The health benefits of dark chocolate are a plenty but most of us are unaware about it. From being good for your heart to acting as an anti-depressant, dark chocolate promotes general wellness!
Yes it is! Knowing that our delicious chocolate, without which our lives were incomplete, has some serious health benefits is definitely good news. But to go one step further to pick and choose the chocolate we consume would yield even more health dividends. Pick a dark bar without any milk or milk solids, and one that contain at least 70% cocoa. Since most of them come with added sugars, make sure you practice portion control!
So what are the health benefits of dark chocolate? It is definitely a bundle of nutrition benefits! The flavanols act as active antioxidants. It is also the cocoa phenols, the kind of plant phenols that help in reducing blood pressure. Then lets not forget its fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese contents. It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. Considering all of the above, there are many miraculous healthy reasons to eat dark chocolate. Keep reading!
Dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant. Once the antioxidants attack the destructive free molecules that are associated with cancer, heart diseases and other serious ailment, the food product automatically becomes a hero. The flavinoids present in dark chocolate are more in number, than you would find in one of the most antioxidant rich foods – berries. Hence eating an appropriate amount of dark chocolate would not just help lowering the risk of heart diseases, but would also boost your immune system, metabolism and also some important brain functions!
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It lends a hand in weight loss
Thanks to the satiety you feel with every bite you take, eating dark chocolate reduces mindless cravings by controlling appetite and at the same time offering taste that only few foods can offer. The high antioxidant percentage in any food would anyway aid in weight loss. So one of the ways for women to lose weight without exercise is eating dark chocolate! Although, you should not make the mistake of confusing chocolate with a fat burner.
Yes, dark chocolate contains fats, but not all fats are bad. One of the nutritional facts for dark chocolate also serves a purpose – to help in weight loss! A dairy free bar of dark chocolate would contain more amount of monounsaturated fats than saturated fat, and that is important not just for the immune system but metabolism as well. So fasten your metabolism and cut back on subsequent meals, thus shedding a pound or two in the process.
Quick tip for all sweet-tooth addicts. Sink your teeth into dark chocolate rather than any other delicacy to consume number of calories with high amounts of fitness benefits of dark chocolate!
The fact is established that dark chocolate contains several chemical compounds that are conducive to general wellness. But did you also know that these substances have a positive effect on your mood? There are certain hormonal health benefits of dark chocolate as well. Eating dark chocolate brings a sense of calmness and contentment to a person’s demeanor, thanks to the polyphenols present in it. Savor all the feel-good endorphins in your body the next time you snack on your favorite dark chocolate. It plays the role of an anti-depressant as well as a mood-enhancer that further discourages mindless and psychological eating!
It lowers the risk for cardiovascular diseases
The benefits of dark chocolate for the heart are not just one. One of the most important ones is that it increases blood flow thus diminishing any possibility for any blood clots or blockages in the arteries. Then, it also helps to lower blood sugar levels naturally. High antioxidant levels kill all free radicals thus preventing heart diseases as well. Lowering ‘bad cholesterol’ levels is also one of its forte. On top of that, it delays the onset of diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity as well!
Since dark chocolate contains a good enough proportion of antioxidants, you can say goodbye to a lot of skin woes, one of them being premature aging. The flavonols can protect against sun-induced damage so eating a bit more amount of chocolate before you set off for a beach vacation would definitely help, according to studies. You can also trust the skin to remain moist, supple and healthy as the blood flow to the skin would also become smoother!
Fun fact: Since chocolate reduces stress levels, it comes in handy for expectant mothers not just for themselves, but for their newly borns too. If a pregnant woman loves to binge on chocolate, her baby would smile more often than the ones borne out if non-chocolate-eating parents. Interesting, isn’t it?
For every chocolate lover, moderation is the key. Also, the darker, the better! Eat small pieces of dark chocolate about two to three times a week so that you make the most of dark chocolate benefits without loading up on unnecessary calories!
