Ever been told that “you only have chocolate cravings because you’re hormonal”? 🫠

It’s a common line, but the story is so much richer. Research shows that many American women report strong chocolate cravings in the days leading up to menstruation, and a paper cited by Clearblue found women in the United States are about twice as likely to crave chocolate as men and that the craving peaks roughly four days before their period. Scientists still debate why: while some believe fluctuating estrogen and progesterone play a role, others note that hormone levels or chocolate ingredients don’t fully explain the phenomenon. Cultural and psychosocial factors appear to matter too, after all, women in Egypt rarely crave sweets and Japanese women often crave rice instead of chocolate 🤔.

So what’s really going on? Several mechanisms may contribute:

• Magnesium matters. Dark chocolate naturally contains magnesium, a mineral that helps relax the smooth muscles of the uterus and decreases prostaglandins. When magnesium levels dip during the luteal phase, the body may crave magnesium‑rich foods like cocoa. Magnesium glycinate supplements are often recommended during PMS because they’re well absorbed 💪.

• Serotonin & carbs. Falling estrogen and progesterone levels can lower serotonin, our feel‑good neurotransmitter. Some people crave carbohydrate‑rich foods because complex carbs boost tryptophan uptake and increase serotonin 🥐. This may explain why you reach for pizza or waffles before your period.

• Mood‑boosting magic. Dark chocolate itself contains tryptophan and polyphenols that lower cortisol and lift mood. Eating a square of 70–85 % cocoa chocolate can be an easy way to boost your brain’s happiness chemistry ✨.

• Comfort & culture. In Western cultures, chocolate is marketed as a comfort food, so we associate it with soothing feelings. Because cravings are partly learned, cultural norms influence what we think of as a “craving” 🌍.

Many women also share personal stories. One friend of ours, Emma, used to blame her intense cravings on hormones. After she started eating balanced breakfasts with whole grains and getting enough sleep, she noticed her cravings diminished. She still enjoys a square of dark chocolate, but now chooses bars with more cacao and less sugar, which satisfy her without the sugar crash.

Before you give up on chocolate altogether, remember that cravings can carry useful information. If you’re reaching for chocolate every month, it might be your body asking for more magnesium, complex carbohydrates or simply some comfort and self‑care. A bar that offers both nourishment and indulgence can make all the difference, and that’s exactly what our Girl Chocolate delivers. Made with high‑cacao dark chocolate plus magnesium and adaptogenic herbs, it satisfies your sweet tooth while supporting your mood and cycle 🍫💖.

💁♀️Girl Summary

Chocolate cravings around your period are real but multifaceted. Magnesium deficiencies, serotonin changes and cultural conditioning all play a role. Opt for high‑cacao chocolate rich in magnesium and mood‑boosting polyphenols, pair it with complex carbs and remember that cravings are nothing to be ashamed of 💕.

📚 Sources

• Washington Post – Many American women report chocolate cravings before menstruation washingtonpost.com
• Clearblue® – An article summarizing a 2014 study noted U.S. women are twice as likely as men to crave chocolate and that cravings peak about four days before a period; researchers found cultural and psychosocial factors matter more than hormone fluctuations clearblue.comclearblue.com
• Cleveland Clinic – Magnesium relaxes uterine muscles and decreases prostaglandins health.clevelandclinic.org; magnesium glycinate is best absorbed health.clevelandclinic.org
• Royal Institution – Dark chocolate is high in tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin rigb.org
• Cleveland Clinic – Polyphenols in dark chocolate lower cortisol and improve mood health.clevelandclinic.org