Who doesn't like a good chocolate bar? The good news is that some of it is beneficial to your health. While most people are aware that dark chocolate offers health advantages, most are unaware of what these benefits are or how they affect the body.
Dark chocolate, in fact, is one of the finest sources of antioxidants available. This delicious delicacy, made from cocoa tree seeds, decreases the risk of heart disease and is high in nutrients, including flavanols.
A List of the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
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- 1. Antioxidant Sources
- 2. Assists in maintaining a healthy blood flow and pressure
- 3. May Lower the Chances of Heart Disease
- 4. Could Aid in the Prevention of CVD, Stroke, and Diabetes
- 5. Reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the body
- 6. It has the potential to improve brain function.
- 7. May Assist in the Prevention of Depression
- 8. Packed with Nutrients
- 9. It's possible that it's a natural sunscreen.
1. Antioxidant Sources
Organic substances found in dark chocolate, such as flavanols, polyphenols, and catechins, are active in the body and serve as antioxidants. Cocoa has a high oxygen radical absorption capacity, which is a measure of antioxidant activity.
2. Assists in maintaining a healthy blood flow and pressure
The flavanols we discussed earlier may help maintain healthy blood flow by activating artery lining and creating nitric oxide, which sends signals to the arteries to relax. These relaxed arteries reduce blood flow resistance, which naturally lowers blood pressure. However, these benefits are minor at best, so if you have high blood pressure, dark chocolate will not help. More study is required in this area.
3. May Lower the Chances of Heart Disease
When cholesterol oxidises, it forms plaque in the arteries, which may lead to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains chemicals that protect the body from oxidation. Over the course of 15 years, one research revealed that cocoa lowered the chance of mortality from heart disease by 50%.
According to different research, consuming dark chocolate twice a week reduced hardened plaque in the arteries by 32%. It was shown that eating it more than five times a week reduced the risk of heart disease by 57 percent. When combined with almonds, it may add even more to lower harmful cholesterol levels.
4. Could Aid in the Prevention of CVD, Stroke, and Diabetes
It's not only heart disease either. According to research, dark chocolate may significantly lower the incidence of stroke. The research followed over 20,000 individuals for over ten years and discovered a substantial link between the two.
Chocolate has been linked to an increase in insulin resistance, which may lead to diabetes. It also boosts endothelial function, which aids in the maintenance of arterial health and so improves cardiovascular health.
Chocolate has such a favourable influence on human bodies that some specialists aren't sure whether it should be classified as food or medication.
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5. Reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the body
Lowering that poor cholesterol level is a health improvement in and of itself, even if it is mentioned in conjunction with other health advantages. When bad cholesterol combines with free radicals, it may cause damage to natural tissues such as arterial linings. The antioxidants in cocoa protect the body's lipoproteins against oxidation once they reach circulation.
6. It has the potential to improve brain function.
Dark chocolate is beneficial not only to your body but also to your brain. A five-day diet of dark chocolate boosted blood flow to the brain, according to research. Cocoa may help elderly persons with modest cognitive deficits enhance their cognitive function and even their language fluency over time. The stimulants in cocoa, such as caffeine and theobromine, are responsible for the short-term impacts on brain function.
7. May Assist in the Prevention of Depression
Chocolate may assist with more than just the physical brain. Theobromine, found in dark chocolate, may give an energy increase followed by a crash, while anandamide, found in chocolate, functions as a long-term mood and energy boost as well as a slow-burning relaxing booster.
Phenethylamine, which is also contained in dark chocolate, is another mood-enhancing molecule. This is metabolised into serotonin, which affects mood. Supplementing with phenylethylamine in chocolate might help you get back to your foundation requirements if you aren't producing enough. A study of almost 13,000 participants linked self-reported chocolate consumption with depressive symptoms and found that those who had dark chocolate in the previous 24 hours were 70% less likely to experience depression.
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8. Packed with Nutrients
In addition to all of these advantages, chocolate does not include the empty calories found in most desserts. It contains a decent amount of soluble fibre to aid digestion, two-thirds of your daily iron requirements, more than half of your magnesium requirements, and almost all of your manganese and copper requirements. Zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and potassium are also abundant. And, although chocolate has a lot of fat, the fats in it are generally beneficial since they are made up of oleic acid.
9. It's possible that it's a natural sunscreen.
Dark chocolate's bioactive ingredients may even benefit your skin. Its flavanols protect against UV damage while also enhancing skin density and hydration and improving blood flow. People who consumed dark chocolate for three months had a better degree of protection against UVB radiation, according to research. Even so, don't forget to use sunscreen when you go out. Chocolate isn't a replacement for proper skincare.
Of course, like with everything delicious, moderation is essential. A daily piece or two of dark chocolate offers several health advantages, but going overboard can cost you in terms of sugar and calories. It's important to remember that not all chocolate is healthy. Look for dark chocolate that has a cocoa level of 70% or greater. These include a little sugar but not a lot, and they have a lot more nutrition than your standard manufactured milk chocolatey treat. Have fun with your dessert!
