Introduction
Chocolate is one of the most beloved treats in the world. It is often associated with indulgence and pleasure, but it can also be a healthy part of your diet. In fact, there are many health benefits of chocolate that make it a great snack choice. From improving heart health to boosting your mood, here are six health benefits of chocolate that you should know about.
6 Health Benefits of Chocolate
Chocolate is a delicious treat that has been enjoyed for centuries. But did you know that it can also be good for your health? Here are 6 health benefits of chocolate.
1. Rich in Antioxidants
Chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. This can help reduce your risk of developing certain diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
2. May Lower Blood Pressure
Studies have shown that eating dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure. This is due to the flavonoids found in dark chocolate, which can help relax the walls of your arteries and improve blood flow.
3. May Improve Brain Function
Eating chocolate can help improve your brain function. This is due to the flavonoids found in chocolate, which can help improve memory, focus, and reaction time.
4. May Help Reduce Stress
Eating chocolate can help reduce stress levels. This is due to the presence of tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood.
5. May Help Lower Cholesterol
Studies have shown that eating dark chocolate can help lower cholesterol levels. This is due to the presence of flavonoids, which can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the body.
6. May Help Improve Skin Health
Eating chocolate can help improve your skin health. This is due to the presence of flavonoids, which can help protect your skin from sun damage and reduce inflammation.
As you can see, there are many health benefits of chocolate. So, the next time you’re craving something sweet, reach for a piece of dark chocolate instead!
Chocolate lovers all over the place rejoice! Study the important thing well being advantages of chocolate and which kind packs a wholesome punch! Plus, is it actually an aphrodisiac?
Desk of Contents
- What’s cocoa?
- 1) Improved lipids
- 2) Blood stress help
- 3) Blood thinning advantages
- 4) Blood sugar help
- 5) Mind advantages
- 6) Temper enhance
- Is chocolate an aphrodisiac?
- Quantity wanted to reap the advantages?
- Wholesome methods to include chocolate
- Are there any cons?
- Take house message
Analysis exhibits chocolate can enhance triglycerides, ldl cholesterol, blood stress, blood circulation, blood sugar regulation, cognition, and temper. And a few declare chocolate is an aphrodisiac. However don’t begin gorging on Hershey’s bars simply but.
Not all forms of chocolate result in these wonderful advantages. Analysis exhibits darkish chocolate merchandise wealthy in cocoa or, extra particularly, wealthy in cocoa flavanols is the place you reap the rewards.
What’s cocoa?
Cocoa is a non-fat powder floor from roasted cacao beans (from the Theobroma cacao tree). Sizzling chocolate is made by heating cocoa with milk or water (plus some sugar). Chocolate is a mixture of cocoa, cocoa butter (fats from the cacao bean), and sugar. Darkish chocolate is especially excessive in flavanols. It’s thought most of the well being advantages of chocolate are as a consequence of its flavanols.
Flavanols are a sort of phytochemical – plant nutrient with well being advantages. Extra particularly, flavanols are a subclass of phytochemicals referred to as polyphenols, that are additionally present in berries, tea, and wine.
1) Improved lipids
Cocoa powder and darkish chocolate seem to help wholesome lipids (triglycerides, ldl cholesterol) ranges. Quite a few research have proven enhancements in lipids. One examine discovered a 21% discount in females’ triglyceride ranges, consuming 41 grams of excessive polyphenol darkish chocolate every day for 6-weeks.
Darkish chocolate and cocoa powder have been proven to extend HDL-cholesterol (the protecting kind) and cut back LDL-cholesterol (dangerous when excessive). Moreover, quite a few research have discovered a lower in LDL oxidation. When LDL is oxidized, it’s extra more likely to get trapped within the arteries and result in plaque buildup. One examine discovered that cocoa inhibited the oxidation of LDL by 75%!
2) Blood stress help
A number of research have proven enhancements in blood stress. One examine in contrast 100 grams (3.5 oz) of darkish chocolate wealthy in polyphenols with white chocolate (90 grams), which has low to no polyphenols, for 15 days. The researchers discovered a discount in blood stress in these consuming the darkish chocolate solely.
A part of this discount is probably going as a consequence of darkish chocolate’s capability to chill out the blood vessels (vasodilation). When the blood vessel is extra relaxed, blood flows extra simply, blood stress is lowered, and the guts doesn’t should work as exhausting (1, 2). This reduces the chance of damage within the blood vessels and reduces the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke.
3) Blood thinning advantages
Darkish chocolate additionally protects the cardiovascular system by lowering platelet aggregation (clumping collectively of platelets). Platelets are small blood cells that assist the physique kind clots. Platelets are great once they kind a clot and a reduce stops bleeding. However, they aren’t so nice once they begin clumping collectively and kind a clot in an artery (blood vessel), which may result in a coronary heart assault or stroke.
Antiplatelet drugs (blood thinners), like aspirin or Plavix, make the blood much less sticky and stop clots from forming within the arteries. Curiously, analysis has proven aspirin-like results in simply hours after consuming a cocoa powder beverage. Cocoa seems to have an antiplatelet aggregation impact. Fairly wonderful! (3, 2, 4).
4) Blood sugar help
Who would have thought that chocolate might help blood sugar (glucose)? Darkish chocolate has been proven to enhance insulin sensitivity and cut back insulin resistance. This implies blood sugar (glucose) can get into the cells extra simply, so blood sugar ranges will lower (2).
One examine discovered enhancements in insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity after members ate darkish chocolate bars (100 grams) for 15 days. The researchers didn’t see this impact in members consuming 90-gram white chocolate bars (1).
5) Mind advantages
Research present improved blood circulation and cognition in folks consuming cocoa flavanols. One examine discovered members consuming a flavanol-rich cocoa beverage had improved cognition and temper. This profit coincided with a rise in blood circulation. The cognitive results had been seen in 90 minutes after volunteers drank the flavanol-rich cocoa beverage and peaked in 2-hours (5).
How chocolate improves mind well being just isn’t utterly understood. Probably, cocoa excessive in flavanols helps mind operate by elevated nitric oxide, enhancing blood circulation, reducing blood stress, enhancing insulin sensitivity, lowering platelet aggregation, and enhancing how the arteries operate.
Moreover, antioxidant exercise, lowered oxidative stress, and lowered irritation help mind well being. Different elements, along with the flavanols (e.g., caffeine, theobromine, magnesium), may produce the cognitive results of chocolate (5).
6) Temper enhance
Does chocolate make you smile? For many individuals, chocolate is a go-to temper enhancer. A part of that is as a result of sugar, in fact. The candy style shortly prompts the mind’s pleasure middle. Pleasure chemical substances like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins launch once we eat chocolate. We might even begin releasing dopamine with simply the considered chocolate (6, 7, 5). Temper results of sugar-filled chocolate may be fast. When blood sugar drops, temper can drop with it. Additionally, when chocolate is overeaten, guilt usually units in too.
If you would like a longer-lasting temper enhance, persist with darkish chocolate. Darkish chocolate stands out for its mood-enhancing impact due to its distinctive ingredient make-up. One examine discovered US adults that ate darkish chocolate had been much less more likely to report melancholy, which wasn’t seen in folks consuming non-dark chocolate. One other examine discovered that individuals who ate darkish chocolate had a 70% decrease likelihood of reporting melancholy signs (7).
Darkish chocolate accommodates psychoactive elements embrace caffeine, theobromine, anandamide, phenylethylamine (PEA), and flavanols.
- Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that improves alertness and reduces fatigue. In a 3.5 oz darkish chocolate bar, it’s possible you’ll get the equal quantity of caffeine acquired in a cola.
- Theobromine can result in results much like caffeine.
- Anandamide results in emotions of euphoria and happiness.
- PEA is regarded as necessary in regulating temper.
Researchers aren’t certain if these psychoactive elements are excessive sufficient to create a mood-altering impact. Nevertheless, the flavanols might have a longer-lasting impact on temper. It’s well-known that flavanols cut back irritation, and irritation is related to melancholy and nervousness (7).
Is chocolate an aphrodisiac?
Some folks imagine chocolate is an aphrodisiac. Sadly, science hasn’t discovered this to be true. A few chemical substances in chocolate have been linked to the so-called aphrodisiac results – tryptophan and phenylethylamine (PEA).
Tryptophan is an amino acid that’s used to construct the pleasure chemical serotonin. PEA is produced within the mind when somebody is in love. Sadly, ranges of tryptophan and PEA don’t seem to extend considerably from consuming chocolate.
Quantity wanted to reap the advantages?
Sadly, analysis doesn’t present the identical well being advantages from milk chocolate or white chocolate. Their polyphenol ranges are simply too low. And, they’re loaded with sugar! Stick to cocoa powder or darkish chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa if you wish to help your well being. These merchandise are the richest in polyphenols (flavanols).
Many research have used a each day consumption of 100g (3.5 oz) of darkish chocolate. It is a lot of chocolate that’s not calorie-free. For instance, a 3.5 oz Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Twilight Delight bar has a whopping 520 energy (8).
Fortunately, some research have discovered well being advantages with smaller quantities of darkish chocolate. Analysis has proven elevated antioxidant standing, improved vasodilation, improved blood circulation, and blood-thinning results with 40 grams of darkish chocolate (~1.5 oz, ~240 energy, 4 2-inch squares), and enhancements in ldl cholesterol have been seen with simply 22 grams of cocoa powder (1/4 cup, ~50 energy).
Consuming smaller quantities of cocoa-rich darkish chocolate and utilizing cocoa powder, you possibly can cut back energy and reap well being advantages.
Wholesome methods to include chocolate
- Darkish chocolate lined berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
- Darkish chocolate lined cherries
- Darkish chocolate lined almonds
- Darkish chocolate bar with 70% or extra cocoa
- Sizzling chocolate made with cocoa powder
- Darkish chocolate mocha with cocoa powder
- Chocolate smoothie made with cocoa powder
- Chocolate pudding made with cocoa powder
- Darkish chocolate peanut butter cup
- Darkish chocolate chip cookies with 70% cocoa chips
Bear in mind that harsh processing of the cocoa bean can destroy the polyphenols. For instance, Dutch processing or Dutching can considerably cut back flavanol content material (9, 10, 2).
Are there any cons?
Sadly, there are a couple of cons.
- Energy. As talked about, chocolate merchandise are sometimes wealthy in energy, sugar, and fats. Though darkish chocolate merchandise are sometimes decrease in sugar, they nonetheless present a healthy dose of energy and fats. Learn your meals label and eat carefully.
- Caffeine. Caffeine happens naturally within the cocoa bean; due to this fact, chocolate merchandise sometimes comprise some caffeine. The quantity varies however is often greater in darkish chocolate. Sizzling cocoa combine can ship 9 milligrams, a Milky Approach Midnight accommodates 14 grams, whereas a Hershey’s Particular Darkish bar gives 31 milligrams. If you’re searching for an power enhance, that is nice, however if you’re delicate to caffeine or have sleeping issues, maintain this in thoughts (11).
- Reflux. Chocolate might set off acid reflux disease in some folks. If in case you have gentle reflux, you may experiment a bit. Eat a small quantity and document your signs. Check this a couple of occasions and take a look at your greatest to maintain issues as comparable as potential. Observe different components which have been related to reflux – stress, smoking, alcohol, citrus fruits, tomatoes, espresso, onions. In case your signs worsen, strive a smaller quantity and check once more.
- Heavy Metals. The heavy steel cadmium has been present in hint quantities in chocolate (12). Merchandise with greater than 4.1 micrograms of cadmium per each day serving have a warning label in California. The World Well being Group recommends 0.3 micrograms per gram in dried crops as a most. You don’t have to keep away from cocoa or chocolate, however be aware of this and eat chocolate or cocoa powder carefully, particularly youngsters. Think about pairing different meals wealthy in polyphenols (berries, cherries, wine) with a smaller quantity of chocolate (13).
Take house message
Including darkish chocolate into your weight loss plan is a scrumptious option to incorporate health-protecting flavanols. Darkish chocolate wealthy in cocoa-flavanols has been proven to enhance lipids, enhance blood circulation, cut back platelet aggregation, lower blood stress, enhance blood sugar regulation, enhance cognition, and improve temper. However keep in mind, moderation is vital!