Chocolate, Hormones, and Cravings: What Your Body Is Actually Asking For

When I think back on my nutrition career, I can confidently say I’ve had phases.

There was my ‘everything must be organic era. My ‘protein in everything era'

And yes… My chocolate is the enemy era

And if I’m being honest? Chocolate cravings were absolutely my gateway into dieting harder.

I used to believe that if I just controlled sugar enough, avoided it long enough or had enough discipline, the cravings would disappear.

Spoiler: they didn’t. They got louder.

Making peace with chocolate and cravings in general has been one of the most freeing parts of my own journey and my work with clients.

Because here’s what I know now that I didn’t know back then:

Chocolate cravings are not about weakness

They’re about biology

And understanding that changes everything

So while ‘ditch sugar’ content is always trending, I want to give you something more grounded. In my years of working with women’s hormones, blood sugar patterns and real-life eating habits, here’s what I wish more people understood about chocolate cravings.

Chocolate Cravings: What Your Body Might Actually Be Asking For

If you crave chocolate around your period, that is not random.

In the second half of your cycle, progesterone rises. Your body temperature increases slightly. Your metabolism ticks up. You actually need more energy during this time.

If you don’t eat a little more? Your body will ask for it. And it usually asks in the form of quick, appealing energy. Chocolate fits that description beautifully.

There’s also the magnesium conversation.

Dark chocolate contains magnesium, a mineral involved in muscle relaxation and nervous system regulation. Stress depletes magnesium. PMS can make you more sensitive to stress.

So sometimes that craving is your body saying:I’m tiredI’m tenseI need support

Not: I have no self control

Now let’s talk about blood sugar 

If your day looks like coffee for breakfast, a rushed lunch, and grazing through the afternoon, your blood sugar likely spikes and crashes. When it drops, your brain wants fast fuel and sugar is fast fuel.

That 4 p.m. ‘I need chocolate immediately’ moment?Very often a blood sugar dip.

And then there’s restriction.

When chocolate is labeled ‘bad’ or ‘off limits’ your brain registers scarcity and scarcity increases desire. The more you tell yourself you can’t have it, the more powerful it feels.

Back when I only allowed myself clean desserts or dark chocolate above a certain percentage, I wasn’t at peace with chocolate. I was controlling it and control always backfires.

Today, the intention is different.

Chocolate is not something to outsmart but it’s something to understand.

Why Chocolate Isn’t the Problem

Chocolate itself isn’t destabilizing your hormones.

Under-eating is

Skipping meals is

Chronic stress is

Poor sleep is

Overtraining is

If your nervous system is exhausted and your blood sugar is inconsistent, cravings will be intense. If your meals are balanced and your body feels safe, cravings soften naturally.

That’s the shift.

How to Make Cravings Less Intense Without Cutting Chocolate Out

Instead of eliminating chocolate, build meals that make your body feel steady.

Start with protein at breakfast. Eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, cottage cheese, whatever works for you.

Include carbohydrates intentionally. Rice, potatoes, oats, fruit. Carbs are not the villain in this story. They stabilize energy when paired properly.

Add fats for satisfaction. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, nut butter.

Eat regularly. Not perfectly. Just consistently.

When your blood sugar stays steady, your brain doesn’t scream for sugar later.

And here’s something important: If you want chocolate, have chocolate.

But have it in a way that feels calm. After a balanced meal. Sitting down. Not rushed. Not as a last supper before starting over tomorrow.

Permission removes urgency.

A Quick Note About PMS Cravings

You may need slightly more calories in the week before your period. That is normal. Adding a little more food proactively can prevent the intense ‘why am I starving? feeling at night.

Your metabolism does not shut down during that phase. It increases slightly. Your body is working. Honor that.

The Bottom Line

Chocolate cravings are feedback

They might be about magnesiumThey might be about blood sugarThey might be about under-eatingThey might be about stressThey might simply be about pleasure and that’s allowed too

The goal isn’t to eliminate cravings. It’s to understand them.

When you stop fighting your body and start supporting it, things calm down. Energy steadies. Even chocolate becomes less dramatic.

That’s a much better place to live than constantly negotiating with yourself over a square of something sweet.

Some of my favorite ways to include chocolate in a balanced way:

-Dark chocolate with almonds after dinner

-Greek yogurt with cocoa powder and berries

-A square of milk chocolate alongside a handful of nuts

-Cacao in oatmeal with nut butter

-A proper dessert on a weekend without turning it into a ‘cheat’

Notice none of those involve guilt.

That’s intentional.

Cravings don’t mean you’re broken. They mean your body is communicating.

Listen first. Adjust second. Restrict never.

I’ll keep talking about this because it matters. I hope this helps you start seeing chocolate differently.