Chocolate is one of the guilty pleasures for many of us. We love to enjoy our pizzas, milk shakes, chips and some chocolate. Or you might just want to eat few bites of chocolate many days in week to feel good or just enjoy the taste.
Well, unlike pizzas and chips dark chocolates is something you do not have to be guilty about. Because you can enjoy the chocolate and gain some benefits from it. Yes! It’s a win win situation.
Let us look at a few health benefits of this magic bar called dark chocolate
Dark chocolate and cardiovascular health
Dark chocolates are high in flavonoids and a particular one called flavanols helps to reduce risk of heart diseases.
Studies show that people who eat dark chocolate had lower levels of LDL cholesterol which is said to be a bad kind of cholesterol.
The flavanols in dark chocolate high blood pressure and cholesterol and reduces the heart diseases.
Lifts your mood
What dark chocolate does when we say it changes your mood is, it stimulates the endorphins produce in your body; it is a chemical that creates a feeling of pleasure.
A study reported that within 24 hours of consuming dark chocolate, the chances of being depressed gets reduced by 70%. Participants who consumed white chocolate didn’t show this same effect.
Dark chocolate helps to regulate insulin
Insulin resistance is a condition that happens when the cells doesn’t respond to insulin in your body. This causes prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
A study shows that eating dark chocolate (70% cocoa) help lower the glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance.
Dark Chocolate, an antioxidant
It has many compounds which has antioxidant. Flavanols and polyphenols are two compounds in dark chocolate that has antioxidant properties; these wards off free radicals to prevent oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress may lead to other diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and others. It speeds the natural aging process as well.
Your dark chocolate is helping you prevent aging!
Dark chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation can cause a damage to cells and tissues in body resulting in increased risk certain medical conditions.
Having a piece (30-40g) of dark chocolate every day reduces inflammation in your body. More studies are needed to prove that dark chocolate works as an anti-inflammatory food.
Benefits your skin
Dark chocolate is full of beneficiary nutrients like copper, iron, magnesium to name a few. Manganese aids collagen production that keeps skin healthy.
The antioxidants present in dark chocolate helps to improve the elasticity of skin that is exposed to skin, according to a study of nutrition journal.
Cognitive functions
Dark chocolate may boost your brain functions. The falvanols that’s this chocolate has improves the blood flow towards your brain. It penetrates and accumulates in the brain which works towards learning and memory.
Several studies including participants having dark and white chocolate shows that the young adults consuming dark chocolate have better memory and reaction time than those who consumed white chocolate.
Your dark chocolate bar is nutritious!
We saw the number of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits of dark chocolate. Hence, it is super nutritious and delicious as well.
One bar of dark chocolate (100g) that is 70-85% cocoa has
- 98% manganese RDI (Reference daily intake)
- 89% copper
- 58% magnesium
- 11g fiber
- 67% iron
and some amount of phosphorus, zinc and selenium.
Conclusion
Your dark chocolate bar is full of health benefits in terms of physical and mental health. However, dark chocolate when had in moderation is proven to improve health; excess of dark chocolates can lead to gaining lot of calories and other bad effects on your health. Have a piece or two once a day or you can have it at alternate days. Find your favorite dark chocolate bar and savor it!
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