7 delicious health benefits of eating dark chocolate
By Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. It provides essential minerals and may even help protect you from heart disease. However, moderation is important because it can be high in sugar, fat, and calories.
1. High in essential nutrients
Dark chocolate provides healthy amounts of all of these healthy nutrients:
- Fiber
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Selenium
2. Powerful source of antioxidants
Chocolate is considered rich in antioxidants, although honestly, that process happens more effectively in a test tube and does not always show the same degree of antioxidant activity in the human body. There is not enough conclusive evidence of that effect.
The biologically active antioxidants are polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, and some others. The polyphenols may help lower some forms of LDL (bad) cholesterol when combined with other foods like almonds.
3. Raises HDL cholesterol and protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation
Dark chocolate may protect against high cholesterol. In one study, dark chocolate with lycopene significantly decreased levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Some forms of LDL cholesterol oxidize by reacting with free radicals in your body, which enables LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) particles to damage tissues, such as the lining of the arteries in your heart.
The flavanols in dark chocolate can reduce insulin resistance, but dark chocolate high in sugar can have the opposite effect.
4. May lower blood pressure
The flavonoids in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium which lines arteries to produce nitric oxide (NO). One of the functions of NO is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers resistance to blood flow and reduces blood pressure.
Many controlled studies show that cocoa or dark chocolate can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, although the effects are usually mild. It is possible, however that people who are already receiving treatment for high blood pressure may not get any additional benefit from adding cocoa flavanols to their diet. More research is needed.
5. May reduce heart disease risk
The compounds in dark chocolate appear to be highly protective against the oxidation of LDL. Long term, this should cause less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, decreasing the risk of heart disease. The effect can be significant.
A review of studies showed that eating chocolate three times per week lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 9%. Eating chocolate more often showed little additional benefit.
Another review suggested that eating 45 grams of chocolate per week lowers cardiovascular disease risk by 11%. Consuming more than 100 grams per week does not appear to produce health benefits.
6. May protect your skin from the Sun
The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin.
The flavanols can protect against sun damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.
The minimal erythemal dose (MED) is the minimum amount of UVB rays required to cause redness in the skin 24 hours after exposure. Studies have shown that MED can increase and even double after consuming high-flavanol dark chocolate or cocoa for 12 weeks. The result is that your skin has better protection from the Sun.
Remember, though, that chocolate cannot replace sunscreen and other forms of sun protection.
7. Could improve brain function
Studies show that eating high flavanol cocoa can improve blood flow to the brain in young adults. This may explain why eating cocoa daily appears to improve attention, verbal learning, and memory.
Cocoa flavonoids may also help maintain cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and reduce the chance of progressing to dementia. But more research is needed.
Additionally, cocoa contains stimulant substances like caffeine and theobromine, which may be a key reason it can improve brain function in the short term.
Source: Study Finds
Dr. Coleman is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and holds a BA in journalism from UNM. She completed her family practice residency at Wm. Beaumont Hospital, Troy and Royal Oak, MI, consistently ranked among the United States Top 100 Hospitals by US News and World Report. Dr. Coleman writes on health, medicine, family, and parenting for online information services and educational materials for health care providers.
Image: Pixabay
Source: https://www.naturalblaze.com/2024/09/7-delicious-health-benefits-of-eating-dark-chocolate.html
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex
HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary new Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula.
This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting.
Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link, or the Banner Below.
Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...
It’s OXYGENATED
It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH
Preservative and Chemical Free
Allergen Free
Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source
Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals
Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents
Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons
Is a Full Spectrum Complex
Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.
Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Online: | |
| Visits: | 1,635,868,760 |
| Stories: | 8,238,197 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
