What Makes Chocolate Healthy Anyway?
Everyone knows that chocolate is yummy, but why is chocolate healthy for you? According to the latest studies, chocolate has key ingredients that make these delectable treats not only savory, but good for your health. To reap the most rewards, you’ll need to eat dark chocolate, which is no problem for any chocolate connoisseur! Dark chocolate is often most preferred by most chocoholics!
Chocolate is made from cacao beans, a rich source of phenols and flavonoids, (beneficial plant compounds), that are also found in colorful fruits and vegetables, red wine, and green tea. Chocolate also contains essential trace elements, minerals and vitamins such as iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, as well as many other nutrients. Cocoa powder is also the highest known natural source of magnesium. In moderation, chocolate contains more antioxidant power than does red wine.
The Aztecs referred to chocolate as 'nourishment of the Gods'. Chocolate contains chemicals that have a positive effect on neurotransmitters in the brain and a caffeine-related substance called theobromine. Cocoa is the key ingredient in chocolate that makes chocolate healthy for you! Cocoa can lower blood pressure, help with muscle recovery after exercise, improve skin quality, and provide antioxidants that are essential to good health. Of course, consuming more chocolate than you need isn’t healthy for you! You’ll need to savor small amounts of chocolate to get the most benefits! The compounds found in chocolate, help maintain health only when you consume smaller portions. If you’re able to restrict yourself to a small daily serving, there are heart healthy benefits too! Cocoa improves blood flow, makes blood platelets much less sticky which helps prevent blood clotting, and lowers LDL levels. (the bad cholesterol) Cocoa helps reduce inflammation by providing essential antioxidants to your body. It also helps protect the heart and arteries from oxidative damage, similar to rust that develops on metal over time. To make chocolate healthy though, you need to eat dark chocolate. Why dark chocolate? The dark color indicates that it's got more flavonoids in it. Milk chocolate is just not as healthy for you. Milk can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb the antioxidants that cocoa provides. Milk can negate the potential health benefits. Unfortunately, you won’t get the antioxidant benefits by eating milk chocolate, or dark chocolate consumed with a glass of milk. Just a nibble or two of dark chocolate once a day gives you the most health benefits and keeps chocolate healthy for you. Many people love white chocolate too, but does it have the powerful health punch that dark chocolate does? White chocolate, though quite delicious, doesn't have the health benefits of that makes dark chocolate healthy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, the ingredient that makes dark chocolate so good for you! More Chocolate Healthy Benefits
Prescription drugs, such as sedatives or tranquilizers, are commonly prescribed for depression. These drugs can deplete or interfere with calcium and magnesium absorption in your body. Milk chocolate is also packed with unhealthy sugars and fats that can actually increase depression over time. So make dark chocolate your choice. Choose a quality, dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content. Chocolate is also healthy for your period! Ladies, do you find that you crave chocolate around the time of your period? It’s no wonder that you do! Menstruation depletes your cells of Magnesium. Since chocolate is packed with magnesium, go ahead and splurge. Your body is craving it for good reason! In another study, British researchers found that people get more of ‘a buzz’ from eating chocolate than from a passionate kiss. In the study, researchers placed electrodes on a group of young couples in their 20’s. They were tested for heart rate and brain activity when eating dark chocolate and when kissing their partners. Researchers were amazed at the results. Both heart rate and brain activity increased far more while they were eating chocolate. Furthermore, all areas of the brain were stimulated when the chocolate melted on their tongues. Kissing did increase heart rate, but not for nearly as long. Since the average bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories, moderation is key when adding chocolate to your diet. To keep chocolate healthy for you, moderation is key! If your chocolate bar has more than just chocolate, like nuts or caramel, it has more calories. The best way to consume chocolate is to have one small piece of really good dark chocolate once a day! Chocolates made in Europe are generally richer in cocoa phenols than those made in the U.S. So buy imported chocolate when possible!
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