Increasing Chocolate's Sugar Content Enhances Its Psychoactive Effects and Intake.

Shanon Casperson,Lisa Lanza,Eram Albajri,Jennifer Nasser

doi:10.3390/nu11030596

Abstract

Chocolate elicits unique brain activity compared to other foods, activating similar brain regions and neurobiological substrates with potentially similar psychoactive effects as substances of abuse. We sought to determine the relationship between chocolate with varying combinations of its main constituents (sugar, cocoa, and fat) and its psychoactive effects. Participants consumed 5 g of a commercially available chocolate with increasing amounts of sugar (90% cocoa, 85% cocoa, 70% cocoa, and milk chocolates). After each chocolate sample, participants completed the Psychoactive Effects Questionnaire (PEQ). The PEQ consists of questions taken from the Morphine-Benzedrine Group (MBG), Morphine (M,) and Excitement (E) subscales of the Addiction Research Center Inventory. After all testing procedures, participants completed the Binge Eating Scale (BES) while left alone and allowed to eat as much as they wanted of each of the different chocolates. We found a measurable psychoactive dose–effect relationship with each incremental increase in the chocolate’s sugar content. The total number of positive responses and the number of positive responses on the E subscale began increasing after tasting the 90% cocoa chocolate, whereas the number of positive responses on the MBG and M subscales began increasing after tasting the 85% cocoa chocolate sample. We did not find a correlation between BES scores and the total amount of chocolate consumed or self-reported scores on the PEQ. These results suggest that each incremental increase in chocolate’s sugar content enhances its psychoactive effects. These results extend our understanding of chocolate’s appeal and unique ability to prompt an addictive-like eating response.

Highlights

Chocolate holds a special status in our society
Chocolate elicits unique brain activity compared to other high-sugar and high-fat foods, recruiting brain structures that respond to craving-inducing stimuli, and is more likely to provoke an addictive-like eating response [4]
We showed that tasting chocolate increases the number of positive responses on the Morphine-Benzedrine Group (MBG) subscale of the ARCI, consistent with responses obtained on the MBG subscale after dopaminergic–opioidergic drug administration [16]

Summary

Introduction

Chocolate holds a special status in our society. It is one of the most loved and craved, but problematic, foods [1]. Chocolate elicits unique brain activity compared to other high-sugar and high-fat foods, recruiting brain structures that respond to craving-inducing stimuli, and is more likely to provoke an addictive-like eating response [4]. The particular combination of cocoa, sugar, and fat in chocolate may play important, yet distinct, roles in chocolate’s unique ability to elicit an addictive-like eating response. Smit et al [5] demonstrated a role of the main psychopharmacological active constituents of cocoa in producing psychostimulant effects but determined that other attributes, such as sweetness and texture, may be more important. We observed effects of the percent cocoa and sugar contents on “desire to consume more chocolate”, while fat content trended

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Discussion

Conclusion