Many people love to eat chocolate although there are many reasons not to, including weight gain and health issues. While it might seem like people are genetically programmed to prefer chocolate, recent research may prove otherwise. In previous research, there has been a link discovered between pain relief and eating chocolate. In recent months, the effect of blunting the feeling of pain has also been shown when drinking water. University of Chicago Study This most recent study was conducted by University of Chicago neurobiology research associate Hayley Foo and neurology professor Peggy Mason. The study used a light bulb to create heat to produce a pain response in rats that were standing on it. Under normal circumstances, the lit bulb would cause the rats to lift their paws in response to the pain that they felt. The study showed that this response was slowed when the rats were eating chocolate chips or drinking water that was either sweet or plain. Interesting enough, the sweetness itself did not seem to have an effect on whether or not this pain response was slowed. Natural Pain Relief This form of natural pain relief works even when there is absolutely no appetite. In fact, the effect is not at all about hunger or appetite. Researcher Mason stated: “If you have all this food in front of you that's easily available to reach out and get, you're not going to stop eating, for basically almost any reason.” In the wild, this effect may help animals to avoid being distracted while eating necessary calories that are scarce. However, in today's society, the effect may be contributing to both overeating and the resulting obesity issues. Chocolate vs. Water There was no statistically significant difference seen between when the rat was eating a chocolate chip, drinking saccharine water or drinking water with nothing in it. This demonstrates that drinking plain water can help to provide protection against pain. Conclusions The conclusions of this study show that proper hydration is even more important than was originally thought. This is especially true during times of illness and stress. When it comes to hydration, it is extremely important that we drink enough water each and every day. Research has shown that proper hydration plays an important role in health, weight loss, weight maintenance and even pain relief. To ensure you stay hydrated download our free Drink Alarm App to help monitor your water intake.