I subscribe to multiple newsletters that help me keep up with the world of brain science. A few of these newsletters include scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals, and reading these newsletters helps make one aware that not all studies are worth paying much attention to, some are life changing, and some are just plain fun to read.

Today’s issue of Neuroscience News is one of those good-to-read-on-a-Friday types of articles. It includes a study on the consumption of chocolate that is just plain fun and good to know.  The study, conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and published in the Federation of American Societies for Biological Studies, indicates that chocolate consumption in the morning may help the body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels for menopausal women. The study showed that despite increased caloric consumption, the added chocolate (and it was milk chocolate they used) led to increased burning of fat and decreased desire for other sweets throughout the day. Evening chocolate consumption appeared to improve energy levels the next morning.

The study’s findings that even 500 extra calories of daily chocolate consumption did not lead to weight gain and instead lead to improved fasting glucose levels is nice news for a Friday morning. They also noted that their results are consistent with outcomes in similar studies.

It’s a shame that the study did not include measurements of the impact of chocolate on the study participants’ stress levels, but I think chocolate lovers already know what they might have found. Happy weekend, everyone!

You can read the actual study here and the Neuroscience News summary here.