Dark Chocolate

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy? : Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are: * Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. * Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent. Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart: * it tastes good * it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure * it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant * it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat? : Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid: * Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil. Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol. * Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk. That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you. Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories: This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3. 5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits. One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories.

If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same. Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate: Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.

Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content. Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat: You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk: It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body. Next Anti-Aging Food: Avocados While chocolate is regularly eaten for pleasure, there are potential beneficial health effects of eating chocolate. Cocoa or dark chocolate benefits the circulatory system. [49] commonly comes in dark, milk, and white varieties, with cocoa solids contributing we use the luxuriously smooth Belgian chocolate, and it is organic too.

Belgian chocolate is very different to common chocolate, in that Belgian chocolate uses all the cocoa bean rather than substituting other ingredients. The result is a smooth and full flavoured chocolate that is actually good for your health. once described as the "food of the god's" Chocolate is such a wonderful thing, healthy and pleasurable. the secret is to eat better chocolate, not more chocolate. FOR skin: Chocolate increases the skin's ability to block the damaging rays of sun light. Chocolate doubles the blood flow to the skin. elp protect it from sun damage skin that is moister, smoother, better-looking, and more resistant to damage from the sun’s burning UV rays. eating dark chocolate can help you lose weight  FOR children: What is more important than your children's health? And as a parent how difficult is it to make sure what your child is eating is healthy? With obesity statistics hitting record highs, we need to think differently on how to provide the healthiest products for our children. A daily supply of one of these dark chocolates is the equivalent to your child eating 13 lbs (5. kg) of tomatoes or 7 lbs of spinach. Feel Good Benefits In addition to preventing chronic illness and being healthy for your heart, dark chocolate also makes you feel good. One way it makes you feel good is simply from the way it tastes – most people think it's delicious! However, dark chocolate also stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure and contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant. Some people report that the feel good benefits of dark chocolate are incredibly strong and immediate upon consumption. A significantly large

There are significant health benefits to dark chocolate. According to research studies, chocolate provides clues to fighting disease. Your health and well-being can be enhanced while you savor and enjoy chocolate. Below, you’ll see how research involving chocolate consumption can help conditions such as high cholesterol, heart disease and high blood pressure. Chocolate and Cancer The same antioxidants found in wine and green tea are found in raw cacao and dark chocolate. Antioxidants protect cells from toxins, slow the growth of cancer cells, and help reduce cancer risks and heart disease.

The greater the amount of cacao contained in chocolate, the more antioxidants it has. (Note: White chocolate does not contain antioxidants, so look for dark chocolate instead). Chocolate and Cholesterol While many foods high in saturated fats are known to raise cholesterol levels, studies have shown that chocolate consumption does not. This is due to the type of saturated fat  chocolate contains. Less harmful saturated fat in one’s diet means plaque that can gather in the arteries. In fact, studies have shown that dark chocolate may in fact boost good cholesterol.

Chocolate and Depression The fat naturally found in chocolate helps provide a feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction, releasing mood-enhancing endorphins. Chocolate also may help relieve symptoms of anxiety. It  is thought to have an opiate effect  that may help improve mood. A study conducted on patients who were depressed showed that the dark chocolate provided relief from their symptoms. Chocolate and Circulation Since the chemicals in dark chocolate help prevent the formation blood platelets, the chance of blood clots is minimized.

In addition, blood pressure may be lowered with a regular consumption of dark chocolate each day. This is a result of the flavonoids present in cacao that help with circulation. Keep in mind that flavonoids are lower in milk chocolate than dark chocolate. How Much Chocolate Can You Have? Include 1 ounce of dark chocolate per day to your diet. Select your chocolate carefully, ensuring that there are no refined sugars or hydrogenated oils, which have undesirable health effects. Also, look for  a high percentage of cacao (70% or above).

Remember that chocolate does have calories, so make necessary modifications to your calorie intake A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away Eating a small, 1. 6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you. Very good for you Many people don't realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart While a little dark chocolate is good, a lot is not better. Chocolate still is loaded with calories. If you're going to eat more chocolate, you'll have to cut back somewhere else.

And remember that a balanced diet -- and plenty of exercise -- is still the key to heart health. Do you live a dark chocolate life, like I do? Do you feel that if the chocolate is not dark, it's not worth it? Or that the darker the chocolate, the better? Does every day usually include at least one little piece of the dark stuff? If this describes you, then you have arrived at the right place! If you're trying to lose weight, or maintain your health and just simply love chocolate say this means eating dark chocolate may be an efficient way to keep your weight down over Christmas.

Cite this page