guest post by isabella lovett
How Can Chocolate Transform the Feel and Ambience of Your Home?
Around 66% of people surveyed by OnePoll said that the food they eat greatly depends on their mood—and we all know that chocolate is one of America’s most popular comfort foods. Study after study has shown that chocolate enhances cognitive function and lifts our mood. This is why, when we feel a little tired or under the weather, one of the first things our body craves is the melt-in-the-mouth goodness of a Baconluxious chocolate bar, a warm cup of drinking chocolate, or a gooey brownie. If you want to lift the energy levels of everyone else in your home, get creative and rely on the power of chocolate to add a cozy, appealing ambience that will make your house feel more like home.
Tapping into the Aroma of Chocolate
When you walk into a coffee shop and you smell the delicious aroma of coffee or cocoa beans, your heart probably does a little dance of delight. Pleasant smells improve behavior and boost positive emotions, so make sure your home smells like chocolate, especially when someone you love is feeling stressed. There are many ways to fill your home with this appealing aroma. You can make cups of hot cocoa for everyone, bake a batch of chocolate cookies, burn a chocolate-scented candle, or add chocolate essential oil to potpourri or an essential oil diffuser. If you do opt for essential oils, make sure you use a top-quality, organically produced oil that does not contain synthetic ingredients.
Bringing Kids into the Kitchen
Adults are not the only home dwellers who need a little stress relief sometimes. Kids, too, can feel anxious, especially if they are undergoing major life changes such as a divorce or loss in the family, or a move to a new city. In fact, studies have shown that children who undergo this type of change frequently can be more prone to depression. This is why parents should highlight the benefits of change, take kids to fun places, and organize fun family activities. If you have just moved into a new home, help kids adapt to new surroundings by enlisting their culinary talents in the kitchen. Let each child choose a chocolate recipe you can try out every weekend. One recipe that is a big hit with kids and is super easy to make is Wacky Cake (an egg- and dairy-free recipe that is moist and irresistible). Know that you will be doing them a world of good. Recent studies have shown that people who are highly stressed obtain much relief from eating chocolate daily for around two weeks.
Chocolate Inspired Decor
The appeal of chocolate goes way beyond its taste and aroma. For many, one of the most attractive aspects of chocolate is its appearance. Pinterest contains a host of wonderful chocolate-inspired design ideas. These include ‘chocolate walls’ (featuring chocolate brown pain that ‘drips down’ a brick or other wall in a neutral color such as white). Additional ideas include sliding doors that look like chocolate bars, lamps shaped like popular chocolate, hyperreal paintings of chocolate, and candy bar-shaped chairs and beds.
Chocolate is one of America’s favorite foods. With research showing it can help boost the mood and battle stress, it is a great snack to treat yourself with. Chocolate can also increase your positivity at home. Fill your interiors with the aroma of cocoa beans, bake tasty desserts in your kitchen, and rely on chocolate-inspired paint effects, furniture, and decorative items.
