Okay you want some chocolate but you are not sure what to pick. Well the answer is easy it is dark chocolate. Here are some reasons why:
- Dark Chocolate can actually help lower your blood pressure if you eat small amounts in moderation two to three times per week. The catch is to balance the health benefits against how much sugar you are adding to your diet.
- Dark Chocolate can improve cognitive function. It’s brain food. It may also prevent arteriosclerosis.
- Dark Chocolate can actually help you if you are a diabetic. The flavonoids help reduce insulin resistance by allowing your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently.
- Dark Chocolate is full of antioxidants which can help prevent cancer and aging.
- Dark Chocolate can help you reduce cavities because it contains theobromine, which has been shown to harden tooth enamel.
- Dark Chocolate is high in vitamins and minerals including; potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron.[1]
- Dark Chocolate is a mood elevator and helps eliminate depression. It stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals that bring on feelings of pleasure. It also contains the chemical serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.[2]
- Dark Chocolate can protect your skin. “German researchers found that the flavonoids in dark chocolate absorb UV light, help protect and increase blood flow to the skin, and improve skin’s hydration and complexion.”[3]
- Dark Chocolate can help suppress coughs. Chocolate quieted coughs almost as well as codeine, thanks to the theobromine it contains according to one study. This chemical, responsible for chocolate’s feel-good effect, may suppress activity in a part of the brain called the vagus nerve. Maria Belvisi, a professor of respiratory pharmacology at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London, says, “It had none of the negative side effects.” [4]
- Dark Chocolate may help prevent or reduce mild diarrhea. In a study printed in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers tested the effects of cocoa extract and flavonoids on cell cultures that mimicked the lining of the intestine. Cocoa flavonoids appear to work by binding to and inhibiting a protein that regulates fluid secretion in the small intestines.[5] The concept is not new but one based on studies from ancient South American and European Cultures.
[1] 6 Health Benefits of Eating Dark Chocolate, FITDAY. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html
[2] 3 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate. Readers Digest. http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/3-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/
[3] Ibid
[4] Healthy Chocolate: 9 Health Benefits of Chocolate. Women’s Health. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/benefits-of-chocolate?page=8
[5] Schuier, M. Journal of Nutrition, October 2005; vol 135: pp 2320-2325. News release, Children’s Hospital & Research Center at Oakland