Chocolate's Effect on the Gut

According to a Switzerland study, there is more to the stomach than we think. Of course we all know that stomachs come in all different shapes and sizes, firmness and floppiness; but, what many do not know is the fact that certain stomachs need certain types of food...literally. And I know that my stomach is guilty as charged. And there are others of you out there like me; I know it! Those times when you need something sweet, something satisfying, and something immediately...something along the lines of chocolate. The study, funded by Nestle, shows that while everyone has certain microbes in their gut, the colonies of bacteria in those who deem themselves chocolate lovers are different than those who consider the food as undesirable. In order to come up with this explanation, researchers examined the by-products and urine of eleven chocolate-loving men with that of eleven non-chocolate eaters. These men were all healthy and given the same amount of food for five days straight. After the week’s trial period it was found that there were numerous substances that differed between the two test groups. Furthermore, these substances are believed to be linked with different types of bacteria. Basically, the type of bacteria in one’s gut dictates their preference for chocolate. Chocolate lovers will also be happy to note that those who consumed chocolate on a regular basis were found to have lower levels of “bad cholesterol,” or low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), which are usually present in the bloodstream in conjunction with a high-fat diet. While it has been known that bacteria in the intestine change when people lose weight, this study is the first to make a direct connection between the food people eat and the type of bacteria which reside in their gut. I always knew I had a gut feeling when it came to chocolate.