It’s easy to overindulge during the Easter weekend by eating one-too-many chocolate eggs and ending up in a chocolate-filled hole on the couch. As much as Easter is synonymous with all things chocolate, experts suggest that we should be thinking twice about consuming too much of it. This is because chocolate can be dehydrating without us realising it. To understand why, we've explored two explanations in this article.

Excessive Sugar Amounts

Have you ever felt thirsty after eating too much chocolate?

This is because sugar enters the bloodstream and begins to circulate through the body. As your kidneys start producing more urine to eliminate the sugar, your hydration levels decline, prompting your thirst mechanism to kick in. Caroline Apovian, MD, a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, says: “The reason has to do with a spike in your blood sugar levels. When you put sugar in your system, it first goes to your stomach, and then into your bloodstream”.

Once the sugar particles reach your bloodstream, your body carries water out of your cells to restore balance in your blood. As your cells lose water, they send signals to the brain indicating that they need more fluids. When you fail to listen to that vital signal, your body enters a dehydrated state.

Too Much Sodium

Eating chocolate high in salt, like a Salted Caramel flavour, wreaks havoc with your hydration levels as the high amount of sodium throws the body and the kidneys out of whack. A study from the University of Florida discovered that the brain releases endogenous opioids, a heroin-like chemical when you eat something sweet, salty or fatty. When the three of those are combined, it sends your brain into overdrive (source: Women’s Health).

In the study, scientists asked 150 participants to devour some salted caramel chocolate. They found that those who ate it experienced hedonic escalation: a phenomenon that causes your brain to keep craving more and more. Most foods cause a chemical reaction known as hedonic adaptation (when your appetite tells you that you’re full). With salted caramel chocolate, this doesn’t happen. As a result, you’re consuming too much sodium and increasing your risk of dehydration.

Hydrate Well Over Easter

While there’s no harm in tucking into an Easter egg or two over the weekend, it’s important to drink enough hydrating fluids to prevent your body from entering dehydration. iPRO Hydrate is a low-sugar healthy hydration drink, made from natural spring water and sweetened with premium Stevia plant extract. Just one bottle of iPRO Hydrate contains a daily dose of vitamin C and the vitamin B complex (B5, B6, B7, and B12) for a strong immune system. You can purchase a multi-case in Mango, Orange and Pineapple, Citrus Blend, and Berry Mix flavours at iPRO.Run, with a 25% discount just in time for Easter!