.

For more information on how to stop cravings Stop Chocolate Cravings.